▁They ▁were ▁made ▁of ▁gran ite ▁and ▁were ▁four ▁cub its ▁high , ▁five ▁cub its ▁wide , ▁and ▁eight ▁inches ▁thick . ▁ ▁History ▁▁▁ ▁When ▁Emperor ▁Go j ong ▁asc ended ▁the ▁throne ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age , ▁Lee ▁Ha - e ung , ▁King ▁Go j ong ' s ▁father ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Da ew ong un ▁took ▁power . ▁At ▁this ▁time ▁countries ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Russia ▁were ▁approaching ▁the ▁Korean ▁Pen ins ula . ▁They ▁came ▁to ▁Jose on ▁to ▁demand ▁commerce ▁and ▁sometimes ▁st aged ▁armed ▁provoc ations ▁and ▁demonstr ations . ▁ ▁Da ew ong un ▁tried ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁with ▁France ▁to ▁keep ▁Russia ▁in ▁check ▁during ▁his ▁early ▁years ▁in ▁office , ▁but ▁he ▁quickly ▁changed ▁his ▁policy ▁st ance ▁to ▁Sak oku ▁after ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁By e ong iny o ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁and ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁rob ▁the ▁king ' s ▁tomb . ▁In ▁particular , ▁Da ew ong un ▁established ▁a ▁policy ▁of ▁Sak oku ▁that ▁prohib ited ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁and ▁commerce ▁with ▁foreign ▁countries ▁to ▁maintain ▁order ▁of ▁the ▁Jose on ▁D ynast y ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁warn ▁the ▁people , ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁regions ▁of ▁Se oul ▁and ▁across ▁the ▁country ▁st ela e ▁were ▁set ▁up ▁by ▁fire ▁hyd r ants . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 2