Sonamu

85g from CrowByTheCoast!
Sooooo pretty.
9/29/23



Sonamu - "supreme tree"
The Korea'Times
September. 29. 2023
Why are Korean red pines planted in front of the
office of the Korean president at Cheong Wa
Dae? Why are the trees seen around the royal
tombs of the Joseon Kingdom? Why did ancient
Koreans in the Joseon Kingdom grant the
second highest official rank in the government
to a grandiose red pine, and even bestow a
fortune on an old Seoksongnyeong pine tree?
Why is the lumber of the pines being used for
the renovation of Gyeongbok Palace?

"The pine is the only natural object included in
the country's top 100 symbols designated by the
government. It shows how nature affects the
nation's culture and way of thinking.
Understanding the pine is the key to
understanding Korean culture," Chun said in an
interview with The Korea Times.
The professor, who has devoted himself to the
protection of the pine over the last 20 years,
emphasized that the tree was a driving force
behind the Korean civilization
Chun said that behind mautonal national pride pride was the
pine. Without Without pine trees, it would have been
unthinkable to construct buildings such as royal
palaces, and the turtle ship or other warships
that thwarted Japanese invaders. Additionally,
Joseon white porcelain pottery would not have
been created because the pines were the wood
used to fire the kilns.

"The Pine waS more than a tree for early
Koreans - - it was treated as a human being.
Such utilitarian virtues provided an immense
influence on the psyche of our ancestors. The
written symbols of the universe, life, longevity.
integrity and elegance were based on pine trees.
And it lives on in our spirit today,' he said.
However, the utility of the pine has changed
over time and also the trees are now on the
brink of the disappearance due to global
warming that has produced ecological changes
on the peninsula and frequent pine-wilt disease.
"The pine no longer performs many of the vital
roles it once played during past agrarian
societies in Korea. But I believe that it represents
a cultural code for Korean identity. The tree
continues to symbolize such values as integrity.
honor, devotion, pride, vitality and abundance,
he said.