The Tombs of the Joseon dynasty refers to the 40 tombs of members of the House of Yi , which ruled Korea (at the time known as Joseon , and later as the Korean Empire ) between 1392–1910. These tombs are scattered over 18 locations across the Korean Peninsula . They were built to honor and respect the ancestors and their achievements and assert their royal authority. The tombs have been registered as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. Two other Joseon tombs, located in Kaesong , North Korea , were proposed but not submitted.
50-617: Seonjeongneung is a burial ground from the Joseon dynasty , located in Seoul , South Korea . The westernmost tomb, called Seonneung , belongs to King Seongjong (1457–1494) the 9th monarch of Joseon. His first wife, Queen Gonghye of the Cheongju Han clan (1456–1474) died at age 18 and is buried near Munsan , north of Seoul . His third wife, Queen Jeonghyeon of the Papyeong Yun clan (1462–1530),
100-492: A family originally from Deungju (present-day Anbyŏn County , North Korea). In 1356, the Yi family defected to Goryeo, helping Goryeo seize control of Ssangseong Prefecture from its governor Cho So-saeng. By the late 14th century, the 400-year-old Goryeo dynasty established by Wang Kŏn in 918 was tottering, its foundations collapsing from years of war and de facto occupation by the disintegrating Mongol Empire . The legitimacy of
150-412: A person who never comes back despite several nudges. However, recent studies have found that Taejo did not actually execute any of the emissaries; these people died during revolts which coincidentally occurred in the region. In 1400, King Jeongjong pronounced his younger brother Yi Pang-wŏn as heir presumptive and voluntarily abdicated. That same year, Yi Pang-wŏn assumed the throne of Joseon at last; he
200-647: A total of 53 royal tombs. Joseon-era royal tombs followed the guidelines outlined in Chinese Confucian texts, such as the Book of Rites ( Li Ji ) and the Rites of Zhou ( Zhou Li ). Many factors went into consideration when deciding the location of a tomb, such as the distance from Hanseong (present-day Seoul), the distance between other royal tombs, the accessibility of the location, and Korean traditions of pungsu ( geomancy ). The tomb construction also took into account
250-449: A wish to be buried alongside him, but this wish was never carried out, and his tomb stands alone. Royal Tombs of the Joseon dynasty The royal tombs can be divided into three main sections: It is the meeting point between the dead and the living. The area around Hongsalmun gate is the space for the living. This is the space between the earthly and the holy. This is the area where
300-430: Is a pair of tombs in the city of Namyangju , Gyeonggi Province . The tombs, arranged in a V shape, contain the remains of King Sejo and his wife, Queen Jeonghui . They were built in 1468 and 1483 respectively. Gwangneung is important because changes taking place in the architecture of royal tombs are evident in its construction. Screening rocks were not installed at this tomb. Instead of an outer coffin stone, quicklime
350-468: Is buried here because she gave birth to the future King Jungjong . Queen Jeonghyeon outlived Seongjong by 35 years and was buried in a splendid tomb to the east. Her grave has a stone fence encircling the mound, whereas her husband's tomb has a retaining wall. Statues of civilian and military officials and their horses stand at attention in front of the graves. South of the tombs is a single T-shaped shrine. There are also several auxiliary buildings for storing
400-719: Is located in the south of Seoul , at the bottom of the southern slope of Daemo Mountain. Heolleung is a pair of tombs holding the remains of Taejong of Joseon and Queen Wongyeong , while Illeung is a single mound situated two hundred meters to the west and holds the remains of King Sunjo and Queen Sunwon . Hongneung: 37°37′52″N 127°12′45″E / 37.63111°N 127.21250°E / 37.63111; 127.21250 Yureung: 37°37′50″N 127°12′33″E / 37.63056°N 127.20917°E / 37.63056; 127.20917 Yeongwon: 37°37′46″N 127°12′56″E / 37.62944°N 127.21556°E / 37.62944; 127.21556 The styles of
450-597: Is posthumously known as King Taejong. King Taejo died ten years after his abdication, on June 27, 1408, in Changdeokgung . He was buried at Geonwolleung ( 건원릉 ), part of Donggureung Cluster , in present-day Guri , South Korea. The tomb of his umbilical cord is located in Geumsan County , South Chungcheong Province , also in South Korea. Although Taejo overthrew Goryeo and expelled officials who remained loyal to
500-769: Is the best sample of group tombs from the Joseon era and represents the evolution of tomb architecture over a period of five hundred years. Seven kings and ten queens are interred in nine reung -type tombs. The most notable in this group is Geonwolleung (건원릉) for King Taejo , the founder of the Joseon dynasty. The other tombs in the cluster are Gyeongneung (경릉) ( King Heonjeong and his two wives, Queen Hyohyeon and Queen Hyojeong ), Hyereung (혜릉) ( Queen Danui , first wife of King Gyeongjong ), Hwireung (휘릉) ( Queen Jangnyeol , second wife of King Injo ), Mongneung (목릉) ( King Seonjo and his two wives, Queen Uiin and Queen Inmok ), Sungneung (숭릉) ( King Hyeonjong and Queen Myeongseong ), Sureung (수릉) ( Crown Prince Hyomyeong , who
550-856: The Capital Region First Ring Expressway 's Songchu Interchange. It holds the remains of Queen Dangyeong , the first wife of King Jungjong . Gongneung: 37°44′45″N 126°49′48″E / 37.74583°N 126.83000°E / 37.74583; 126.83000 Sulleung: 37°44′37″N 126°50′11″E / 37.74361°N 126.83639°E / 37.74361; 126.83639 Yeongneung: 37°44′33″N 126°50′01″E / 37.74250°N 126.83361°E / 37.74250; 126.83361 Located in this cluster are Gongneung (공릉) ( Queen Jangsun , first wife of King Yejong ), Sulleung (술릉) ( Queen Gonghye , first wife of King Seongjong and younger sister of Queen Jangsun) and Yeongneung (영릉) ( Crown Prince Hyojang , who
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#1732856086187600-614: The border with Incheon . It holds the remains of Prince Jeongwon (who was posthumously honored as King Wonjong) and Queen Inheon , the parents of King Injo . 37°46′25″N 126°42′29″E / 37.77361°N 126.70806°E / 37.77361; 126.70806 This tomb is located in Paju , Gyeonggi Province , near the confluence of the Rivers Imjin and Han , where the Osusan Observatory overlooks North Korea . It holds
650-462: The court, resulting in deep divisions between various factions . With the ever-increasing number of raids against Goryeo conducted by Japanese pirates and the Red Turbans , those who came to dominate the royal court were the reformed-minded Sinjin faction of the scholar-officials and the opposing Gwonmun faction of the old aristocratic families , as well as generals who could actually fight off
700-514: The eyes of the supporters of the new dynasty he was seen as an obstacle which had to be removed. After the banquet, he was killed by five men on the Seonjuk Bridge . In 1392, Yi Sŏng-gye forced King Gongyang to abdicate, exiled him to Wonju (where he and his family were secretly executed), and enthroned himself as the new king, thus ending Goryeo's 475 years of rule. In 1393, he changed his dynasty's name to Joseon. Among his early achievements
750-494: The foreign threats—namely Yi Sŏng-gye and his rival Ch'oe Yŏng . As the Ming dynasty started to emerge, the Yuan forces became more vulnerable, and Goryeo regained its full independence by the mid-1350s, although Yuan remnants effectively occupied northeastern territories with large garrisons of troops. Yi Sŏng-gye started his career as a military officer in 1360, and would eventually rise up
800-471: The former king to the throne, had both U and his son put to death. Yi Sŏng-gye, now the undisputed power behind the throne, soon forcibly had a distant royal relative named Wang Yo (posthumously King Gongyang) crowned as the new ruler, even among opposition from Goryeo loyalists. After indirectly enforcing his grasp on the royal court through the puppet king, he proceeded to ally himself with Sinjin scholar-officials such as Chŏng To-jŏn and Cho Chun . One of
850-467: The government. General Yi swept his army from the Amnok River straight into the capital, defeated forces loyal to the royal family (led by General Ch'oe, whom he proceeded to eliminate), and forcibly dethroned King U in a de facto coup d'état , but did not ascend to the throne himself. Instead, he placed on the throne King U's eight-year-old son, Wang Ch'ang , and following a failed attempt to restore
900-542: The many issues demonstrating the early strained relationship between Joseon and Ming was the debate of Taejo's genealogy, which began as early as 1394 and became a sort of diplomatic friction that lasted over 200 years. The Collected Regulations of the Great Ming erroneously recorded 'Yi Tan' (Taejo's personal name) as the son of Yi In-im , and that Yi Tan killed the last four kings of Goryeo , thereby establishing Ming's opinion of Taejo as an usurper first and foremost, from
950-629: The materials used during commemorative ceremonies. Queen Jeonghyeon had a deep interest in Buddhism and founded the nearby Bongeunsa Temple . The other tomb is Jeongneung , located at the easternmost part of the site. This is the burial ground of King Jungjong (1487–1544), the 11th monarch of Joseon. He was the second son of Seongjong, and was originally buried in Goyang , near Munsan . However, his third wife, Queen Munjeong , thought it would be better to have him re-interred closer to his father. She expressed
1000-501: The more famous Jeongneung in the area of Bukhansan Mountain . This tomb is also in Seoul , but north of the Han River . It holds the remains of Queen Sindeok , the second wife of King Taejo . 37°43′13″N 126°57′04″E / 37.72028°N 126.95111°E / 37.72028; 126.95111 Olleung is a tomb located in Yangju , Gyeonggi Province , just to the north of
1050-403: The most to his father's rise to power, he harbored a profound hatred against two of Taejo's key allies, Chŏng To-jŏn and Nam Ŭn . Both sides were fully aware of the mutual animosity and felt constantly threatened. When it became clear that Yi Pang-wŏn was the most worthy successor, Chŏng To-jŏn used his influence to convince the king that the wisest choice would be the son that he loved most, not
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#17328560861871100-447: The most widely known events that occurred during this period was in 1392, when one of Yi Sŏng-gye's sons, Yi Pang-wŏn , organized a banquet for the renowned scholar and statesman Chŏng Mong-ju , who refused to be won over by General Yi despite their assorted correspondence in the form of archaic poems, and continued to be a faithful advocate for the old regime. Chŏng Mong-ju was revered throughout Goryeo, even by Yi Pang-wŏn himself, but in
1150-475: The new successor and abdicated. Thereafter, Taejo retired to the Hamhung Royal Villa and maintained distance with his fifth son for the rest of his life. Allegedly, Yi Pang-wŏn sent emissaries numerous times, and each time the former king executed them to express his firm decision not to meet his son again. This historical anecdote gave birth to the term Hamhung Chasa ( 함흥차사 ; 咸興差使 ), which means
1200-399: The palace, killing Chŏng To-jŏn, his followers, and the two sons of the late Queen Sindeok. This incident became known as the 'First Strife of Princes' ( 제1차 왕자의 난 ). Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for the throne and psychologically exhausted by the death of his second wife, Taejo immediately named his second son, Yi Pang-gwa (posthumously King Jeongjong), as
1250-667: The peninsula and also by repelling the well-organized Japanese pirates in a series of successful engagements. In the wake of the rise of the Ming dynasty under Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor ), the royal court in Goryeo split into two competing factions: the camp led by General Yi (supporting the Ming) and the one led by General Choe (supporting the Yuan). When a Ming messenger came to Goryeo in 1388 to demand
1300-475: The previous dynasty, many regard him as a revolutionary and a decisive ruler who eliminated an inept, obsolete and crippled governing system to save the nation from foreign forces and conflicts. The resulting safeguarding of domestic security led the Koreans to rebuild and further discover their culture. In the midst of the rival Yuan and Ming dynasties, Joseon encouraged the development of national identity which
1350-445: The ranks. In October 1361, he killed Pak Ŭi, who rebelled against the government. In the same year, when the Red Turbans had invaded and seized Gaegyeong (present-day Kaesŏng ), he helped recapture the capital city with 3,000 men. In 1362, General Naghachu invaded Goryeo and Yi Sŏng-gye defeated him after being appointed as commander. General Yi had gained prestige during the late 1370s and early 1380s by pushing Mongol remains off
1400-467: The remains of King Injo and his first wife, Queen Inyeol . 37°11′51″N 128°27′11″E / 37.19750°N 128.45306°E / 37.19750; 128.45306 This tomb lies in the county of Yeongwol , Gangwon Province and is the furthest from the capital. It holds the remains of King Danjong . 37°36′08″N 127°00′21″E / 37.60222°N 127.00583°E / 37.60222; 127.00583 Not to be confused with
1450-404: The remains of Queen Jeongsun , wife of King Danjong . Seolleung: 37°30′32″N 127°02′44″E / 37.50889°N 127.04556°E / 37.50889; 127.04556 Jeongneung: 37°30′32″N 127°03′07″E / 37.50889°N 127.05194°E / 37.50889; 127.05194 Located in the south of Seoul , Jeongneung (not to be confused with its namesake on
1500-452: The resting place of Empress Myeongseong and Emperor Gojong in Namyangju ), Gyeongneung (경릉) ( Crown Prince Uigyeong , who was posthumously honored as King Deokjong, and Queen Sohye, better known as Queen Insu ), Ingneung (익릉) ( Queen Ingyeong , first wife of King Sukjong ) and Myeongneung (명릉) (the twin tombs of King Sukjong and his second wife, Queen Inhyeon ; and Danneung (단릉),
1550-501: The return of a significant portion of Goryeo's northern territory, Ch'oe Yŏng seized the opportunity and played upon the prevailing anti-Ming atmosphere to argue for the invasion of the Liaodong Peninsula (Goryeo claimed to be the successor of the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo ; as such, restoring Manchuria as part of Korean territory was a tenet of its foreign policy throughout its history). A staunchly opposed Yi Sŏng-gye
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1600-529: The royal family itself was also becoming an increasingly disputed issue within the court, as the ruling house not only failed to govern the kingdom effectively, but was also affected by rivalry among its various branches and by generations of forced intermarriage with members of the Yuan imperial family, while King U 's biological mother being a known slave led to rumors contesting his descent from King Gongmin . Influential aristocrats, generals, and ministers struggled for royal favor and vied for domination of
1650-506: The royal family were interred in myo(墓; 묘) -type tombs. The royal tombs are scattered over 18 locations, with many of them located as far as 40 kilometers from Seoul . For example, Jangneung is in Yeongwol , Gangwon Province , while Yeongneung is in Yeoju , Gyeonggi Province . Tombs were made for individuals as well as family groups. There are 40 reung -type and 13 won -type tombs, thus creating
1700-470: The son that he felt was best for the kingdom. In 1392, the eighth son of King Taejo (his second son by Queen Sindeok ), Yi Pang-sŏk, was appointed as crown prince. After the sudden death of the queen in 1396 and while Taejo was still in mourning for his wife, Chŏng To-jŏn began conspiring to pre-emptively kill Yi Pang-wŏn and his brothers to secure his position in the royal court. In 1398, upon hearing of this plan, Yi Pang-wŏn immediately revolted and raided
1750-1586: The southern slopes of Bukhansan Mountain , also in Seoul) is the tomb of King Jungjong , while Seolleung holds the remains of King Seongjong and his third wife, Queen Jeonghyeon . The tombs are in a park, the entrance of which is 340 meters from Seolleung Station . Changneung: 37°38′09″N 126°53′42″E / 37.63583°N 126.89500°E / 37.63583; 126.89500 Hongneung: 37°37′58″N 126°53′38″E / 37.63278°N 126.89389°E / 37.63278; 126.89389 Gyeongneung: 37°37′47″N 126°53′38″E / 37.62972°N 126.89389°E / 37.62972; 126.89389 Ingneung: 37°37′47″N 126°54′02″E / 37.62972°N 126.90056°E / 37.62972; 126.90056 Myeongneung: 37°37′31″N 126°54′04″E / 37.62528°N 126.90111°E / 37.62528; 126.90111 Daebinmyo: 37°37′49″N 126°53′32″E / 37.63028°N 126.89222°E / 37.63028; 126.89222 Sugyeongwon: 37°37′38″N 126°54′02″E / 37.62722°N 126.90056°E / 37.62722; 126.90056 Sunchangwon: 37°37′45″N 126°53′50″E / 37.62917°N 126.89722°E / 37.62917; 126.89722 A group of tombs in Goyang , Gyeonggi Province , it holds Changneung (창릉) ( King Yejong and his second wife, Queen Ansun ), Hongneung (홍릉) ( Queen Jeongseong , first wife of King Yeongjo ; not to be confused with
1800-664: The spirits of the kings and queens meet their earthly worshippers. This area also contains the Jeongjagak shrine, the Subokbang, and the Suragan buildings. This area also includes the wall and the other stone structures. Other structures include: The tombs are classified into two types. The kings and queens and those posthumously granted the title of king or queen, were interred in reung(陵; 릉) -type tombs. Crown princes and their wives were interred in won(園; 원) -type tombs. Other members of
1850-537: The time of the Hongwu Emperor when he repeatedly refused to acknowledge him as the new sovereign of the Korean Peninsula. The first mention of this error was in 1518 (about 9 years after the publication), and those who saw the publication made petitions towards Ming demanding for redress, among others left chanseong Yi Kye-maeng and minister of rites Nam Gon , who wrote Jonggye Byeonmu ( 종계변무 ; 宗系辨誣 ). It took until 1584 (after many Ming envoys had seen
1900-460: The tomb of Yi Un, Crown Prince Euimin and Yi Bang-ja, Crown Princess Euimin . They are located in the city of Namyangju , just to the east of Seoul . 37°36′47″N 126°42′40″E / 37.61306°N 126.71111°E / 37.61306; 126.71111 There are three locations with Joseon tombs named Jangneung . This particular double tomb is found in Gimpo , Gyeonggi Province , near
1950-764: The tomb of Sukjong's third wife, Queen Inwon ). Other notable tombs include Daebinmyo (대빈묘) ( Royal Noble Consort Hui of the Indong Jang clan , a concubine of King Sukjong and the mother of King Gyeongjong ), Sugyeongwon (수경원) ( Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Jeonui Yi clan , a concubine of King Yeongjo and the biological mother of Crown Prince Sado ) and Sunchangwon (순창원) ( Crown Prince Sunhoe and Crown Princess Gonghoe ). Taejo of Joseon Taejo ( Korean : 태조 ; Hanja : 太祖 ; 4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), personal name Yi Sŏng-gye ( 이성계 ; 李成桂 ), later Yi Tan ( 이단 ; 李旦 ),
2000-637: The traditional burial rituals of Korea and the natural environment. There now follows a list (in alphabetical order) of the individual (or clusters of) tombs. There are two more royal tombs from the Joseon Dynasty in Kaesong , North Korea, namely Jereung ( 제릉 ) (the tomb of Queen Sinui , first wife of King Taejo ) and Hureung ( 후릉 ) (the tombs of King Jeongjong and Queen Jeongan ). 37°37′11″N 127°07′53″E / 37.61972°N 127.13139°E / 37.61972; 127.13139 This cluster
2050-576: The two main tombs reflect the political changes experienced by Korea during the waning days of the Joseon dynasty. With the declaration of the Korean Empire , the style of the tombs of the last two rulers, Emperor Gojong and Emperor Sunjong were designed to reflect their new status. Hongneung holds the remains of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong . Yureung holds the remains of Emperor Sunjong and his two wives, Empress Sunmyeong and Empress Sunjeong . Other notable tombs include Yeongwon (영원),
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2100-545: Was chosen to lead the invasion; however, at Wihwa Island on the Amnok River , he made a momentous decision known as the Wihwado Retreat ( 위화도 회군 ; 威化島 回軍 ; lit. 'Turning back the army from Wihwa Island'), which would alter the course of Korean history. Aware of the support he enjoyed from both high-ranking officials and the general populace, he decided to revolt and return to Gaegyeong to secure control of
2150-582: Was largely dominated by the same ruling families and officials that had served the previous regime. He re-established amicable ties with Japan and improved relations with Ming China . The future King Taejo was born in Ssangseong Prefecture , on the frontiers of the Yuan dynasty . Taejo's father was Yi Cha-ch'un , an official of Korean ethnicity serving the Mongol -led Yuan. His mother, Lady Ch'oe , came from
2200-511: Was once threatened by the Mongols . However, some scholars, particularly in North Korea, view Taejo as a mere traitor to the old regime and bourgeois apostate, while paralleling him to General Ch'oe Yŏng , a military elite who conservatively served Goryeo to death. His diplomatic successes in securing Korea in the early modern period are notable. Consort(s) and their respective issue One of
2250-407: Was posthumously honored as King Jinjong, and Queen Hyosun ). It is situated in the city of Paju , Gyeonggi Province . Yeongneung is not to be confused with King Sejong 's tomb in Yeoju . 37°38′50″N 127°11′51″E / 37.64722°N 127.19750°E / 37.64722; 127.19750 This tomb is in Namyangju , Gyeonggi Province , 1.6 km from Geumgok Station . It holds
2300-603: Was posthumously honored as King Munjo, and Queen Sinjeong ), Wolleung (원릉) ( King Yeongjo and his second wife, Queen Jeongsun ) and Myeongbinmyo (명빈묘) (Royal Noble Consort Myeong of the Andong Kim clan , a concubine of King Taejong ). The cluster is situated on the west bank of the Wangsukcheon Stream in the city of Guri , Gyeonggi Province . 37°45′08″N 127°10′38″E / 37.75222°N 127.17722°E / 37.75222; 127.17722 Gwangneung
2350-514: Was reported to have been favorably impressed by this embassy. Envoys from the Ryūkyū Kingdom were received in 1392, 1394 and 1397, as well as from Siam in 1393. In 1394, the new capital was established at Hanseong (present-day Seoul ). When the new dynasty was officially promulgated, the issue of which son would be the heir to the throne was brought up. Although Yi Pang-wŏn, Taejo's fifth son by his first wife Queen Sinui , had contributed
2400-502: Was the founder and first monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea . After overthrowing the Goryeo dynasty, he ascended to the throne in 1392 and abdicated six years later during a strife between his sons. He was honored as Emperor Go ( 고황제 ; 高皇帝 ) following the establishment of the Korean Empire . Taejo emphasized continuity over change. No new institutions were created, and no massive purges occurred during his reign. His new dynasty
2450-469: Was the improvement of relations with the Ming ; this had its origin in Taejo's refusal to attack their neighbor in response to raids from Chinese bandits. Shortly after his accession, he sent envoys to inform the court at Nanjing that a dynastic change had taken place. Envoys were also dispatched to Japan, seeking the re-establishment of amicable connections. The mission was successful, and Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
2500-578: Was used. Another break from tradition was that the reverential access was not built. Finally, only one T-shaped ritual shrine was built for both burial mounds. This change in tomb architecture came from the last wishes of the king and reflects a new frugal style that influenced later royal tomb construction. Heolleung: 37°27′58″N 127°04′59″E / 37.46611°N 127.08306°E / 37.46611; 127.08306 Illeung: 37°27′58″N 127°04′50″E / 37.46611°N 127.08056°E / 37.46611; 127.08056 This site
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