Tomb of King Muryeong and Royal Tombs, Gongju [UNESCO World Heritage]

About this place

The Gongju Royal Tombs Historic Site is a cluster of royal tombs from the Baekje Ungjin period (475–538 AD), including the Tomb of King Muryeong. Seven tumuli survive in this area, all located on the southern slope of a hill beside the Geum River. To the west, separated by a valley, stand the Tomb of King Muryeong and Tombs No. 5 and 6; to the northeast lie Tombs No. 1–4. Tombs No. 1–6 were investigated during the Japanese colonial period, revealing their structure and type. The Tomb of King Muryeong was discovered in 1971 during repair work on Tombs No. 5 and 6. Tombs No. 1–5 are horizontal-chamber stone tombs, the representative Baekje burial style; No. 6 and the Tomb of King Muryeong are brick-built tombs in the style widely prevalent in China at the time — a new form previously unseen in Baekje, evidencing active exchange between Baekje and the Southern Liang dynasty of China. The Tomb of King Muryeong in particular yielded a stone guardian beast and Chinese-influenced ceramics, a wooden coffin made from Japanese cedar, and jewellery suggesting trade with Thailand and India, revealing the sophisticated level of Baekje's international cultural exchange.