Hidden Place in Seoul : Seokbokheon

in #travel6 years ago (edited)

The king loved the concubine.
The King was Heonjong, the 24th King of the Joseon Dynasty, and the concubine was Gyeongbin Kim.
According to the records, King Heonjong had a good impression and a good voice, and Gyeongbin Kim was beautiful and gracious.

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Their love was so deep, but too short.
The king built a house as a gift of love to the concubine, which is Seokbokheon in Nakseonjae pavilion of Changdeokgung Palace.

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Seokbok means giving blessing, and Heon means house. Therefore, Seokbokheon means "house for blessing."
Today, Seokbokheon is telling their love story with various signs of love.

The bat pattern symbolizes longevity.

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The turtle pattern painted on the wall also symbolizes longevity.

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The bottle gourd pattern symbolizes fertility.

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The letters on the tile represent pleasure.

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These symbols prove that Seokbokheon was full of their love.

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Sadly, the king died at the age of 23, and their love was over.
Their love ended in 605 days, but the traces of their love have continued to this day.
If you go to Seokbokheon, that is house of love, the feeling of love will come to you.

THANKS for reading.
Have a nice day!