Pine Tree of Seowon-ri, Boeun
Historic tree in North Chungcheong, South Korea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Seowon-ri, Boeun County, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea, there is an ancient Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora). On April 30, 1988, it was designated Natural Monument of South Korea No. 352. The tree is famously known by its nickname Jeongbuinsong (정부인송; 貞夫人松), which translates to "Government Wife Pine" or "Lady Minister Pine," due to its folkloric status as the wife of the nearby Jeongipumsong (Natural Monument No. 103), a tree famously granted a ministerial rank by King Sejo of Joseon dynasty.[1]
| Pine Tree of Seowon-ri, Boeun | |
|---|---|
The Boeun Seowon-ri tree | |
 Interactive map of Pine Tree of Seowon-ri, Boeun | |
| Native name | 정부인송; 貞夫人松 (Korean) |
| Species | Pinus densiflora |
| Location | Seowon-ri, Maro-myeon, Boeun County, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea |
| Coordinates | 36°29′36.1″N 127°47′17.5″E |
| Height | 15.2 metres (50 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.5915 metres (5 ft 2.66 in) |
Legend and history
The Jeongbuinsong is located approximately 6 kilometers from the Jeongipumsong and is estimated to be around 600 years old, making the two trees similar in age. The tree stands 15.2 meters tall and has a circumference of 5.0 meters near the base. Its trunk divides at a height of 84 centimeters, and its branches form an umbrella-like shape.[2][3]
The title "Jeongbuin" (정부인; 貞夫人) was the official title granted to the wife of a First Senior Rank official during the Joseon dynasty. The name was given to the tree because its twisting branches were said to resemble the beauty and appearance of a noblewoman. The two trees are regarded as a married couple. Villagers hold a ceremony for the tree every year, praying for the peace and well-being of the village.[2]
The Jeongbuinsong has been designated and is protected as a Natural Monument because of its folkloric and biological value.[2]
Sacred wedding
To preserve the genetic lineage of Jeongipumsong and its counterpart, Jeongbuinsong (정부인송), the trees were incorporated into a conservation initiative framed as a symbolic "pine tree traditional wedding" (소나무 전통혼례).[4][5]
First held in 2001 and repeated in subsequent years, the event involved collecting pollen from Jeongipumsong and ceremonially transporting it to Jeongbuinsong in a procession modeled on a traditional Joseon-era wedding. The pollen was then used to artificially fertilize the ovulate cones of Jeongbuinsong.[4]
The seeds resulting from this cross-pollination were successfully cultivated into saplings. Because they are considered to possess valuable genetic traits, these descendant trees have been planted at national heritage sites and government complexes across South Korea, such as the Blue House and the Independence Hall of Korea.[4]