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No. 188

Queen Seondeok

Person People
Rock-carved seated Buddha at Bulgok valley in Namsan, Gyeongju
Dalgial, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Where
Silla, Korea
Culture
Silla, Korea
Lived
reigned 632-647
Why they matter
Korea's first ruling queen, linked to the Cheomseongdae observatory.
Fate
Died during a revolt against her rule.
Cheomseongdae is an astronomical observatory in Gyeongju, South Korea. It is the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in Asia. It was constructed in the 7th century in the kingdom of Silla. Cheomseongdae was designa
Matt and Nayoung Wilson from Atlanta and surrounding, US, CC BY 2.0
Painting of Korean monk Jajang, who founded the Tongdosa temple in Korea in 646 CE. Artist unknown.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
The pagoda at Bunhwangsa is based on Tang prototypes. Debris has now filled up the interior. It is believed to have been seven or nine stories in height.
bifyu (a flickr user), CC BY-SA 2.0
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Background

Queen Seondeok (Korean: 선덕여왕 Korean pronunciation: [sʌn.dʌk jʌ.waŋ]; Unknown – 20 February [O.S. 17 February] 647; 8th day of the 1st lunar month of the 14th year of Inpyeong [인평 14년 정월 8일; 仁平14年正月8日]) reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647. She was Silla's twenty-seventh ruler, and its first reigning queen. In the Samguk sagi, Queen Seondeok was described as "generous, benevolent, wise, and smart". According to the Legend of Jigwi, she was also beautiful.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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