Ipseok in Daecheon-ri, Jinju

An ipseok is a long stone shaped and set upright; also called a seondol, it is a type of megalithic culture similar to the dolmen. In prehistoric times such stones were erected around dolmens to mark the boundary of a grave; in later historical periods they were set up at village entrances to ward off evil spirits or mark boundaries, and, merging with indigenous beliefs, they also became objects of prayer for longevity. As objects of worship they naturally gathered legends, and the following story is told of this standing stone. Around the middle of the Goryeo period, two large stones were walking from Banchon (present-day Daedong village) towards Minchon (present-day Hachon village). A young woman cooking rice in her kitchen saw them and struck the yard with a stick; the stones stopped and stood upright on the spot, remaining in that form to this day. These two stones are the very standing stones seen today, and it is said that they had been walking towards the site of a future capital when they were halted. They now stand in the middle of a paddy field, and from their location it is presumed that they were once objects of ritual offerings made to pray for a good harvest.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Jinju, Gyeongnam

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료