Stone haetae crouch before Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, placed there since the Joseon dynasty to devour fire before it could reach the wooden halls and to gore any who would bring injustice through the gates.
Haetae is the Korean form of the Chinese xiezhi, a horned justice-beast that gores the guilty and devours fire, transmitted to Korea through centuries of cultural exchange and adopted as a palace guardian during the Joseon dynasty.
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and improve your experience. Learn more