Tomb of King Gyeongdeok, Gyeongju

This tomb, said to be that of King Gyeongdeok (r. 742–765), the 35th king of Silla, stands on a hillock some distance to the south-west of the town centre of Gyeongju. King Gyeongdeok was the son of King Seongdeok and was named Heonyeong. He came to the throne at a time when the autocratic royal authority of the Silla court had begun to decline, and carried out reforms of the administrative districts and official ranks. The burial mound is round in shape, and boundary stones were placed around it to protect the mound. These boundary stones are arranged like the stone platform of a timber building: base stones were laid on the ground and upright slabs placed on top of them, with pillar-like support stones set between the slabs. Every third support stone bears a carving of one of the twelve zodiac guardian figures, shown in military dress and holding a weapon. Cover stones rest on top of the upright slabs and support stones. A short distance from these boundary stones stand forty stone pillars forming a railing. In front of the tomb is a tall stone pedestal carved with an ansangmun, a niche-shaped decorative motif. However, the tomb lacks the stone lions and figures of civil and military officials found at other royal tombs of the Unified Silla period. It is not certain whether this is in fact the tomb site recorded in the Samguk sagi and the Samguk yusa, and since the technique used to dress the boundary stones and to carve the twelve zodiac figures appears to belong to the late Silla period, some hold the view that it is questionable whether this tomb is indeed that of King Gyeongdeok. The name has been changed from Tomb of King Gyeongdeok of Silla to Tomb of King Gyeongdeok, Gyeongju (announced 28 July 2011).

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Historic Site · 사적