Introducing the book: On a field trip to Baekje, Silla, and Bihwa Gaya

Baekje 1 Neungsan-ri Baekje Royal Tombs and Royal Tomb
The Flower of Baekje Culture, the Baekje Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner

Baekje 2 Baekma River and Yuwangsan Mountain
"Sanyuhwa" echoes along the Baekma River

Silla 1 gold crown tomb
King Isaji's sword and golden crown

Silla 2 Nodong-dong and Noseo-dong Tumuli Group (Geumnyeongchong and Seobongchong Tomb)
Excavation of the Silla Gold Crown, the Land of Gold

Silla 3 Daereungwon Tomb (Cheonmachong Tomb and Hwangnamdaechong Tomb)
A golden crown on earth, a heavenly horse in heaven

Bigahwagayaya Changnyeong
The Unfinished Kingdom: Gaya's Legacy

The elegance of the Buyeo Royal Tombs and the artistry of the gilt-bronze incense burner
The golden age of Baekje culture was in Buyeo.

Volume 2, "Baekje, Silla, and Bihwa Gaya," follows the history of Goguryeo in Volume 1 and covers the history of Baekje and Silla before unification, as well as the story of Bihwa Gaya, which was part of Gaya. The representative site of Baekje's research is Buyeo, its last capital.
It follows the actual program, 'Buyeo Field Trip with Yoo Hong-jun', and depicts the golden age and final scenes of Baekje culture.
The recently renovated Buyeo Royal Tombs are also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, demonstrating the prosperity of Baekje culture.
The kings of Baekje who made this place their capital led Baekje to become a much stronger ancient nation, but they were unable to withstand the attacks of the Silla-Tang allied forces and fell.
However, the author argues that Baekje during this period should not be remembered as a nation that simply weakened militarily and then disappeared, but as a proud cultural powerhouse.
The Baekje Gilt-bronze Incense Burner, a rare masterpiece, proves this.
The Baekma River in Buyeo was also the route by which King Uija, the last king of Baekje, was exiled to the Tang Dynasty.
The 'Buyeo Exploration with Yoo Hong-jun' team follows this route and retrace the history of Baekje and Buyeo after Baekje, including Nakhwaam, Daejaegak, Busan Seowon, and Yuwangsan.
The legend of Mt. Yuwang, where the people mourned as they bid farewell to King Uija, remained in folklore, with the Mt. Yuwang memorial ceremony and the Banbogi game, and the history of the disappeared nation of Baekje left behind in the book “Sanyuhwaga.”
This image of the author and the traveler reminiscing about the past together feels right.

Experience the splendid history of Silla's gold crowns.
Finding the story hidden in the old tomb
The start of the Gaya tour is Changnyeong Bighwagaya

The most important relic in the history of Silla before unification, or 'Old Silla', is undoubtedly the ancient tomb complex in Gyeongju.
This group of ancient tombs in the Daereungwon area is a relic from the Silla Maripgan period (356-500), and is where splendid burial objects, including gold crowns, were excavated.
The relics that come to mind when we think of Silla were unearthed here.
In this “Pilgrimage to the National Museum,” you will encounter these key relics that were not covered in previous travelogues.
The century-long history of excavations of Gyeongju tombs, centered around the discovery of gold crowns, and the dazzling artifacts that captivate us, captivate us. The history of excavations of Silla tombs begins around the time of the Japanese colonial period.
Imperial Japan was very interested in ancient history, especially in finding evidence to support the theory that Japan ruled the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in ancient times.
The excavation of the Silla tombs in Gyeongju was also carried out in that context.
As interest in Silla tombs spread beyond Gyeongju, in September 1921, a gold crown was accidentally excavated from the Geumgwanchong Tomb in the Noseo-dong Tomb Complex in the city, making Silla's gold culture known.
However, at the time, the excavation was carried out incorrectly by non-experts, and later there were many twists and turns, such as the theft of artifacts.
However, the excavation of the Geumgwanchong Tomb was undoubtedly a valuable discovery that later led to the establishment of the Gyeongju Museum.
As a result of the professional excavation that followed the discovery of gold crowns in Geumgwanchong, gold crowns were unearthed again in the Bonghwang-ro area, including at Geumnyeongchong and Seobongchong.
In addition to the gold crown, there were also great achievements such as the discovery of various relics that allowed us to understand Silla's gold culture, and the more systematic understanding of the structure of Silla's stone mound tombs.

Even after liberation, the movement to excavate Silla tombs with our own hands continued.
In particular, a plan was made and promoted to excavate the large tombs in present-day Daereungwon, which are presumed to be royal tombs, centered around the National Museum.
The government's support for developing Gyeongju into a tourist city also contributed.
The tombs excavated in this way are Cheonmachong and Hwangnamdaechong.
In both of these tombs, gold crowns were excavated, and numerous other burial artifacts were found, including a celestial horse-shaped horse-shaped horse and a gilt-bronze crown.
This laid the foundation for studying the characteristics and origins of Silla gold crowns.
Recently, the Geumgwanchong, Geumnyeongchong, and Seobongchong tombs have been rediscovered, leading to new discoveries and research.
The history of Gaya begins with Bihwa Gaya, which was not included in the so-called 'Six Gayas'.
Along with the excavation results of Gaya tombs, we introduce the rich cultural heritage of the Changnyeong region where Bihwa Gaya was located.
Artifacts excavated from ancient tombs are introduced with photographs, proving that Gaya's culture, once considered culturally and politically subordinate to Silla, was unique and of a high standard.
There are many other cultural heritages in Changnyeong, including Upo Swamp, Bibong-ri shell mound, King Jinheung's monument to King Cheokgyeong, Suljeong-ri three-story stone pagoda, and Gwanryongsa Temple.
The main history of Gaya, including Daegaya and Geumgwan Gaya, will be described in detail in the next volume.

The doors of the National Museum of Korea open.
History comes to me!
Yoo Hong-jun's historical pilgrimage: The more you know, the more you see

Author Yoo Hong-jun said that the reason he conceived of “Pilgrimage to the National Museum of Korea” was “to write a travelogue that naturally studies history while having fun traveling.”
The 30 years of "My Cultural Heritage Tour" have not been without such tours, but the result of thinking about a more systematic and accessible method is this "Pilgrimage to National Museums."
Thirty years ago, when author Yoo Hong-jun declared, "Our entire country is a museum," many readers happily agreed with this statement, but they also thought it was partly an expression of national pride.
However, the author says that it took 30 years to prove, without any embellishment or distortion, his belief that our country is truly a museum.
Now, to clearly inform all citizens of the value of the National Museum, Professor Yoo Hong-jun begins the grand journey of "Pilgrimage to the National Museum."
Because the journey of learning the value of our history is the process of feeling the value of our lives.