Sejong’s Royal Tomb, Silleuksa Temple & Yeoju Suspension Br. :KOSINAM Heritage.

### 🌿 KOSINAM’s History Walk – Yeoju Edition: Sejong’s Royal Tomb, Silleuksa Temple, and the Yeoju Suspension Bridge

“At Sejong’s Royal Tomb, we reflect on King Taejong and Necessità: The Logic of Dynastic Survival”

📅 Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025

🕙 Departure: 10:00 AM from Yangjae Station Exit 10 (Public Transport – Gyeonggang Line)
🕚 Arrival: 11:10 AM at Yeoju Station
[Historical walk and meals throughout the day]
🕖 Dismissal: 7:00 PM at Yeoju Station (return via Gyeonggang Line)

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### 🧭 Walk Overview

The 500-year Joseon dynasty was built upon a Confucian moral order of “ritual and propriety.” Yet one man who truly established and defended this system was a ruler who willingly crossed the boundaries of morality and righteousness—King Taejong, Yi Bangwon.
This walk centers around Yeongneung, the royal tomb of Sejong the Great.
But beneath this site lies a deeper power narrative: the Necessità (“politics of necessity”) embodied by Sejong’s father, King Taejong.
From conflict with his father King Taejo, to the execution of Jeong Do-jeon, purging royal in-laws, systematizing concubinage, and eliminating Shim On—Taejong favored utility over virtue and built the dynastic foundation of Joseon.
We will trace his legacy at Yeongneung, observe the role of early Joseon Buddhism at Silleuksa Temple, and reflect on spatial unification and political boundaries atop the Yeoju Suspension Bridge.
Politics often begins with the decision to accept dishonor. This walk is an invitation to confront uncomfortable truths and examine the philosophical roots of dynastic survival.
This journey includes an interpretation of royal tomb geomancy and joint burial customs at Sejong’s tomb, alongside King Taejong’s political strategy, reinterpreted through the lens of Machiavelli’s Necessità. We follow his footsteps through Yeongneung, Silleuksa, and the Yeoju Bridge to read his times anew.

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### 🧑‍🏫 Event Details

Organizer: KOSINAM’s History Walk (Naver Band: 코역모 / meetup.com KOSINAM)
On-site Coordinator: Hashley
Lecturer: Dr. Kosinam
Co-organizer: Jeff
Documentation & YouTube Filming: Samuel

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### 📌 Full Schedule

June 21, 2025 (Sat): Full-day course

| Time | Location | Details |
| ---- | -------- | ------- |
| 10:00 | Yangjae Station Exit 10 | Depart by electric train. |
| 11:15 | Yeoju Station | Arrival, transfer to local sites

( Hahsley will give transportational service all the way.) |

11:30–13:00 – Yeongneung (Sejong’s Royal Tomb)

• Joint tomb of Sejong and Queen Sohun
• Symbolism and geomancy of royal tombs
• Conflict with King Taejo and Taejong’s rise to power
• “Taejong’s Necessità – Pragmatic Politics Beyond Confucian Filial Piety”

13:00–13:40 – Lunch

• Gimbap and light refreshments (prepared by Hashley)

14:00–15:20 – Silleuksa Temple

• Temple on the cliffs of Namhan River (late Goryeo–early Joseon)
• Role of Buddhism in the transitional era
• Pagoda, bell pavilion, hall architecture
• “Jeong Do-jeon’s Anti-Buddhism and Taejong’s Strategic Religion”

15:30–16:30 – Yeoju Suspension Bridge

• Hub of river trade during Joseon
• Urban views and historical landscape
• “To Rule Is to Connect – The Bridge as Political Metaphor”

17:00–18:30 – Yeoju Downtown

• Free time and dinner (individual or group)

19:00 – Yeoju Station

• Dismissal and return via Gyeonggang Line to Seoul

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### 🎙️ Key Discussion Points

#### 1️⃣ Yeongneung – Legitimate Order, Practical Power

• Royal tomb geomancy and joint burial
• Taejong’s strategic foundation beneath Sejong’s achievements
• Taejong’s Necessità mindset:
  “He preserved the dynasty by accepting dishonor—over loyalty, piety, trust, and harmony.”
  → Connected to Machiavelli’s The Prince and realpolitik
  → Pre-reading recommended: Naver Blog – KOSINAM’s History Walk

#### 2️⃣ Silleuksa Temple – Politics and Buddhism

• Cliffside temple layout and spiritual landscape
• Surviving anti-Buddhist reforms
• Buddhism not only as religion but as political resource

#### 3️⃣ Yeoju Suspension Bridge – Geography and Authority

• Namhan River as boundary and lifeline
• The bridge as a metaphor of balance and dynastic integration
• Reading Joseon’s spatial power through the cityscape of Yeoju

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### 📝 Participant Guide

• Transportation: Round trip via Gyeonggang Line (Yangjae ↔ Yeoju)
• On-site travel between sites provided by Hashley

What to bring:

• Comfortable clothes and walking shoes
• Water, hat, personal snacks (required if not eating gimbap)
• Notebook or memo app (for questions or reflections)

Meals:

• Lunch provided (gimbap & drink)
• Dinner optional (group or individual)

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✅ For inquiries: Dr. Kosinam / Hashley / Jeff
📷 YouTube Documentation: Samuel

> This walk will be filmed for our YouTube channel. Participants who wish to appear on camera, please inform Samuel at the site.

### 🎥 Filming Notice – YouTube Channel: KOSINAM's Historical Walk

This program will be recorded and shared on YouTube. Historical narration by Dr. KOSINAM will guide the audience through each location.

• Regular participants include Emma, Jeff, and Hashley
• Direction and filming by Samuel
• Footage featuring individuals will only be used with consent

Participants who do not wish to be recorded:

• ✅ Your face will be excluded from focus shots
• ✅ Any incidental appearance will be blurred
• ✅ We will fully respect your privacy under all circumstances

By RSVP-ing to this event, you acknowledge and agree to the filming methods outlined above.

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## ⚠️ Important Notes

• Non-commercial, educational cultural event
• Participation is voluntary (consider insurance if needed)
• Route includes stairs, inclines, and some uneven paths
• Event proceeds in light rain – bring umbrella or poncho if needed

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## ✅ How to Join

Reply to RSVP or click “Attend” on the event page.
We recommend early RSVP to assist with coordination.

> “Walking Inwangsan is like reading poetry etched in rock and shadow.”
> ✨ Join us for a serene yet stirring cultural walk with KOSINAM!