Tomb of King Wonseong (Gwaereung), Gyeongju

About this place

Located in a pine forest on the south slope of a low hill, this tumulus is believed to be the tomb of Wonseong, the 38th king of Silla (r. 785–798). His personal name was Gyeongsin; a twelfth-generation descendant of King Naemul, he established the Dokseosampumgwa (reading examination system) and enlarged the Byeokgolje reservoir, among other achievements. Before the tomb was constructed, a small pond occupied the site; according to legend, the king's body was interred above the waterline of the pond and the mound heaped over it — hence the popular name Gwaereung (Hanging Tomb). The circular earthen mound is about 23 m in diameter and 6 m high. A ring of twelve protective stones carved with the twelve zodiac deities encircles the base; in front of the mound stands a square stone pedestal, and from about 80 m further forward, pairs of stone lions (two pairs), civil officials (one pair), and military officials (one pair), together with a pair of huabiao stone pillars, stand in facing rows on either side. The carvings — especially the powerfully rendered military figures, said to have the faces of Persians — are considered the finest stone sculptures among all Silla royal tombs. The funerary system here was influenced by the Tang dynasty, but details such as the twelve zodiac figures on the ring stones are uniquely Silla.