[Ko Gyu-hong's Trees and People] Dongbaek Knows: 500 Years of Single-Minded Dan Sim

<9>The Tree Grasping the Meaning of Revolution, the Camellia Tree

"Pine and bamboo branches seem about to break under the snow's weight (雪壓松筠也欲최)/A few bright red flowers newly bloom (繁紅數朶斬新開)/In the silent mountain village where no one visits (山扉寂寂無人到)/Occasionally, only birds come to tap the petals (時有幽禽暗啄來)."

This is a classical Chinese poem titled "Camellia in the Snow (雪裏山茶)" sung by Jang Yu (張維·1587~1638), who, along with Shin Hum (申欽), Yi Sik (李植), and Yi Jeong-gu (李廷龜), is called one of the "Four Great Literary Masters of Joseon." In the poem, the Chinese character for the flower that "occasionally birds visit," 'sanda (山茶),' is the old name for the camellia tree.

Pine and bamboo are often used as symbols of integrity and steadfastness. However, camellia trees have also been frequently used as symbols of such virtues. Both pine and camellia trees keep their green leaves all year round. Of course, many evergreen trees besides camellia also retain their leaves throughout the seasons. But trees that bloom flowers in the middle of winter like the camellia are rare. Therefore, the camellia tree, with its broad green leaves and bright red flowers, was more suitable as a symbol of unwavering integrity.

It is easy to find old poems praising the camellia tree. For example, No Su-shin (盧守愼·1515~1590), a Joseon-era scholar-official, sang, "The leaves are tough and remain green despite frost (葉硬經霜綠)/The splendid flowers appear even redder in the snow (花映雪紅)." Dasan Jeong Yak-yong (丁若鏞·1762~1836) praised, "The camellia leaves remain lush even when frozen (山茶接葉童童)/The flowers blooming in the snow are as red as a crane's forehead (雪裏花開鶴頂紅)," adding, "Few things in the world are as beautiful as this flower (世間能似此花稀)."

When the wind is strong and snow piles deep, pine and bamboo branches may break, but the camellia tree endures the winter cold and blooms even more splendid flowers. In fact, camellia flowers become more beautiful the colder the winter. This is not just a simple impression but a story with scientific basis.

All flowers in the world bloom with the instinct to reproduce, transferring well-developed pollen from stamens to stigmas. This is called pollination. However, trees that cannot move cannot complete pollination by themselves. They must use other forces. They utilize pollinating insects like bees and butterflies, wind, ants, and sometimes flowing water.

Camellia flowers that bloom in the middle of winter without bees or butterflies attract the resident birds of the camellia forest, the oriental white-eye (dongbaksae), to pollinate. Therefore, camellia trees produce flowers full of pollen and nectar favored by the oriental white-eye to lure them. However, when the weather is cold, like all living creatures, the activity of the oriental white-eye visiting camellia flowers decreases. To catch the eye of the oriental white-eye by any means, the camellia tree blooms larger flowers. Moreover, it intensifies the red hue to stand out even among the green leaves. This is an instinct for survival.

Ultimately, the colder it gets, the bigger and redder the camellia flowers bloom. Thus, beyond symbolizing integrity and steadfastness by retaining green leaves all year, the camellia flower’s characteristic of blooming more brilliantly in harsh environments stood out especially to scholars with strong will to achieve their goals despite adversity.

The camellia flowers bloom bigger and redder as the cold deepens.

During the 14th Year of King Jungjong of Joseon, the Literati Fled to Their Hometown Naju to Escape the Bloody Political Purge
Eleven Scholars Formed the Geumgang Eleven-Men Society
Together They Reflected on the Ways of the World and Promised a Future Reunion

The oldest camellia tree in Korea was also planted and nurtured to symbolize the blood-red integrity of revolutionaries of that time. The trigger was the Gimyo Sahwa (Political Purge of 1519) during the 14th year of King Jungjong of Joseon, 500 years ago. Jungjong purged the Sarim faction scholars led by the reformist prodigy Jo Gwang-jo (趙光祖·1482~1519), who pushed for strong reforms.

Many scholars escaped the bloody political purge and settled in their hometowns to prepare for the future. Some fled to the Naju region in Jeollanam-do. Among them were eleven scholars including Im Bung (林鵬), who served as a royal secretary, Na Il-son (羅逸孫), a government official, and Jeong Mun-son (鄭文孫), a scholar. Though frustrated by the bleak political reality, they could not give up their ideals of reform and organized the Geumgang Eleven-Men Society. Together, they reflected on the ways of the world and promised to meet again in the future.

About ten years later, the scholars of the Geumgang Eleven-Men Society built a pavilion to use as a discussion place. They named it Geumsajeong (錦社亭), meaning "Geumgang Assembly." After completing the simple pavilion, they planted a tree right in front of it?a camellia tree.

Since no records remain explaining their reasons, it is impossible to fully grasp their deep intentions. However, it is not unreasonable to guess their meaning. As in Jang Yu’s poem cited at the beginning, despite the harsh winter when "pine and bamboo branches seem about to break," their revolutionary spirit would not be lost, and they vowed to bloom "bright red flowers" more splendidly?a pledge born of deep sorrow.

The scholars of the Geumgang Eleven-Men Society read their situation in the camellia tree. They saw their tragic plight reflected in the camellia flowers that fall fresh as if their necks were cleanly cut. Yet, like the strong evergreen leaves of the camellia tree, they wanted to embody a vow to never bend their will and survive. Additionally, it was a poignant choice filled with blood-red hope that, despite the harsh political reality that could break pine and bamboo, their ideals would someday bloom more beautifully.

Though they prepared for the future by watching the flowers that bloom redder in the cold, the opportunity the scholars dreamed of never came. Time passed indifferently, and the eleven scholars who gathered at Geumsajeong one by one passed away. People all left. But the single camellia tree they planted and nurtured together still stands firmly in front of Geumsajeong, guarding the unfulfilled will of the old scholars and enduring five hundred years.

The Geumgang Society continues in the Songjuk-ri village of Naju, carrying on the ancestors’ will. Of course, unlike the old scholars, it is no longer a secret society for reform politics but continues as a society for descendants’ harmony. The camellia tree was carefully managed by a designated caretaker within the Geumgang Society. After being designated as Natural Monument No. 515 in December 2009 under the name "Naju Songjuk-ri Geumsajeong Camellia Tree," the state took over its management.

Geumsajeong, located in a corner of Songjuk-ri village, Wanggok-myeon, Naju City, and the camellia trees in front of it.

The Opportunity the Scholars Dreamed of Never Came, but
The Camellia Tree Stands Tall Before Geumsajeong for 500 Years
The Geumgang Society Continues in Songjuk-ri Village
Preserving Ancestors’ Will as a 'Gathering Society'

The camellia tree has long been loved by our people. However, the only camellia tree designated as a natural monument is the "Naju Songjuk-ri Geumsajeong Camellia Tree." There is an accurate record that the camellia tree was planted around 1530, about ten years after the Geumgang Society was organized. Based on this, the tree is over 490 years old. It is also the largest camellia tree in Korea. It stands 6 meters tall, and its circumference near the roots is about 2.4 meters. Such a large camellia tree is hard to find anywhere else in Korea. Its round tree shape, with branches evenly divided in all directions from the root, looks as if a skilled gardener carefully trimmed it. Even without flowers, it is a splendid and magnificent tree.

The camellia tree blooms more brilliantly colored flowers the colder the winter. Perhaps because of this characteristic, the blood-red sorrow embodied in the tree has nurtured it more splendidly than any other camellia tree in Korea. The "Naju Songjuk-ri Geumsajeong Camellia Tree" has stood in place for a long time without forgetting the blood-red vow of the old scholars. It will continue to bloom flowers as red as blood endlessly. This is why a single camellia tree that will beautifully protect this land even as time passes is so precious.

Tree Columnist

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.