[Editor’s Note] Seoul is not just a space but a vast landscape of human geography layered with history, people, power, wealth, myths, and geomancy. Jo Han-kyu, a philosophy professor at the University of Caroline in the U.S. and former president of the Segye Ilbo, shares hidden stories of Seoul that the 2030 generation should know in the Aju Economy Newspaper. From Insubong and Yeongseongbong to the stone of the king's energy, the auspicious sites of wealth, and spaces for success and passing exams, he presents a new human geography of Seoul that transcends typical cultural explorations, navigating through geomancy, the Four Books and Three Classics, and historical anecdotes in the AI era.
(3) The Geomantic Debate on the Transfer of Hanyang and the Royal Palace
The transfer of the capital to Hanyang in Joseon faced significant challenges. The candidate sites for the capital changed four times over two years between 'Hanyang-Gyeryongsan-Moak-Hanyang,' causing confusion. This was due to a heated 'geomantic debate' over the location of the royal palace involving figures like Muhak, Ha Ryun, Kwon Jung-hwa, and Jeong Do-jeon that lasted about two years. The transfer to Hanyang was not an easy process. The construction of the royal palace, centered on Baegaksan, also underwent tremendous difficulties.
On August 13, 1392, less than a month after his ascension, Lee Seong-gye ordered the relocation of the capital to Hanyang. The initial candidate site was Hanyang, now known as Seoul, influenced significantly by the 'dream of the Supreme Deity' experienced at the Seongbong cave of Dobongsan. On December 3, 1394, before starting the construction of the royal capital, a document was presented to the deities of heaven and earth, stating, "(The Joseon king) I, Lee Dan, humbly and foolishly received the joy of geomancy at the time of Goryeo's impending downfall, and I have been commanded to establish Joseon." This indicates that Lee Seong-gye claimed to have received the mandate to establish Joseon in a dream from the Supreme Deity. Some accounts suggest that the first candidate site Lee Seong-gye had in mind was not Gyeongbokgung but the area around Banghak-dong and Chang-dong, below Seongbong.
Recently, the Seoul Metropolitan Government opened the Seoul Museum of Photography and the Seoul Robotics and AI Science Museum near Changdong Station. In March 2027, a K-pop dedicated venue, the Seoul Arena, with a capacity of about 30,000, will open. This complex cultural facility will include a music performance hall, a medium-sized performance venue, and a cinema. The nearby Changdong Vehicle Depot and the Dobong Driver's License Examination Center will see the completion of Nowon Seoul National University Hospital by December 2028. The energy of the land is awakening not in the early Joseon period but now, as Changdong undergoes transformation.
The second candidate site was Gyeryongsan. On January 2, 1393, Kwon Jung-hwa, a geomancy expert of the time, submitted a map of auspicious sites and candidate locations to Lee Seong-gye. The Annals of King Taejo record that he found auspicious land in Jin-dong, Jeollado, and presented a topographical map of Gyeryongsan. Following this, on February 8, Lee Seong-gye, accompanied by the royal geomancer Muhak, surveyed the Gyeryongsan area and decided to relocate there, initiating construction that lasted for ten months.
However, on December 11, 1393, the construction was abruptly halted due to objections raised by Ha Ryun, the governor of Gyeonggi Province, who pointed out geomantic issues. Ha Ryun argued, "The capital should be located centrally in the country, but Gyeryongsan is too far south, distanced from the eastern, western, and northern regions. I have previously reviewed various geomantic texts while burying my father, and I have heard that the land of Gyeryongsan has mountains coming from the northwest and water flowing from the southeast, which is said to be a land where water breaks life, leading to decline, making it unsuitable for the capital."
Ultimately, Lee Seong-gye instructed Ha Ryun, Kwon Jung-hwa, Jeong Do-jeon, and Namjae to verify the geomantic theories of the Goryeo dynasty's various royal tombs. All findings confirmed the geomantic principles, prompting Lee Seong-gye to give Ha Ryun the secret documents of the Goryeo dynasty's royal observatory and direct him to select a new candidate site.
Ha Ryun proposed a third candidate site in the area around Sinchon, centered on Yonsei University, south of Moaksan. However, after sending Kwon Jung-hwa and Jo Jun to conduct a geomantic survey in February 1394, they concluded that the land was too narrow and unsuitable. Officials from the royal observatory, including Yoon Sin-dal and Yoo Han-woo, also advised against it. Even Lee Seong-gye himself surveyed Moaksan on August 11, 1394, and all but Ha Ryun opposed the site, leading to its abandonment.
On August 12, 1394, while returning to Kaesong, Lee Seong-gye closely examined the southern part of the Goryeo's Nanjing Palace near Baegaksan and consulted with various officials, ultimately selecting Hanyang as the candidate site once again. On September 1, 1394, he established the 'New Palace Construction Office' and appointed officials to oversee it. On October 25, he officially designated the site as the capital and renamed it Hanseongbu, appointing judges, officials, and military officers.
Following the geomantic debate over the candidate sites, a fierce discussion arose regarding the main mountain of the royal palace. The clash between Buddhist geomancy and Confucian principles regarding the layout of the palace in Hanyang was primarily between Muhak and Jeong Do-jeon. Although not recorded in official history, it has been passed down through unofficial histories and oral traditions since the mid-Joseon period.
The 'main mountain debate' first appeared in the writings of Cha Cheon-ro, a contemporary writer and disciple of Seo Gyeong-deok, in his work 'Five Mountain Theory.' According to this text, "When Muhak became the royal geomancer, he predicted that Hanyang would be the new capital, stating, 'Make Inwangsan the main mountain and Baegaksan and Namsan the Blue Dragon and White Tiger.' However, since the site faced east, Jeong Do-jeon expressed his opposition, leading Muhak to warn that if his advice was ignored, people would reflect on it 200 years later." This has also been mentioned in works like 'Yeonryeosilgisul.' The core of the 'main mountain debate' can be summarized in the comparison table of the 'Gyeongbokgung Layout Concept.'
The adoption of Jeong Do-jeon's proposal in the 'main mountain debate' was significantly influenced by his argument that the land south of Baegaksan received the energy of the North Star, in conjunction with the 'Southern Orientation Theory' from the 'Book of Rites.' It is believed that the energy from the heavenly palace of the North Star, received through Insubong, extends vigorously down through the mountains to create the earthly palace at Gyeongbokgung. Jeong Do-jeon also argued that making Gyeongbokgung the main mountain would align with the four guardian deities: East - Blue Dragon, West - White Tiger, South - Vermilion Bird, North - Black Tortoise. Furthermore, Ha Ryun supported Jeong Do-jeon's argument with geomantic logic, stating that a rich nation requires abundant water in front of the palace, noting that while the water from the Jungnangcheon is scarce, the Han River is plentiful.
Jeong Do-jeon is known to have studied geomancy later in life. He reportedly conducted in-depth research on the 'Three Discussions Record,' which follows the traditional Korean geomantic text 'Yurijadongseo.' Traditional Korean geomancy analyzes the flow of energy from the main mountain to the burial site and considers the arrangement of the four guardian deities to assess fortune and misfortune. Thus, Jeong Do-jeon was able to engage in the 'main mountain debate' with Muhak, who was also a geomancy expert well-versed in the 'Yukryongjigeumdo.'
Muhak's core argument for the 'Inwangsan main mountain theory' was that the palace site should be located facing east at 'Yujaomyo' (酉坐卯向). This would allow three mountains—Naksan, Baebongsan, and Yongmasan—to unfold in layers, symbolizing the increasing strength of the nation. Notably, Muhak viewed Yongmasan, visible from Inwangsan to the east, as significant due to its 'One Character Literary Star' shape. The 'One Character Literary Star' refers to a landform where the ridge of the mountain stretches horizontally and flatly, indicating a favorable site for the emergence of a heavenly emperor. It also symbolizes the king advancing into the continent on a dragon horse.
In contrast, the weakness of Jeong Do-jeon's 'Baegaksan main mountain theory' lies in Gwanaksan, a volcano that could pose a fire hazard to Gyeongbokgung. The mountain behind Baegaksan, Bohyeonbong, could become a threat from the northwest winds that cross Changui Gate. Many geomantic remedies would be necessary. The left Blue Dragon, Naksan, being weaker than the right White Tiger, Inwangsan, could also weaken royal authority. Historical events such as the First and Second Prince's Revolts, the Gyeoyu Jeongnan, the Jungjong Restoration, the Injo Restoration, the era of women in power, and the political influence of relatives exemplify this. The accuracy of the site at Ansan is also questionable, as Namsan is not aligned with it. Consequently, Muhak proposed that Namsan should be accurately designated as the main mountain and that the site should be located facing southeast at 'Haezwasahyang.' However, it is said that he was outvoted by the prevailing opinion, including Ha Ryun.
Moreover, while Jeong Do-jeon's rationale for selecting Baegaksan as the main mountain was similar to Muhak's, their perspectives differed. Muhak focused on the significance of Yongmasan's One Character Literary Star, while Jeong Do-jeon emphasized Baegaksan itself. Above all, he wanted to clarify that Joseon was the legitimate successor of Gojoseon.
The 'Samguk Yusa' states that when Dangun Wanggeom founded Joseon, he moved the capital to Baegaksan Asadal. It reads, "He established the capital in Pyongyang and named it Joseon. He later moved the capital to Baegaksan Asadal, which is also called Holsan or Geummidal. For the next 1,500 years, the nation was governed."
Kim Doo-kyu, a former professor at Woosuk University, discusses Jeong Do-jeon's territorial perspective in 'National Fortune Geomancy,' stating, "Jeong Do-jeon explained to Lee Seong-gye that the border tribes that became the Heavenly Kingdom were the Khitan, Jurchens, and Mongols. He also enforced strict military training nationwide, aiming to recover the ancient lands of Gojoseon." He further elaborates on Gojoseon's main mountain, stating, "Many scholars since the Joseon dynasty have regarded the mountain of Umyoryeosan in Beizhen, Liaoning Province, as Gojoseon's main mountain. Umyoryeosan, meaning 'a mountain that greatly heals wounded souls,' is a famous mountain made of white rocks, also known as Baegaksan."
Jeong Do-jeon, who named the nation Joseon, held the belief that 'the descendants of Gojoseon are indeed Joseon.' Therefore, considering that Gojoseon's main mountain is Baegaksan, he changed the name of the main mountain of the Joseon royal palace (Gyeongbokgung) from Myeonak to Baegaksan. The assertion that 'Gojoseon's main mountain is Umyoryeosan' has also been supported by scholars like Heo Mok, Hong Dae-yong, and Jang Ji-yeon. The 'Baegaksan main mountain theory' reflects a historical consciousness.
At the summit of Baegaksan, there is a marker inscribed with '白岳山.' Designated as South Korea's scenic site No. 67, it is marked as 'Seoul Baegaksan Area.' It is appropriate to rename Bukaksan to Baegaksan as well. Additionally, considering that the Government Seoul Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs face east, high-rise buildings should be regulated in the direction visible from Yongmasan. This will help revive the national spirit and significantly elevate the nation's fortune.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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