The Haechi of Gwanghwamun

Take a look at these two stone creatures guarding Gwanghwamun Gate. They are haechi, a mythical animal from Chinese and Korean tradition, and since the late 2000s the haechi has also been Seoul's official symbol: you'll spot its outline on buses, bins and souvenirs.

1Judge of right and wrong

According to ancient Chinese texts, the haechi could tell the guilty from the innocent and would gore liars with its horn. That's why, in Joseon Korea, its image adorned the hats and badges of officials of the Saheonbu, the office that policed the conduct of high officials and stood on this very avenue.

The most popular belief holds that the haechi are water beasts placed here to hold back the "fire" of Mount Gwanak to the south, whose pointed silhouette was associated with flames.

It's an old tradition, but historians point out that no texts from before the palace's reconstruction confirm it. The annals of King Gojong from 1870 offer another clue: the haechi marked the palace boundary, the point where officials had to dismount from their horses.

2Wandering beasts

They were carved around 1870, under the regent Daewongun. In 1923 the colonial authorities removed them and left them covered with straw mats; in 1929 they were placed in front of the Japanese government building; in 1968 they returned beside the gate, and in 2023 they were set at the ends of the restored terrace. Their original spot, according to excavations, was a few dozen metres further south, now in the middle of the road.

3What to look for

• The flattened ears and curly mane.
• The direction of their gaze, towards the south.
• The horn, more discreet than you might expect.