Seonnongdan Altar, Seoul

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.436

Category

유적지

Designated year

2001

Location

동대문구, 서울특별시— 서울 동대문구 제기동 274-1번지

Coordinates

37.580997, 127.032097

Seonnongdan is an altar dedicated to the worship of Shen Nung and Hou Ji, the mythical emperors of ancient China who introduced agriculture to the people. According to records, Seonnongdan goes as far back as Silla; in the succeeding Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties, the kings continued to hold a rite called Seonnongje at the altar to pray for good harvest. After the rite, the king would go to a ceremonial field named Jeokjeon to the south of the altar and plow the field himself as a gesture showing to the people the importance of agriculture and to promote farming in the country. Therefore, the altar is an important relic symbolic of Korea’s agriculture. This ceremony of the king plowing the field at the altar was last carried out in 1909 by Emperor Sunjong and was abolished under Japanese colonial rule. Today, only a four-square-meter stone wall remains of the altar.

Location