Royal Placenta Chamber of King Taejo

About this place

The Royal Placenta Chamber of King Taejo is a stone chamber enshrining the placenta of Yi Seonggye, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, situated on Maninsan Mountain in Geumsan—considered the finest feng shui site in Joseon. The placenta was first interred in Hamheung, Hamgyeong Province, and later relocated to Maninsan in Geumsan on the instructions of the Buddhist monk Muhak, where a stele was erected. The enshrinement of the royal placenta was a state affair of great importance, and receiving the royal placenta brought such honor to the area that counties or districts where king's placentas were housed were often elevated in status—Jinsan County, which received Taejo's placenta, was similarly promoted. In 1928, the Japanese Government-General moved the placenta jar to Changgyeonggung Palace in Seoul, leaving only the stone stele and stone structures. The remaining structures were heavily damaged but were restored to their current location in 1993. The placenta chamber is octagonal with a stone balustrade, and the stele bears the inscription 'Royal Placenta Chamber of King Taejo' in intaglio. The mountain became known as Taebongsan after the chamber's relocation.