Gyeongju Najeong

This is a well that holds the legend of the birth of Park Hyeokgeose, the founder of Silla. Remains include a monument honoring Park Hyeokgeose, an octagonal building site presumed to be the site of a sacred palace, a well site, a wall site, auxiliary building sites, and drainage channels. In particular, the octagonal building site, with each side measuring 8 meters and surrounded by a square wall, is presumed to be the site of a Silla sacred palace, suggesting that Najeong was a shrine for holding rites for Park Hyeokgeose. According to the Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa, the following records exist about Najeong. The chiefs of the six clans, who were key figures in the founding of Silla, gathered and decided to elect a monarch and establish a capital. As they climbed a high place, they saw an unusual aura near a well called Najeong below Yangsan, where a white horse was kneeling. When they approached, the white horse ascended to heaven, leaving only a large red egg. When the egg was cracked, a baby boy emerged. Finding this strange, they bathed him in Dongcheon, and his body emitted a radiance. Birds and beasts danced and played, causing heaven and earth to shake and the sun and moon to become clear. Because he was born from a gourd-shaped egg, his surname was taken as Park (朴), and his name was given as Hyeokgeose (赫居世), meaning 'to brighten the world.' In 57 BC, when the child turned 13, he ascended the throne, established the kingdom, and named it Seorabeol.