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As one of four mini gates in the capital, it played actually the role as one of main gates. As Sukjeongmun was always closed, it was the gateway to the northern areas like Hamgyeong-do. Hyehwamun was built initially with the name of Honghwamun when the Joseon Dynasty constructed Seoul Fortress and gates in the capital in the 5th year of King Taejo (1396) after its movement of the capital city to Seoul. But as it was located at the eastern side of the capital, it was called Dongsomun (Eastern mini gate). |
| In the 14th year of King Seongjong (1483), the eastern gate of newly built Changgyeonggung Palace was named as Honghwamun, which caused confusion with Dongsomun, and Dongsomun had its new name of Hyehwamun in the 6th year of King Jungjong (1511) In the early years of the Joseon Dynasty, the northern Manchurian envoys were accommodated at Bukpyeonggwan, near Dongdaemun (current site of Ewha Woman’s University Medical Center at Dongdaemun). When they visited Seoul, the envoys had to use Hyehamun always and its stately tower gate demonstrated the grandeur of the dynasty to them. As Seodaemun, which had been used by the envoys from the Ming Dynasty, became a new gate for the envoys from the newly Manchurian-erected Ching Dynasty, the importance of Hyehwamun was diminished. As a result, its tower gate was not well maintained and only stone gate with arch remained. In the 20th year of King Yeongjo (1744), the king ordered Eoyeongcheong to restore the fallen tower gate and hanged the new board of ‘Hyehwamun’ written by a then famous calligrapher Jo Gang-ea. By the way, the ceiling of the tower gate was featured by color picture of Chinese phoenix. It was because in the outside of Hyehwamun (current areas of Dongsomun-dong, Samseon-dong, Dongseon-dong), there were so many swallows to harm agriculture, and to prevent such harm, the phoenix was drawn as the king of birds. |
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