[Reading Science] The Secrets of the 'Haetae Statue' and 'Deumeu' in Front of the Palace

Why is there a large Haetae statue standing in front of Gwanghwamun?
Photo by YouTube Screenshot

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] In front of Gwanghwamun, there is a large 'Haetae statue.' Also, large iron jars called 'Deumeu' are placed at the corners of major buildings inside Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Why was the Haetae statue painstakingly carved out of large stone, and what are the iron drum-like jars called Deumeu used for? To give you the answer first, the Haetae was used to prevent fires, and the Deumeu was used both for prevention and extinguishing fires.

Nowadays, when a fire breaks out, people call 119, and fire trucks quickly respond. How did our ancestors handle fires? They installed a bell tower to monitor fires and rang the bell to alert people when a fire occurred. Our ancestors had their own fire safety system. The Haetae statue and Deumeu were part of that fire safety system.

The earliest recorded fire accident in our history was in 132 AD (the 21st year of King Jima of Silla), when the south gate of the Silla palace caught fire. Later, in May of 333 AD, during the 30th year of King Biryu of Baekje, a meteor fell and caused a fire in the royal palace that spread to residential areas. During the Goryeo Dynasty, population growth and frequent wars led to many fires, and in the Joseon Dynasty, as cities grew and handicrafts developed, large fires frequently occurred nationwide.

Where was the place that served as today's fire station? On February 26, 1426, King Sejong established the 'Geumhwadogam (禁火都監),' an official agency responsible for firefighting, and in May 1431, the first firefighting unit called 'Geumhwagun (禁火軍)' was launched. During King Sejo's reign, on December 20, 1467, it was expanded and renamed 'Myeolhwagun (滅火軍).'

The Myeolhwagun had a staff of 50 and was equipped with 20 axes, 15 iron hooks, and 5 hemp ropes made of three strands to extinguish fires. When the bell rang from the fire monitoring bell tower, they rushed to the scene, using iron hooks or axes to demolish burning houses to prevent the fire from spreading, and extinguished the flames with water-soaked cloths. This can be seen as a scientifically based response.

The modern form of fire stations began to take shape in 1925 with the establishment of the 'Gyeongseong Fire Station.' The Gyeongseong Fire Station was composed of a fire chief, pump team, hose team, demolition team, and ladder team, and they wore fire helmets and fireproof clothing.

The pump team, consisting of 5 to 6 members, rang a metal bell attached to the front while pulling the pump to the scene. The demolition team extinguished embers by scraping with hooks, and the ladder team climbed buildings to rescue people.

The previously mentioned Haetae statue and Deumeu can be seen as devices focused more on prevention than extinguishing. The Deumeu installed in the palace during the Joseon Dynasty is a Korean word meaning a large, flat jar. It was filled with water and used for firefighting when wooden buildings caught fire.

The Deumeu was quite large and difficult to carry alone. Some Deumeu had handles, but others did not. Instead, all Deumeu had wide openings so that water could be scooped out using small jars. Some people continuously refilled the Deumeu with water, while others scooped water from it to extinguish fires.

What is the purpose of the large iron jars called 'Deumeu' placed around the main buildings of Gyeongbokgung Palace?
Photo by YouTube screenshot

However, before actual use, the Deumeu was intended to prevent fires. It was made with the idea that a fire spirit would come to cause harm but would be frightened and flee after seeing its reflection in the water inside the Deumeu.

The Haetae statue was installed during the late Joseon period under King Gojong when Heungseon Daewongun rebuilt Gyeongbokgung Palace. Since the summit of Gwanaksan Mountain, Yeonjudae, looks like flames, the Haetae, a mythical water creature, was placed in front of Gwanghwamun to block the fire energy from reaching the palace.

Our ancestors mainly used the energy of animals to prevent fires. The unusual animal with a dragon's head and fish's body engraved on Goryeo celadon was also intended to prevent fires.

Could it be that by projecting mythical animals onto devices like the Haetae statue and Deumeu, our ancestors not only reminded people of the need for prevention but also applied a scientific fire suppression system that could be used as firefighting equipment in emergencies?