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K-HISTORY

Meaningful Days of Korean History

  • 1967.5.15
    Date of discovery
    On May 15, 1967, the Silla Oak investigation team announced that they had discovered the tomb of King Munmu in Silla.

    According to the Samgungnyusa (The Heritage of the Three States), King Munmu left a will that if he cremated after he died and buried it in the East Sea, he would become a dragon and prevent the Japanese invasion of the East Sea.

    It is located off the coast of Bonggil-ri, Munmudaewang-myeon, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

    This rock, called Daewangam, is a natural rock in the sea close to the beach, and was designated as Historic Site No. 158 in 1967.
  • 2001.5.18
    Registration date
    The Royal Ancestral Ritual in the Jongmyo Shrine and Its Music is also known as 'Jongmyomusic' as the general name for instrumental music, song and dance performed at the memorial service for the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty.

    It is also called Jongmyo Daeje because it was a large and important ritual held in Jongmyo during the Joseon Dynasty
  • 2010.8.15
    Restoration date
    Gwanghwamun is the main gate to the south of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It means "the great virtue of wages reflects the whole country."

    Built in 1395, a pair of hatch sculptures are located on both sides of Gwanghwamun, a two-story pavilion. There are three Hongyemun (Archimun) on the stone pillars of Gwanghwamun. The middle door was the king's, and the other left and right doors were the servants' doors.

    On the ceiling of the gate in the middle of Gwanghwamun, there is an abacus. Gwanghwamun was destroyed twice by the Korean War, and on August 15, 2010, some restoration works were completed except for Woldae and Haitai.

    In modern times, the name "Gwanghwamun" itself is not only used as a castle gate, but also as a common name for Sejong-ro in Beopjeong-dong, including Sejong-daero and Gwanghwamun Square.

    In fact, the Sejong-daero intersection, where Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu and Saemunan-ro intersect, is about 600 to 700 meters away from Gwanghwamun, but it is often called "Gwanghwamun intersection (intersection)".

    The Uijeongbu and Yukjo government offices were established to perform key administrative functions since the Joseon Dynasty, and this area is one of the places where Seoul's history is implied along with Sungnyemun Gate.

    In other words, it is one of the landmarks in Seoul.
  • 1973.8.23
    Date of discovery
    Gyeongju Cheonmachong Tomb <Jangni Cheonmado> is a picture of a horse drawn on a long tooth that hangs on both sides of the saddle.

    It is 75cm wide, 53cm long, and 6mm thick, and was discovered in 1973 in Tomb No. 155 (Chunmachong) of Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju.

    The figure of Cheonma-do and the vine designs on the rim of Cheonma-do during the 5th and 6th centuries of the Silla Period are similar to the patterns of Goguryeo dance guns and ancient tomb murals, indicating that Silla paintings were influenced by Goguryeo.

    It is also worthwhile as it is the only painting of Silla that remains until now.
  • 2000.9.10
    designated date
    Daeungjeon Hall of Jogyesa Temple in Seoul is a Joseon-era Daeungjeon Hall located in Gyeonji-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. On September 10, 2000, it was designated as Tangible Cultural Property No. 127 of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

    It is the headquarters of the Jogye Order, which represents Korean Buddhism, and is a place where the Bodhisattva spirit of the great monk who pursues a world where people live together.

    It is also the site of history with the Korean people during the turbulent times of modern and contemporary history, especially the place of national self-reliance that overcame the gloomy era of Japanese colonial rule.

    Jogyesa Temple is the only traditional temple located in the middle of Jongno, the center of Seoul, an international cultural city, where visitors can relax and relax.

    http://www.jogyesa.kr
  • 1981.9.25
    a date designated as a historical site
    It was constructed in 1922 and completed as Gyeongseong Station in 1925. After Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, it became Seoul Station in 1947.

    Japanese occupation at the time of war material and manpower supply and demand for supplies, a primary role to play as vehicles built by Japan for historical building, Saito Makoto hand.OK to have been created jeongchoseok to be installed, Mainland China and Japan testifies to the history of Korea order to gain control was carried out as a history of aggression.

    It was designated as Historic Site No. 284 in 1981.

    It was designed by the Japanese as a stone-mixed brick building with one basement floor and two ground floors. It played a role as a railway facility in Seoul. However, it was no longer used as a history when its function was transferred to the integrated private history station in 2003. It was restored and is now used as a complex cultural space.

    The first floor is treated with Renaissance palace construction techniques, and the top and second floors are red bricks, partially decorated with granite, and the oldest railway building in Korea is of great architectural value.
  • 1991.10.25
    a date designated as a historical site
    It is a historic park located in Jongno, Seoul. It was renamed Tapgol Park from Pagoda Park in 1991 and is designated as Historic Site No. 354.

    The reason Tapgol Park is important in Korea's modern and contemporary history is because it is the birthplace of the March 1 Independence Movement, which first read the Declaration of Independence during the March 1 Independence Movement in 1919.

    On March 1, 1919, people gathered here to listen to the Declaration of Independence and started the March 1 Independence Movement. Therefore, Japanese colonial era Pagoda Park was also a popular place for people to soothe their country's lost sorrow.

    Currently, there are cultural assets such as the 10-story stone pagoda of Wongaksa Temple Site, the second national treasure, and the third treasure, Wongaksa Monument, the March 1 Independence Movement Memorial Tower, the March 1 Movement Wall Painting, the statue of Uiam Son Byung-hee, and the monument of Han Yong-un.
  • 1977.11.22
    a date designated as a historical site
    Tongqing Myeong-dong Cathedral is a cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul located in Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, and is both a symbol and heart of the Korean Catholic Church.

    This is the first place where the Korean church community was born and the remains of many martyrs were enshrined.

    It is the first large-scale Gothic Catholic church built on the Korean Peninsula and the first main hall in Korea (a cathedral where priests reside and minister).

    On November 22, 1977, it was designated as Historic Site No. 258.

    Homepage ▶ http://www.mdsd.or.kr
  • 1962.12.3
    Designated date
    It is a representative native dog of Korea that our ancestors have been raising since long ago in Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do.

    Jindo dogs are 50 to 55cm tall for males and 45 to 50cm for females, and their heads and faces are octagonal in front of them, and their overall impression is mild.

    The ears are slightly tilted forward and stand upright, and the eyes are triangular and dark yellow or gray.

    The nose is almost black and has a light red color.

    Jindo dogs have a bold personality and are very sensitive to smell and hearing, making them suitable for hunting.

    It is also faithful and smart, and has a good nature of returning to where it lived even after going far away from where it lived, making it suitable for pets and keeping a house.

    It was designated and protected as Natural Monument No. 53 on December 3, 1962.

    In 1995, Jindo dogs were recognized as international protected breeding animals.
  • 1962.12.20
    designated date of national treasure
    The Tripitaka Koreana Tripitaka Correana, or the Tripitaka Koreana in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, began its first edition in 1236 (the 23rd year of King Gojong's reign) in Ganghwa County, Korea, in order to prevent the invasion of Mongolia by force in Haeinsa Temple, Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province.

    On December 20, 1962, it was designated as the 32nd National Treasure of the Republic of Korea, and changed to the current name on August 25, 2010.

    The Tripitaka Koreana, which is considered to be the oldest of the existing world's great wonders and the most complete of its stay and contents, was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2007.
  • 1965.12.20
    designated date of national treasure
    Goryeo porcelain was a pottery made during the Goryeo Dynasty, which refers to celadon made during the Goryeo Dynasty, such as celadon, white porcelain, black yuja, and iron yuja, but has generally been recognized as a reference to Goryeo celadon.

    Goryeo celadon was developed under the influence of pottery from the Song Dynasty and its techniques were much better than those of the Song Dynasty, so the Song Dynasty people praised it as the best in the world.

    The excellence of Goryeo celadon can be attributed to its beautiful color. Some are yellowish or yellowish brown, but others are especially beautiful.

    There is National Treasure No. 115 of the celadon Sanggamdang First Gate Wan, which represents the period.
  • 1962.12.20
    designated date of national treasure
    The tombstone of King Taejong Muyeol in Gyeongju is the tombstone of King Taejong Muyeol, the 29th king of Silla, which was built in the mid 7th century in Seorak-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It is also abbreviated as the Royal Tomb of King Muyeol.

    The stele, which was erected during the Unified Silla Period, was shaped like a turtle, and the headstone on the stele was carved with a dragon. The tombstone of King Taejong Muyeol was the first example of this style.

    On December 20, 1962, it was designated as National Treasure No. 25 of the Republic of Korea.
  • 1962.12.20
    designated date of national treasure
    The construction of Seokguram Grotto was begun in 751 under the leadership of Prime Minister Kim Dae-seong during the reign of King Gyeongdeok of the Silla Dynasty, and was completed in 774 (the 10th year of King Hyegong’s reign), whereupon it was given its original name of Seokbulsa Temple.
    Buddhist art reached its peak during King Gyeongdeok’s reign, which spanned the middle period of the Silla Period, Besides Seokguram Grotto, many other cultural treasures were built during this period, including Bulguksa Temple, Dabotap Pagoda, the Three-story Stone Pagoda of Bulguksa Temple, and the Bell of Hwangnyongsa Temple.
    The artificial stone grotto was built halfway down Tohamsan Mountain with pieces of white granite. The principal statue of Sakyamuni Buddha was placed at the center of the grotto, and forty statues of various bodhisattvas, Buddha’s disciples, and guardian kings were carved on the surrounding walls, though only thirty-eight of them remain. The rectangular front chamber of the grotto is connected to the round main chamber by a corridor. The exquisite ceiling of the main chamber was made with more than 360 flat stones. The architectural technique used to build this grotto is unprecedented in its excellence. There are statues of four guardian deities on both the left and right sides of the front chamber, which functions as the entrance to the main chamber. Carved on both sides of the entrance to the corridor is a statue of the Vajra Guardians, while the narrow corridor is decorated with the Four Guardian Kings carved in pairs. There is an octagonal stone column on both sides of the entrance to the round main chamber. The Principal Buddha is placed slightly off center toward the back of the main chamber. From the entrance, the walls of the chamber are filled with the images of two devas, two bodhisattvas, and ten arhats. Standing behind the Principal Buddha is a statue of the Eleven-faced Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, perhaps the most exquisitely carved statue found inside this grotto.
    Every single sculpture contained in the grotto may be considered a masterpiece of East Asian Buddhist art. The list of masterpieces includes the principal image of Buddha, which was created with mature carving skills; the Eleven-faced Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with its magnificently carved face and body; statues of valiant warriors and the majestic Four Guardian Kings; and the supple graceful statues of various bodhisattvas and arhats, each of which displays a distinctive individuality. In particular, the serene appearance of the Principal Buddha enshrined in the main chamber deepens the mystical atmosphere. The extremely natural appearance of the Principal Buddha seems to present to all living people the ideal model of a man harboring a profound and sublime mind deep within him and easily pass to them his everlasting mercy. Seokguram Grotto is a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in Silla. What makes it stand out all the more is its perfect combination of architecture, mathematics, geometry, religion, and art. Seokguram Grotto has long been preserved as National Treasure No. 24, and was jointly registered as a UNESCO World Heritage in December 1995 along with Bulguksa Temple.
  • 1962.12.20
    designated date of national treasure
    It was also called Namdaemun because it was located in the south of the main gate of Hanyangdoseong during the Joseon Dynasty. It was built in 1396 (the 7th year of King Taejo's reign) and was the oldest wooden building in Seoul.

    The building was rebuilt in 1448 (the 30th year of King Sejong's reign), and it was discovered that there was a big construction in the 10th year of King Seongjong's reign (1479) during the dismantling and repair of the building between 1961 and 1963.

    Later, on February 10, 2008, the fire at Sungnyemun destroyed the roof of the second floor of the pavilion and partially destroyed the roof of the first floor. After five years and two months of restoration work, it was completed on May 4, 2013 and opened to the public.

    This gate is a two-story building with a two-story square measuring 5 bays in front space and 2 bays in side space, with a rainbow-shaped gate in the middle of the stone pillars. The roof has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the front, which is called the Woojingak roof. The multi-layered structure, which is decorated on the upper part of the pillars to support the eaves of the roof, is not only on top of the pillars but also between the pillars, and the composition is not too severe and is well-organized, showing the characteristics of the early Joseon Dynasty.

    It is said that Yangnyeongdaegun wrote the Hyeonpan, which reads "Sungnyemun," in the book "Jibong Yuseol." It is the oldest wooden structure in Seoul that shows the exact date of construction.

    ᄋ Sungnyemun's fire-fighting fire(2008.2.10)

    - The 2008 Sungnyemun arson attack was a case in which the Sungnyemun building was burnt down from February 10 to February 11, 2008. The fire broke out around 8:40 p.m. on February 10, 2008, and the second floor of Sungnyemun collapsed around 0:40 a.m. on February 11, 2008, followed by a fire on the first floor, damaging buildings except stone pillars at 1:55 a.m., five hours after the fire.
  • 1962.12.20
    designated date of national treasure
    Dabotap Pagoda and Seokgatap Pagoda (the Three-story Stone Pagoda of Bulguksa Temple, National Treasure No. 21) are the two most renowned pagodas in Korea. They are similar in height (10.29m and 10.75m), and stand facing each other, Dabotap Pagoda in the east, Seokgatap Pagoda in the west, between Daeungjeon Hall and Jahamun Gate of Bulguksa Temple . Dabotap is a unique type of pagoda, while Seokgatap Pagoda (also known as “Sakyamuni Buddha Pagoda”) is representative of the more general type of stone pagoda. The two pagodas were built at the same site to reflect the content of the Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra), in which the Dabo Buddha (“Buddha of the past”) stands beside Sakyamuni (“Buddha of the present”) to prove that his Buddhist sermon is right. Bulguksa Temple was founded by Kim Dae-seong’s offer in 751 (the 10th year of the reign of King Gyeongdeok of Silla).
    Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) states that Kim Dae-seong built Seokguram Grotto for his parents in his former life, and Bulguksa Temple for his present parents. However, the temple was not completed at the time of his death, so it was finished afterwards by the kingdom, and in the end, the temple was run not for the private individual Kim Dae-seong but for the benefit of the kingdom as a whole.
    Bulguksa Temple can be said to be the realization of the Buddhist paradise in which Buddhist monks of past, present, and future live together. It clearly reveals aspects of the spiritual world of the people of Silla. While it is perfectly clear that Seokgatap Pagoda is a three-story pagoda standing on a two-story platform, it is difficult to count the number of stories of Dabotap Pagoda. In fact, even experts have diverging opinions, with some saying it is has four stories and others that it has only three. However, the uniqueness of Dabotap Pagoda can be seen in the structure of each part. Stone staircases are attached to each side of the cross-shaped platform, with an octagonal pagoda body surrounded by square railings placed upon it. It is presumed that the pagoda was built in 751 during the construction of Bulguksa Temple.
    This work is a masterpiece that beautifully expresses the complicated structure of wooden construction without any distraction by the use of through novel ideas. The work exhibits the artistic sensibility of Unified Silla through its well-organized structure consisting of squares, octagons, and circles, and in its length, width and thickness, which are standardized in every part. During the Japanese Colonial Period, the Japanese dismantled and repaired the pagoda around 1925, but they left behind no records of this work. In the process, Artifact, reliquaries, and other artifacts that must have been placed inside the pagoda all disappeared. In addition, of the four lions originally placed on the stone staircases of the pagoda, the Japanese took away three, all of which must have been in good condition. Though there have been continuous efforts to retrieve these precious cultural heritages, no trace has been found of them as yet.