Igyeondae Pavilion, Gyeongju

Igyeondae is a pavilion built at the spot with the clearest view of Daewangam, the underwater tomb of King Munmu, Silla's thirtieth ruler, who achieved the unification of the Three Kingdoms. It was built in 681 by King Sinmun, the thirty-first king, in honour of King Munmu's wish to protect the nation even in death by becoming a dragon. King Sinmun built a temple called Gameunsa by the seashore, and beneath its main hall he had a hole bored facing Donghae (the East Sea) so that his father, now a dragon, could enter and move about within the temple. Records state that the place where the dragon later appeared was named Igyeondae. It is also said that at Igyeondae, King Sinmun received from the dragon a jade belt and a flute called Manpasikjeok, said to be able to save the world and bring peace. The name Igyeondae carries the meaning that King Sinmun saw a dragon appear from the sea and thereby gained a great benefit for the nation; it is taken from the phrase in the Book of Changes (I Ching), 飛龍在天 利見大人 ("when the flying dragon is in the heavens, it is beneficial to see the great man"). During an excavation, the site of the original building was discovered, and on the basis of this the pavilion was newly rebuilt today, following an estimate of Silla-period architectural style.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Historic Site · 사적