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Start
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Donghaewon
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Royal Tomb of King Muryeong
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Gongju Hanok Village
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Gongju National Museum
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Muin Hotel
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Cherry Blossom Festival
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Donghak Temple
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Finish
Hidden tomb that revealed secret of Baekje, Gongju 'Royal Tomb of King Muryeong'
Gongju is the city that was used as capital for only 63 years out of 678-year history of Beaekje. However when we talk about the history of Baekje, we are likely to emphasize Gongju rather than Sabi(Present Buyeo). It's because according to the structure, tombs of Baekje are easy to be robbed and there is no tomb that remains in perfection. Royal tomb of King Muryeong that remains in perfection was discovered in 1971. Gongju rose as a center of Baekje history since then.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:08 14:29:27 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 32mm
Long time ago when I went on a school trip, here was a road, but now it's well-formed as a park. There are 7 tombs formed as a group of ancient tombs in Songsanri where the royal tomb of King Muryeong is situated. Ancient tombs except for the royal tomb of King Muryeong were all robbed. They are numbered from 1 to 6, because we can not verify their names.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 200 | 2015:04:08 14:30:37 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 26mm
There are admission fees; 1,500 won for adults, 1,000 won for youths, and 700 won for children. You can enter the tomb for free with 'Onnuri Gongju Citizenship' as at Gongsan Fortress.
Canon EOS 550D | f/4.5 | iso 100 | 2015:04:08 14:31:06 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 26mm
As I mentioned at the last journey, Onnuri Gongju Citizenship is issued for free on the 'Onnuri Gongju' homepage of Gongju-si. You can look around all the charged cultural heritage sites for free with it. You can also get 20% of discount for a room charge of Hanok Village. It has much benefit so don't forget to get the citizenship card, if you plan to go on a trip to Gongju. All the family members can sign up and its process is very simple.
+ Onnuri Gongju Homepage for citizenship : click
Canon EOS 550D | f/4.5 | iso 100 | 2015:04:08 14:32:09 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 28mm
The royal tomb of King Muryeong and other 6 ancient tombs had been open to visitors but it was permanently closed to protect the treasures in 1997. Instead, the duplicate miniature of the ancient tombs is offered to visitors.
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.2 | iso 3200 | 2015:04:08 14:34:10 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
The model of ancient tombs is made and duplicate works of excavated artifacts are on exhibit. Real artifacts are mostly designated as the National treasure and exhibited in Gongju National Museum. I will show you the museum in the next journey.
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.2 | iso 640 | 2015:04:08 14:35:15 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
Going into Songsanri No.5, there is an over 3m of square space made with stones.
I will talk about the tomb robbery later. Stones piled up vertically and were leaned towards the inside from a height of 1.3m. Then a flat flagstone was put over them. This roof looks like a dome. There are two pedestals on the floor, but only a few artifacts were found in 1932(Japanese Colonial Period) when the tomb was discovered. Most of them had been already robbed. I will talk more about a tomb theft later.
When you look closely, you will wonder how it was made. It's easy to understand due to miniatures that show the creation process of ancient tomb. Elementary school students came for a school trip this day. I listened to what teacher was explaining with students. ^^*
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.2 | iso 3200 | 2015:04:08 14:36:43 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
Let's go in to the Songsanri No.6. Entrance is too low that you need to bend your back.
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This number 6 and the royal tomb of King Muryeong are only tombs built with bricks, among a group of Songsanri ancient tombs. Rest of them were built by stones. The number 6 was built in tunnel shape with 3.7m of lenghth and 2.2m of width. The surface of wall is formed with Osujeon(Chinese coin)-patterned bricks and decorated with Sashindo(Murals of the four gods). It's the only mural painting in Ungjin(Gongju) Period. It was also robbed as the tomb number 5, so no one knows to whom this tomb belongs.
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.2 | iso 400 | 2015:04:08 14:42:32 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
Let me send my friend a photo email on the way to the tomb~
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.2 | iso 3200 | 2015:04:08 14:44:57 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
Here is the royal tomb of King Muryeong. King Muryeong(501~523) who was the 25th king of Baekje and his queen had been buried together. This tomb was discovered accidentally when installing pipes to prevent tombs number 5 and 6 from being flooded.
Unlike other tombs of Baekje, it remained in perfection. Before, culture and history of Baekje was like a mystery because there was no research material. Study of Baekje history was developed rapidly due to this tomb.
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.5 | iso 3200 | 2015:04:08 14:45:40 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
Inside the tomb, it is surrounded by lotus-patterned bricks from the floor to ceiling. I feel piety. It should be because the tomb is restored as it was.
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.2 | iso 3200 | 2015:04:08 14:38:34 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
It's a representation of scene that artifacts were found at first. It contains 108 species, 4600 grave goods. At the entrance, Jiseok(Memorial stone) stones that let you know the age of buried people. It clearly shows when the tombs were formed. Now, we can know the culture spread through which way between Korea and Japan. These stones formed a clear relationship between Baekje and Japan.
Canon EOS 550D | f/3.2 | iso 3200 | 2015:04:08 14:41:56 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
Duplicates of excavated article from the royal tomb of King Muryeong are on exhibit. Real relics are in Gongju National Museum. I will cover it in detail in the next writing.
Canon EOS 550D | f/9.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:08 14:48:43 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
When you go out of the model exhibition gallery and go uphill, you would see 7 ancient tombs. It was open to the public until recently but it's closed, now. How I wish the tombs were preserved completely. It's too sad that most of tombs were already robbed and don't have any relics.
Canon EOS 550D | f/9.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:08 14:51:40 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
If you turn right, you would see the entrance of the royal tomb of King Muryeong. Only this tomb were protected completely. Robbers of other tombs were Japanese. There was 'Garubezion(輕部慈恩)', a teacher in Gongju in Japanese colonial period. As Baekje kingdom had been also the root of Japanese history, he illegally dug for about 970 heritage sites of Baekje. 6 ancient tombs of Songsanri were also robbed by him. I recognize historical materials of Baekje Kingdom that he researched but I feel angry because no one knows where the relics are.
+ Address : 37-2, Wangreung-ro, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do
+ Telephone : 041-856-3151
+ Open Hour : Always Open (The day of Chuseok and Seol Closed)
+ Entrance Fee : Adult 1,500 won, Youth 1,000 won, Children 700 won (Free Parking)
