Stele of King Sejong from Yeongneung Royal Tomb Site, Seoul

The Stele of King Sejong from Yeongneung Royal Tomb Site, Seoul, was erected in 1452, the second year of King Munjong. This stele was erected to record the biography of King Sejong, the fourth king of Joseon, who laid the cultural foundations of the Joseon dynasty and firmly consolidated its rule, so as to commemorate his life and achievements for all time. The text was composed by Jeong In-ji (1396–1478), a civil official who contributed greatly to King Sejong's creation of Hunminjeongeum, and the calligraphy was executed by Grand Prince Anpyeong, Yi Yong (1418–1453), the third son of King Sejong the Great and one of the leading calligraphers of his time. Although the surface of the stele body is so severely eroded and flaked that the text of the inscription can hardly be made out, its value remains high simply because important passages survive, such as "...concurrently Grand Master of the National Academy, your subject Jeong In[ji]..." and "...your subject [Yi] Yong, respectfully wrote by royal command...". Furthermore, the hornless-dragon capstone (isu), carved as a single piece with the stele body, retains almost its original form, making it valuable material for research into royal steles of the early Joseon period and the many steles erected throughout the Joseon dynasty.

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Where it is

Region

Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물