The Tomb of King Muryeong in Gongju: a 1,500-year-old royal tomb opened by drainage work

Digging a waterway, they found a royal tomb with its owner's name written inside

The story of the Tomb of King Muryeong

On July 5, 1971, while drainage work was underway to keep moisture from seeping into Songsan-ri Tombs No. 5 and No. 6 in Gongju, a brick tomb came to light. Gongju City says the tomb was excavated completely intact, just as it had been 1,500 years earlier.^[1][2][4]

Two stone tablets found at the entrance revealed who was buried there. They were maejigwon, documents carved in stone at the funerals of the king and queen to buy the burial plot from the god of the earth, and the king's epitaph stone read 'Yeongdong Daejanggun, King Sama of Baekje.' According to the epitaph stones, King Muryeong died in May 523 and was buried in August 525, and the queen died in November 526 and was buried with him in February 529. The Korea Heritage Service describes these as the only maejigwon ever found in a royal tomb from the Three Kingdoms period.^[3][4][6]

The excavation ended surprisingly fast. As word spread and reporters and onlookers crowded in, the team hurried to collect the artifacts, and the excavation was reportedly finished in just 12 hours. Professor Kim Won-yong, who led the team, is said to have later regretted it many times, calling it his biggest mistake.^[6]

The artifacts were first counted at some 4,600 items, but a re-survey by the Gongju National Museum confirmed 5,232. Of these, 17 items under 12 designations are National Treasures, and the epitaph stones, also designated a National Treasure, are at the Gongju National Museum. The tomb group became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 as part of the Baekje Historic Areas, and in 2021 its old name, 'Songsan-ri Tombs,' was replaced with 'Royal Tomb of King Muryeong and Royal Tombs in Gongju.'^[3][4][5][8]

King Muryeong's ties to Japan have been passed down, too. The Nihon Shoki records that he was born in 461 on an island called Kakarashima, off northern Kyushu, while his father Gonji was on his way to Wa (Japan). Every year since 2002, a King Muryeong birth festival has been held on the island on the first Saturday of June, and people from Gongju take part too. You can read his birthplace as a story handed down through records and tradition.^[7]

Good to know before you go

Address

37 Wangneung-ro, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do

Hours

March–October: 09:00–18:00; November–February: 09:00–17:00 (entry until 30 minutes before closing)

Closed

Major traditional holidays and New Year's Day

Admission

Adults 3,000 KRW, teens and military 2,000 KRW, children 1,000 KRW (group discounts for 20 or more)

Getting there

From Gongju Bus Terminal, take city bus no. 101 or 125, get off at Gongju Arts Center, and cross the street.

Good to know

Parking is free. Actual artifacts like the epitaph stones are at the Gongju National Museum (34 Gwangwangdanji-gil, Gongju-si), so visiting both keeps the story going. Inquiries: 041-856-3151.

More to see in Gongju

In the Gongju travel guide, you can keep reading about courses, restaurants and closing days. Gongju is one of the cities Randomtrip picks for you.

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