Bosingak Belfry - A little bit of history in downtown Seoul

To appreciate the history of Seoul you need look no further than the central district of Seoul. Right at the exit of Jongkak subway station lies Bosingak Belfry (Seoul Monument #10) its mere presence a vivid testament to the resilience of the people of this great city.

The Bosingak Belfry housed the bell that told the time of day in Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty. It was first built at the present entrance to Insa-dong in 1396. The bell tolled 33 times at four o’clock in the morning and 28 times at ten o’clock in the evening to announce the opening and closing of the gates to the walled capital city. These chimes represented the 33 heavens of Buddhism and the 28 solar stages of the zodiac. The bell was also rung in times of fire.

At that time the belfry was two-storied and five kan along the front. (A kan, a traditional measurement of the distance between two columns, varied in length according to the period).

In 1413 (the 13th year of King Taejon), the belfry was moved to the crossroads of Jongno. It was rebuilt in 1440 in a scale of 5 kan east to west and 4 kan north to south. The bell was hung on the second floor, and people, even on horseback could pass underneath through the first floor. Burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592, it was rebuilt in 1619. It was again rebuilt after fires destroyed it in 1686 and 1869.

The king at the time (King Gojong) presented a plaque reading “Bosingak” to the belfry, which was by then a one story hipped and gabled-roof building three kan wide and two kan deep. The present name plaque bears calligraphy done by Singman Rhee, the first President of the Republic of Korea.

Following road repairs in 1915 the building was moved slightly back from its original site. It was moved even further back following its destruction in the Korean War.

Finally in August 1979, when the precinct was reorganized and expended, the belfry was rebuilt in its present location as a two story building five kan wide and four kan deep, giving it a total floor space of 175 square meters. A newly cast bell was hung on the second floor. Today the bell is rung only on special occasions such as New Year’s Eve.

Seoul is littered with such relics, as is the rest of the country, and often they go unnoticed, or at the very least they are taken for granted.

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