Seochon (서촌) is one of the oldest neighborhoods of Jongno-gu in northern

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

. It translates as "West village" or "Western village" as it is west of the Gyeongbok Palace. It is also thought that the name could have derived from Mt Inwangsan as the mountain used to be called "Seosan" or "old mountain in the west." Seochon is traditionally associated with 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

Korean literature Korean literature is the body of literature produced by Koreans, mostly in the Korean language and sometimes in Classical Chinese. For much of Korea's 1,500 years of literary history, it was written in Hanja. It is commonly divided into classica ...

Boundaries

Seochon is located west of the

Gyeongbokgung Palace Gyeongbokgung (), also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the ''Five Grand Palaces'' built by the Joseon ...

, at the base of Mt. Inwangsan. The Seoul City Wall and the Sajik and Jahamun

subway Subway, Subways, The Subway, or The Subways may refer to: Transportation * Subway, a term for underground rapid transit rail systems * Subway (underpass), a type of walkway that passes underneath an obstacle * Subway (George Bush Interconti ...

tunnels are the boundaries of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is composed of fifteen smaller neighborhoods called "dong." Seochon is located at 36° 39' 25.794'' N 127° 24' 4.3848'' E with an average elevation of 33.141 m / 108.732 feet.

Culture and traditions

Korean literature is filled with references to Seochon neighborhoods. While few original landmarks remain intact, the neighborhood contains many historical signs and is the birthplace of

King Sejong Sejong of Joseon (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), personal name Yi Do (Korean: 이도; Hanja: 李祹), widely known as Sejong the Great (Korean: 세종대왕; Hanja: 世宗大王), was the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Initial ...

. Traditionally, the area is of great significance to shamanists and geomancy, partially due to its proximity to the

Inwangsan Inwangsan is a mountain with a height of 338 meters, located in Jongno-gu and Hongje-dong, Seodaemun-gu, central areas of Seoul, South Korea. The name literally means "mountain of generous king" in Korean. The mountain covers an area of 1,086,696 ...

mountain. The neighborhood also contains the

Seoul Sajikdan The Sajikdan is a Korean Neo-Confucian altar located in Seoul, South Korea used to perform the national soil and grain ceremonies Jongmyo Jongmyo may refer to: * Jongmyo (shrine), a kind of shrine in the East Asian cultural sphere * Jongmyo (Seoul) Jongmyo (Hangul: 종묘; Hanja: 宗廟) is a Confucian shrine dedicated to the perpetuation of memorial services for the deceased ki ...

shrines, along with the Gyeongbok palace. Protected historical landmarks in the neighborhood also include a cluster of over 600 hanok, the

Yi Sang Kim Hae-Gyeong (hangul: 김해경, hanja: 金海卿, September 23, 1910 – April 17, 1937), also known as his pen name Yi Sang (hangul: 이상, hanja: 李箱) was a writer and poet who lived in Korea under Japanese rule. He is well-known fo ...

and Yi Sangbeom Houses, and the Pak No-soo House in Ogin-dong, which was recently restored and opened as th
Pak No-soo Art Museum

Tongin Market

Located in Hyoja-dong, the Tongin Market dates back to 1941 when Korea was still under Japanese rule. After 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 market grew, and stalls in the market grew in demand. The market now contains over 70 stores, including several restaurants and a grocery store for tourists.

Landmarks

Sajik Park

Sajik Park was designed in the Choseon Dynasty era and opened to the public in 1922. It was built for worshiping the Earth and harvest gods and is one of the oldest parks in Seoul.

Tongui-dong

Tongui-dong is a neighbourhood in Seochon. During the Joseon Dynasty, High court officials walked through this place to go to work, and merchants and craftsmen set up shops there. It was also the home of several famous historical figures, including the painters Yi Jung-seop and Yi Sang-beom and the poets Yun Dongju and

Daelim Contemporary Art Museum

The Daelim Contemporary Art Museum is located in the residential area of Tongui-dong, and is near the Gyeongbokgung Palace. The Daelim Museum began as a photography museum, eventually widening its scope to include design and a wide range of other art fields.

The National Palace Museum of Korea

The National Palace Museum of Korea has a large collection of art and objects from the palaces of the

Joseon Dynasty 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 ...

era. The Museum attempts to raise the public's knowledge of the artistic and cultural legacy of the Joseon Dynasty through its various exhibitions and educational programs.

References

External links

{{coord missing, South Korea Neighbourhoods of Jongno-gu Tourist attractions in Seoul