This is Heungnyemun, also known as the second gate into Gyeongbokgung. Gatekeepers stood on duty for two-hour shifts at the gate. Now they have regular changing of the guard ceremonies here. There is a book entitled ‘Uigwe’ which records the order and format of state ceremonies in Joseon. The reenactment is performed according to the rules laid out by this book, which is also part of UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme. Heungnyemun gate, which can be thought of as the face of the dynasty, met with difficult times. Remember the imperialism that swept the world in the nineteenth century? Strong countries took colonies all throughout the world, And Korea was colonized at this time by Japan. The Japanese tore down the Second Gate and in its place built the Government-General building. This was in order to block Korean people from seeing Gyeongbokgung, the symbol of their country. The people of Joseon worked tirelessly for independence. Thanks to them, the Republic of Korea was made in 1945 after liberation and the Korea that we know today was born. The Government-General building was used as a museum. In 1995, the Korean government tore down the Government-General Building. Part of the building is now preserved at Independence Hall. The Second Gate was rebuilt in its place. Although it is not the same gate that was there during the Joseon dynasty, Today it is a symbol of Koreans’ desire to rediscover their national pride.