Sŏnjuk Bridge is a Koryo-dynasty stone bridge located in

Kaesong Kaesong (, ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close t ...

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 ...

. Built in 1290, it is famous as the place where famed Confucian scholar and statesman

Jeong Mong-ju Jeong Mong-ju (Korean: 정몽주, Hanja: 鄭夢周, January 13, 1338 – April 26, 1392), also known by his pen name Poeun (Korean: 포은), a historical figure during the transition period of the Korean dynasty moving from Goryeo (918-1392) to ...

was assassinated, allegedly on the orders of the

Yi Bang-won Taejong of Joseon (13 June 1367 – 8 June 1422), personal name Yi Bang-won (Korean: 이방원; Hanja: 李芳遠), was the third ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. Before ascending to the throne, he wa ...

, son of the first king 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 ...

Yi Seong-gye Taejo of Joseon (4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), born Yi Seong-gye (), was the founder and first ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan (), and reigned from 1392 to 1398. He was ...

. The bridge was closed to all traffic in 1780 and has since been a national monument. It is 8.35m long and 3.36m wide. It was originally named the Sonji Bridge, but was renamed Sonjuk Bridge after the assassination of Mong-ju because bamboo grew where he was killed (''juk'' being the Korean word for bamboo).

Assassination of Jeong Mongju

A famously loyal advisor to the king of Goryeo, Jeong was a staunch political opponent of Yi Seonggye. On his way home after a party held for him by the future king, he was ambushed by five men on the bridge and brutally murdered with an iron hammer. Later canonized as a Korean sage, and revered even by Joseon monarchs, Jeong's death came to symbolize unwavering loyalty. A brown spot on one of the stones is said to be Jong's bloodstain, and to become red when it rains. A famous poem of his records his final thoughts: ''Even if I may die, die a hundred times,''
''Even if my skeleton may become dust and dirt,''
''And whether my spirit may be there or not,''
''My single-hearted loyalty to my lord will not change.''

Pyochung Pavilion

Built during the Joseon dynasty, this small wooden structure houses two enormous stone stele mounted on the backs of lion-turtles, one erected in 1740 by King

Yeongjo Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (Korean: 이금, Hanja: 李昑), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Sukjong, by his concubine Royal Noble Consort Suk ...

and the other by King Gojong in 1872. Both commemorate Jeong Mongju's assassination, and praise his loyalty to the Goryeo dynasty.

References

Kaesong National Treasures of North Korea World Heritage Sites in North Korea Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong {{NorthKorea-struct-stub

Assassination of Jeong Mongju

Pyochung Pavilion

See also

References