Ryongwang Pavilion is a scenic overlook located in the central district of

Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

. Located on the bank of the

Taedong River The Taedong River (Chosŏn'gŭl: ) is a large river in North Korea. The river rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o.Suh, Dae-Sook (1987) "North Korea in 1986: Strengthening ...

, the pavilion was first constructed during the

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...

dynasty as "Sansu Pavilion", and was part of the defenses of the walled city of Pyongyang (along with the nearby Taedong Gate and

Pyongyang Bell The Pyongyang Bell is one of the National Treasures of North Korea. The current bell was cast between June and September 1726 during the Ri dynasty to replace an earlier one that was destroyed by fire in 1714. The bell was rung to announce invas ...

). It is labeled as National Treasure #16 in North Korea.

History

The pavilion first gained fame after Pyongyang was captured during

Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...

's invasions of Korea in the 16th century; under the orders of General Kim Eung-seo, a kisaeng named Gye Wolhyang seduced and drugged the Japanese commander of Pyongyang, Konishi Hidanokami, in the pavilion. She then led General Kim to the sleeping commander, where he beheaded him; though Kim escaped, Kye was later executed for her role in the plot. Kim Ung So later returned to liberate Pyongyang in 1593 with the help of the Ming Chinese Army, and built a shrine to Wolhyang next to the pavilion (the district in Moranbong-guyok where she lived was also named after her). The pavilion was converted into a scenic overlook under the Koryo dynasty, and became a popular subject with poets and artists alike; A famous story relates how the Koryo-dynasty poet Kim Hwang Won broke his brush and wept after being unable find words to express the beauty of the view. The pavilion was later reconstructed under the

Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

dynasty and rechristened as "Ryongwang" pavilion because of its commanding views over the Taedong. In 1835, the small wooden shrine to Kye Wolhyang was replaced with a granite marker praising her patriotism. Though severely damaged during the U.S. bombings of Pyongyang during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

, the pavilion was restored shortly after. Restoration work carried out in the 2010s was done in cooperation with the

Prince Claus Fund The Prince Claus Fund was established in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of the Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Fund has presented the international Prince Claus Awards annually si ...

, Paektu Cultural Exchange operator

Michael Spavor Michael Peter Todd Spavor (born 1976) is a Canadian consultant who has worked extensively in North Korea. He is the director and founding member of Paektu Cultural Exchange, a NGO that facilitates sports, cultural, Tourism in North Korea, touri ...

, and the North's National Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

References

* https://web.archive.org/web/20110609220624/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/1998/9808/news08/05.htm * http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/dprk/2008/dprk-081010-kcna03.htm * https://web.archive.org/web/20090709125228/http://www.kcckp.net/en/periodic/todaykorea/index.php?contents+1862+2006-02+81+21 {{coord, 39, 01, 24, N, 125, 45, 26, E, region:KP_type:city_source:kolossus-frwiki, display=title Buildings and structures in Pyongyang National Treasures of North Korea Hanok

History

See also

References