Hyosajeong Pavilion, Seoul

On a cliff above the Han River in Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Hyosajeong takes its name from a pavilion built by No Han, a minister under King Sejong, in memory of his mother. The current building dates from 1993, but the spot was long praised as having the finest view of any pavilion on the Han, and it is still one of Seoul's officially designated scenic viewpoints. It is a two-minute walk from Heukseok Station.

A pavilion for filial devotion

No Han (1376–1443) served King Sejong as mayor of Hanseong and as Third State Councillor. After his mother died in 1439, he observed the three-year mourning period but could not bring himself to leave, so he built a pavilion where he had kept vigil by her grave. From it he mourned his mother and looked north towards his father's grave in Gaeseong. The name, "pavilion of filial thoughts", was chosen by his brother-in-law Gang Seok-deok.

The pavilion became a symbol of filial piety. Gang's son Gang Hui-maeng wrote an essay on it, and early Joseon scholars such as Jeong In-ji, Seo Geo-jeong, Sin Suk-ju and Kim Su-on wrote poems about it. The original building disappeared around the reign of King Seongjong.

Rebuilt in 1993

In 1993, as part of restoring Han River heritage for the 600th anniversary of Seoul as capital, the pavilion was rebuilt. Old records only place it "on the hill south of Noryang Ferry", and the landscape had changed so much that the original site could not be found, so it was built where the Han River Shinto shrine had stood during the Japanese occupation. The hall is three bays wide and two deep, covers 46.98 m², has a hipped-and-gabled roof and is ringed by a railing. The name board is said to have been written by President Roh Tae-woo, a descendant of No Han.

Around the pavilion

• River view: from the pavilion floor you look across the Han to the towers of Yongsan, Mapo and Seongdong and to Namsan; on clear days Bukhansan and Eungbongsan are visible too.
• Sim Hun statue and poem stone: by the east entrance stand a statue of Sim Hun, author of the novel Evergreen, who was born in Heukseok-dong, and a stone carved with his poem "When That Day Comes". His birthplace is marked at the entrance of nearby Heukseok-dong Catholic Church.
• Student Volunteers' Memorial: erected in 1955 next to the Sim Hun poem stone, linked to the Korean War battle of Heukseok-dong on the Han River defence line.

Sim Hun and Heukseok-dong

Sim Hun, author of the novel Evergreen, was born in Heukseok-dong. The "shrine" that appears in several of his works is thought to be the Han River Shinto shrine that once stood on this spot, so a small literary space honouring him was created when the park was laid out. "When That Day Comes" is a poem of longing for liberation, and it reads differently as you look down on the Han from beside the stone.

A pavilion rediscovered

Even after it was rebuilt, Hyosajeong was hard to reach and little known for years. Around 2018 the surroundings were turned into a park and the paths improved, and it has since become a rest stop for residents and travellers alike. On some days, guides arranged by the Heukseok-dong residents' association explain its history.

Tripto tips

• Opening: always open, free. No parking; toilets by the east entrance.
• Getting there: about a two-minute walk from Heukseok Station, Exit 1 on Seoul Subway Line 9. Trunk buses 151, 641 and 752 stop right outside.
• Entrances: the east main entrance is level; the west entrance is a steep boardwalk. Use the east side with a pushchair or wheelchair.
• Time needed: 20–30 minutes for the pavilion, poem stone and memorial.
• Combine with: Yongyang Bongjeojeong pavilion near Nodeul Station on Line 9 for a short walk along the south-bank pavilions. Dusk, when the lights come on across the river, is especially good.