The Secret of the Waterways in Gyeongbokgung Palace's Courtyard

The stone courtyard in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace's Geunjeongjeon Hall doesn't easily flood, even during heavy downpours. This is despite the water flowing directly from Baegaksan Mountain behind the palace. If they built walls to contain it, the water would pool and turn the entire palace into a basin, and if they tried to channel it all out in one stream, the current would erode the foundation stones. So, Joseon chose to divide the water into smaller streams and let it flow slowly. They created separate drainage systems for each section, where reservoirs called 'jipsujeong' would settle dirt and fallen leaves, allowing only the clear water to pass into underground stone channels. What's most surprising is that they didn't excavate the land but instead utilized the original slope to guide the water's path.