Samseong Hyeol (삼성혈;三姓穴) literally means The Hole of Three Names and is translated into English as Caves of the Three Clans. According to legend, the forefathers of the Ko (고;高), Yang (양;良), and Bu (부;夫) clans emerged from three holes in the ground to become the original inhabitants of Jeju Island. They supposedly lived by hunting until they learned agriculture from the three princesses of the Byeongnang Kingdom in mainland Korea, who were brought to them for marriage. It is said that they founded the Tamna Kingdom.
In 1526 during the 21st year of the reign of King Jungjong (r. 1506-1544), the governor of the Jeju Island, Yi Su-dong, had an altar, a crimson gate, and a wall erected around the holes, and began offering spring and autumn memorial services. These services are still held today, along with a memorial service celebrating the founding of the island.
Here is the tale of the people of Jeju Island with pictures of models at the museum...enjoy!
Ko, Yang, and Bu emerged from holes in the ground.
At first, they survived by hunting and wearing the skins of animals.
One day they came upon a boat floating towards their island. The 'wooden box' was sealed with purple clay and when they opened it, a messenger wearing purple clothes and a red belt came out. "I am a messenger from the Byeongnang state," he declared. "Our king told his three daughters to go an marry there the three med of god who seeked to build a new kingdom on the western seashore." The messenger then flew away upon a cloud.
When the three men looking inside the box they saw a stone box. They opened it and three girls wearing blue Korean dresses came, followed by a calf, and pony, and five kinds of seeds.
Ko, Yang, and Bu married the three princesses from Byeongnang.
The newlyweds spent their honeymoons in a cave.
They shot arrows from the top of a hill to decide where to start their families.
The arrows stuck into a stone and the newlyweds built their village around it.
As the forefathers and their wives got older, the village grew in numbers; the Tamna Kingdom was born.
Here are some pictures of Samseong Hyeol in Jeju, South Korea:
Crimson gate at the entrance to Samseong Hyeol in Jeju Island, Korea.
A map of the grounds at Samseong Hyeol in Jeju.
A sign at the holes where Ko, Yang, and Bu emerged.
Calligraphy at the Samseong Hyeol Museum in Jeju City.
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