Artifacts Excavated from the Tomb of Go Un

These are garments and other artifacts excavated from the tomb of Go Un (1479–1530), a leading figure of the Honam literati in the mid-Joseon period. Go Un was the grandfather of Go Gyeong-myeong, a righteous-army leader during the Japanese invasions of Korea. He lost his official post after being implicated in the Gimyo Sahwa, a literati purge under King Jungjong, returned to his hometown, and died in 1530, the twenty-fifth year of King Jungjong. The artifacts were discovered in September 1986 when his clan relocated the tomb. The clothing comprises one danryeong, a robe with a round collar; two jingnyeong, robes with a straight collar; six cheollik, robes with the top and skirt joined together; three dapho, garments similar to jingnyeong but with short sleeves; five items of trousers; two hats; two pairs of beoseon (traditional socks); and two quilts. There are also sixteen manjang, verses composed to mourn the dead, together with one long banner recording the deceased's official rank and surname, carried before the bier, one coffin board, one mat, and one chilseongpan (a board pierced with seven holes symbolising the Big Dipper, placed beneath the body) — forty-three items in all. The clothes date from the early 16th century, before the Japanese invasions, and although they were placed on the body, most served to fill empty space inside the coffin, so they survive in very good condition. Made of cotton, ramie and silk, they are thought to have been worn by Go Un during his lifetime. The manjang, verses of mourning, measure about 180 cm in length and vary somewhat in form, but generally have lotus petals painted at top and bottom. They were composed by prominent officials of the day, including Jang Se-pil, magistrate of Gwangju; Hwang Hyo-heon, vice minister of the Ministry of War; and Hong Eon-pil, minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and are of great value as historical material revealing the status, social standing and character of the tomb's occupant. The artifacts excavated from Go Un's tomb not only confirm with certainty the identity of its occupant but survive in very good condition, making them highly important material for the study of costume history and for the dating and verification of the period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Buk-gu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

National Folklore Heritage · 국가민속문화유산