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Kiringul

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The Lair of King Dongmyeong's unicorn is purported near the Yongmyong Temple

The Lair of King Dongmyeong's unicorn[N 1] was the home of King Dongmyeong of Goguryeo's unicorn. In November 2012 the Korean Central News Agency (state news agency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) reported the discovery of the site in Moran Hill, Pyongyang, North Korea. The North Korean press says the discovery proves that the historic capital of Korea is Pyongyang.

Background

The Kingdom of Goguryeo was founded by King Dongmyeong of Goguryeo; the area covered Korea and parts of China and Russia.[1] Korean history and geography books discuss the unicorn and its lair.[2] According to the Revised Handbook of Korean Geography the king's unicorn - or Qilin[3] - had a lair west of Pubyok Pavilion.[4] The unicorn and the lair have been documented in Korean history according to the History Institute of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea,[5] specifically in the geography book Koryo History within the chapter about the Sogyong (Pyongyang).[3]

Discovery and the site

On 29 November 2012 the Korean Central News Agency reported that archaeologists "recently reconfirmed a lair of the unicorn"[2][6] in Moran Hill, Pyongyang, 200 metres (660 ft) from the Yongmyong Temple[4][7] The discovery is credited to the History Institute of the DPRK,[6] and the report states that "Unicorn Lair" is carved on a rock at the site.[6] The words are believed to date back to the period of Goguryeo (918-1392).[2] The report of the discovery also states this "proves that Pyongyang was a capital city of Ancient Korea".[7]

Critical analysis

A professor of Korean studies at Tufts University referred to the discovery as "symbolic", and the people of North Korea would accept it more as a morale "boost". The association of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with the ancient kingdom would give him "the legitimacy he lacks".[1]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lair of King Dongmyeong's unicorn.

Notes

  1. ^ Dongmyeong is a Romanized version of the name Tongmyong.

References

  1. ^ a b Pappas, Staphanie (4 December 2012). "The real story of North Korea's unicorn lair". Fox News. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Lair of King Tongmyong's Unicorn Reconfirmed in DPRK". Lair of King Tongmyong's Unicorn Reconfirmed in DPRK. Korea News Service. November 29,2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b Abad-Santos, Alexander (November 30, 2012). "North Korea Has Found a Secret Unicorn Lair, Apparently". The Atlantic Wire. The Atlantic Monthly Group. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Lair of King Tongmyong's Unicorn Reconfirmed in DPRK". Korean Central News Agency. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  5. ^ Nelson, Sara C (3 November 2012). "North Korean Archaeologists Discover Secret Lair Of Unicorn Ridden By King Tongmyong". Huffington Post. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  6. ^ a b c Quinn, Ben (30 November 2012). "Unicorn lair 'discovered' in North Korea". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  7. ^ a b Koebler, Jason (30 November 2012). "North Korea Says It's Found a 'Unicorn Lair'". US News. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
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