 There are uncountable stars in the universe, and the mere one of them is the earth where we live. Since the ancient time, human has respected the nature in fear. We have predicted our fortunes by the shape or movement of the moon and stars. We also have made calendars from the fact that the moon and stars move periodically.
Chumssungdae is comparable to today's observation station. It is a high tower used for observing the shape and movement of the stars from SINRA era to the JOSEON Dynasty. The existing representative is located in Kyoungjoo and designated as the national treasure. It is recorded as ' the oldest exiting observatory in the east' in the world encyclopedia.
Let's take a close look at Chumsungdae focusing on SINRA Chumsungdae.
The records about SINRA Chumsungdae was first found in 'Samgookyusa' and later in some other literature. According to 'Samkoomyusa', it is believed that it was established during the Sunduk Queen regine during the SINRA era.
It is located in the west north field of the Banwol Castle located in the eastern south of Kyoungjoo. It is made of granite. It is 9.18 in height and looks like a glass bottle placed on the square platform. The upper diameter is 2.85m and the bottom one is 4.93, so that the body has a curving line. The top is covered with the square stone and there is a square window facing the south located approximately 4m below from the top. The inside is filled with earth up to the window. The half of the space just below the square stone is covered with thin wooden board. The shape of the Chumsungdae modeled the highest mountain called 'Soomi Mountain' where Budda lived. It reflects that Buddism was prosperous in SINRA. It is made of totally 362 rectangular shaped stones, which are piled up 27 rows. It is 30 rows including the top and bottom platforms. According to records of the JOSEON Dynasty, there was a passage passing through the inside, so people could go up and down freely and observe the sky.
|  Some scientists say that the reason why it was built in 27 layers is because it was established during the 27th king, Sunduk Queen reign of SINRA. Twelve layers from the window to the top and bottom symbolize 12 months in a year and the 365 stones represents the number of days in a year.
Karl Lupers, an American astrology professor introduced Chumsungdae as very modern observatory established in 647 in the book of 'Korean Astrology' written in 1936. He also added that when an astoronomer observed strange phenomena, he put it down and dropped it off to the messenger waiting on the ground who delivered it to the King. In addition, there was a seminar held regularly among astrology scholars to discuss about significant astrological phenomena and reported the results to the King.
A scholar named Park, heung-soo found in 1971 that the top stone and the bottom platforms are slanting at 13 and 16 angles respectively toward the West. It shows that it was constructed based on very scientific phenomena of the earth magnetism.
Chumsungdae actually started from three-county era and continued until the JOSEON Dynasty. It was first called 'Jungsungdae' implying that it was used primarily for astrological fortune telling. Later, the name was changed to more scientific terms such as Youngdae, kwachundae, and kaneudae and Chumsungdae finally as it was gradually used for more scientific purpose.
Chumsungdae is apparently an observatory although the different opinions are introduced today. It can be considered as desirable as it reflects that people take interest and curiosity about the precious relic which was passed down to us.
Chumsungdae is one of our excellent cultural and scientific assets. Thus, we need to have an opportunity to visit Kyoungjoo and enjoy the creativity and science of our ancestors through Chumsungdae.
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