These are very beautiful photos, @slowwalker, of the bas relief near the Queen mother's room.

As is often the case, tourists want to see well-known artifacts and don't seem interested in the recondite and often more meaningful things.

You took the time to study the figures depicted in relief on the chimney to see what they could tell you.

Those carvings are there for a purpose. They remind me of a Bible verse: The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

This beautifully carved relief is part of Koreans' heritage and should be appreciated.

The dragon of course symbolizes the king - his power and his royalty.

A dragon was thought to be born of the union between a phoenix and crane.

Among the birds and animals depicted I noticed deer. Deer were often associated with pine trees and longevity.

There are too many flowers, birds and animals to denote the significance of each but many of these figures were considered holy and spiritual and bore a hidden significance.

It is a case of one culture speaking to another - one generation still wanting to have a voice.

You are right, @slowwalker. It would be tragic to ignore the hidden mysteries contained in these beautiful reliefs.