Tomb of King Gwanghaegun, Namyangju

This is the tomb of the fifteenth king of Joseon, Gwanghaegun (r. 1608–1623), and Lady Ryu, Consort of Munseong (1576–1623). Gwanghaegun was the second son of King Seonjo and Lady Gongbin of the Kim clan. When the Japanese invasions of Korea broke out in 1592, the 25th year of King Seonjo's reign, he was invested as crown prince and actively resisted the Japanese forces. After he took the throne, he planned the restoration of the country's land, devastated by the war, had numerous books lost in the fighting re-compiled, and implemented the Daedongbeop — a reform consolidating tribute levies into a single tax paid in rice — in Gyeonggi Province. He also stabilised the country by pursuing a pragmatic diplomacy between Ming China and the rising power of Later Jin (Qing). However, amid fierce factional strife he was deposed in the Injo Restoration of 1623. He died in exile on Jeju Island after eighteen years of banishment. Lady Ryu, the daughter of Ryu Ja-sin, became queen when Gwanghaegun took the throne, but was deposed from that position in the Injo Restoration of 1623 and exiled to Ganghwado Island, where she died that same year. When Lady Ryu died in exile, her tomb was first built on the present site; when Gwanghaegun himself died in 1641, the 19th year of King Injo, his tomb was built that same year to the west of hers. The tomb takes the form of twin mounds: viewed from the front, Gwanghaegun's mound is on the left (west) and Lady Ryu's on the right (east). Stone civil officials, a stone lantern, ornamental stone posts, and a memorial marker were set up at the tomb. Note: the Tomb of King Gwanghaegun, Namyangju, is closed to the public in order to preserve its original form and prevent damage. Those wishing to visit for academic research or similar purposes may enter only after obtaining prior permission from the management office (031-573-8124).

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Namyangju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Historic Site · 사적