In 1897, King Gojong brought an end to the Joseon Dynasty by declaring himself Emperor Gojong, founder of the Daehan Empire. This royal seal was produced in 1902 to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Gojong’s reign, as well as his fifty-first birthday. Carved from jade, the seal has a dragon-shaped handle, and it is inscribed with fifty-two Chinese characters that indicate that this is the seal of Emperor Gojong.