Sebyeonggwan Hall, Tongyeong

Sebyeonggwan Hall was first established in 1605 and served as the main building of the naval headquarters of the Three Southern Provinces during the latter half of the Joseon period (1392-1910). The building also held a wooden tablet symbolizing the king's sovereignty, and high-ranking officials performed a ceremony here in which they prostrated themselves toward the royal capital.

The naval headquarters of the Three Southern Provinces, which included Chungcheong-do, Jeolla-do, and Gyeongsang-do, was first established on Hansando Island in 1593 amidst the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598. It was later moved to Geojedo Island, and then to Tongyeong in 1604, where it remained in operation until it was abolished in 1895 due to military reforms. Sebyeonggwan Hall was rebuilt on a larger scale in 1646 and repaired in 1872.

The single-story hip-and-gable roof building is characterized by its simple but stately appearance. Supported by 50 pillars, it boasts one of the largest surface areas among extant Joseon-period buildings, along with Gyeonghoeru Pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul and Jinnamgwan Hall in Yeosu. The hall's interior features wooden flooring laid in the traditional Korean parquet pattern and an open ceiling that exposes the roof's inner structure. In the center along the back is the altar for the king's wooden tablet. The important status of this space is emphasized by the elevated floor, the coffered ceiling, and the liftable doors along the sides and back.

The name Sebyeonggwan means "Hall of Washing Weapons," which symbolizes the hope that war will end and peace will prosper. It is a reference to the poem "Washing the Weapons and Horses” by the Chinese poet Du Fu (712-770), the last two lines of which read: "How shall we obtain heros who can rein in the Heavenly River, so that we may wash clean all the armor and weapons and never use them again?" The building's name plaque was calligraphed by Seo Yu-dae (1732-1802), the 137th headquarters commander.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08