Seodaemun
{{Short description|1396–1915 west gate of Seoul, South Korea}}
{{distinguish|Seodaemun District}}
{{coord|37|34|05.68|N|126|58|08.31|E|display=title}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| hangul = 돈의문
| hanja = {{linktext|敦|義|門}}
| rr = Donuimun
| mr = Tonŭimun
| context =
| img = Korea-History-Seoul-West.Gate-1904-by.Underwood (cropped).jpg
| caption = Donuimun, as photographed in 1904 by Horace Grant Underwood "...Japanese troops entering the city of Seoul..."
}}
Donuimun ({{Korean|hangul=돈의문|lit=Loyalty Gate}}), sometimes called the West Gate or Seodaemun ({{Korean|hangul=서대문|hanja=西大門|labels=no|lit=West Big Gate}}), was one of the Eight Gates of Seoul in Seoul, South Korea. The gate served as the westeren opening to the Fortress Wall that surrounded the city during the Joseon period.
It was originally built in 1396, destroyed during the 16th century, and then rebuilt in 1711. However, it was again destroyed in 1915, during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and has not since been rebuilt.
History
Donuimun was originally built in 1396. It was burned as a result of the 16th century invasions by Japan, but was rebuilt in 1711.{{cite web|title=Seoul City to Restore Ancient West Gate|url=https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/10/22/2009102200725.html|publisher=Chosun Ilbo}} In 1413, the gate was closed. In 1422, Donuimun gate was repaired. In 1711, Donuimun Gate was rebuilt in 1711.{{cite web|title=travel2seoul|url=http://travel2seoul.com/?p=686|accessdate=1 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204030001/http://travel2seoul.com/?p=686|archive-date=4 December 2014|url-status=dead}} In 1915, the gate was again destroyed during the Japanese colonial period.{{Citation |last=이 |first=장희 |title=돈의문 (敦義門) Donuimun |work=한국민족문화대백과사전 [Encyclopedia of Korean Culture] |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0016076 |access-date=2024-10-30 |publisher=Academy of Korean Studies |language=ko}} The gate was photographed at various times before its destruction, most notably by in a series of photographs taken by Presbyterian missionary Horace Grant Underwood in 1904. Some of these photographs show the tracks of an "American Electric Tramway" running through the gate.
The name Donuimun means literally "Loyalty Gate."{{cite web|title=The Gates and Walls of Seoul|url=http://www.koreaaward.com/kor/index.php?mid=news_today&document_srl=5616|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208201829/http://www.koreaaward.com/kor/index.php?mid=news_today&document_srl=5616|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-12-08|publisher=Korean News Today}} It was one of the Four Great Gates in the Fortress Wall of Seoul.
Preservation
Donuimun was demolished in 1915, during Japanese rule of Korea, in order to facilitate the construction of a tram line.{{cite news|title=Seoul City to Restore Ancient West Gate|url=https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/10/22/2009102200725.html|accessdate=24 February 2018|work=The Chosun Ilbo|date=22 October 2009}} In 2009, Seoul Metropolitan Government announced plans to rebuild Donuimun, using maps from the Joseon era to the present day, in addition to conducting surveys and excavations.
Officials originally envision the project to be complete by 2013, but was delayed to 2022, due to budget issues.{{cite web|url=https://www.munhwa.com/news/view.html?no=2012121001071343186008 |script-title=ko:日帝가 허문 '돈의문' 복원 불투명 |language=ko |publisher=Munhwa Ilbo |date=2012-12-10 |accessdate=2013-04-30}}{{needs update|date=June 2025}}
Currently, an art piece titled "Invisible Gate" stands over the Donuimun site.{{cite book|title=Seoul City Wall Guide Book|date=11 December 2014|publisher=Seoul Metropolitan Government|page=42|isbn=9791156211907|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5j50BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA42|accessdate=24 February 2018}}
Images
{{Gallery
|SeoulWestGate.jpg
|Donuimun sketch, ca. 1894.
|Korea (1910) (14577630587).jpg
|Painting by Constance J. D. Coulson (1910)
|Donuimun Gate Memorial, Seoul, Korea.jpg
|Donuimun Memorial, May 2012.
|Donuimun Signboard, Seoul, Korea.jpg
|Donuimun Signboard, as represented on the current memorial.
|Donuimun Gate Memorial Back, Seoul, Korea.jpg
|Back of Donuimun Memorial, May 2012.
|Donuimun Gate Memorial Signage, Seoul, Korea.jpg
|Signage from back of Donuimun Memorial, May 2012.
}}
References
{{Commons category|Donuimun}}
{{reflist}}
{{Eight Gates of Seoul}}
{{Authority control}}