Royal Placenta Chamber and Stele of King Yejong

About this place

The Royal Placenta Chamber and Stele of King Yejong house the placenta of King Yejong, the 8th monarch of the Joseon dynasty. When a member of the royal family or royal household was born, their placenta was enshrined in a special stone structure called a taesil (placenta chamber). Originally located behind Taesilmaeul village in Guideok-ri, Gui-myeon, Wanju-gun, it was later moved to its current location. It is a representative example of the Joseon royal family's taesil and taesil stele, and an important cultural heritage illustrating the imperial culture and placenta-burial culture of the Joseon royal house. The taesil features a round stone placed on a base stone within an octagonal stone railing, capped with a roof stone. The stele was moved along with the taesil and has inscriptions on both front and back—the front stating it is the taesil of King Yejong, and the back recording the year of construction as the 11th year of King Seonjo (1578). The stele is notable for its well-preserved tortoise-shaped base and dragon-adorned capstone.