| Name of Cultural Properties |
Gyeongjugyerim(Gyerim Forest in Gyeongju) |
This forest is the reputed birthplace of the legendary ancestor of the Gyeongju Kim Clan, Kim Alji. According to legend, a man named Hogong found a golden box hanging from a tree and a white cock crowing beside it. Hogong reported it to King Talhae, who promptly came to the forest and opened the golden box to find an infant inside. This child was thought to be sent from heaven and was subsequently made the crown prince. Choosing an auspicious day, the King gave him the surname Kim, meaning gold, because he had been found in a gold box, and the personal name Alji. The forest was renamed Gyerim(Chicken Forest)because a cock had announced the birth. At King Talhae's death, Alji surrendered his crown to Pasa, a member of the Park family who it was felt had more legitimate claim to the throne. It was not until the sixth descendant of Kim Alji ascended the throne to become the 13th ruler of Silla, that a member of the Kim Clan became king. From the 17th ruler to the fall of the kingdom in 935 the nation was ruled by mostly descendants of Kim Alji. For this reason, this forest has been regarded as a holy place. The stele was erected in 1803 during the Joseon Kingdom(1392-1910)and records the story of Kim Alji's birth.
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