Kyujanggak, Royal library in Seoul, South Korea
Kyujanggak is a royal library in Seoul that has housed thousands of documents, manuscripts, and maps since its founding. The building stores both rare original writings and printed works from various periods of Korean history.
King Jeongjo founded this institution in 1776 as a repository for royal papers and texts on Confucianism. The archive was expanded over generations and gradually captured the major works of Korean thought.
The collection shows how scholars and officials worked during the Joseon period and what topics mattered to them. You can see handwritten texts, maps, and printed works that reveal what knowledge people valued and passed down.
Visitors must register in advance to access the collection, though many materials are also available digitally. The best conditions for research happen during daytime hours after coordinating with staff.
The archive survived military sieges and occupations, with its holdings protected from destruction. This resilience makes it a rare testimony to Korea's continuous intellectual development despite adversity.
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