Samjeondo Monument

Seoul, Korea

Samjeondo is an historically important, though politically controversial, monument. Imagine for the moment that you are a patriotic Korean in 1636, then you would certainly not want to accept vassal status to the hated Qing empire. But here it is, phallic upthrust and all, on the very spot where the ceremony of surrender had been conducted. Koreans would rather forget it, but it can't be ignored.

The monument has been buried, uncovered, and relocated several times in its history, depending on the political climate. This photo was taken in 2009, but the monument was moved again a year later and is no longer located here.