Gwon Geun and Gyeongju Yi Clan Myopyo, Eumseong

This is the myopyo — a gravestone marker inscribed with an account of the deceased's life and virtues, erected before the grave — that once stood at the grave of Yangchon Gwon Geun (1352–1409) and his wife of the Gyeongju Yi clan. Gwon Geun's gravestone was made when he was buried with full honours in April 1409, two months after his death, at Chimonogeum-dong, Opo-myeon, Yangju County, Gyeonggi-do (present-day Geumto-dong, Seongnam). When the grave was relocated in March 1444, the 26th year of King Sejong, the stone could not be carried to the new site; 456 years later, in 1965, it was finally moved to Gwon Geun's shrine, where it has since been preserved and managed. Gwon Geun's gravestone is octagonal in form, an unusual arrangement in which the inscription is carved on only four of the eight faces. It is 91 cm long overall; its roof stone had been lost and only the marker itself survived, but a base stone and roof stone have recently been added. Records state that the inscription was written by Ha Ryun, who held the post of Yeonguijeong (Chief State Councillor), suggesting that the stone served both as a myopyo and as a myobi, a stele set up before the grave. The gravestone of his wife of the Gyeongju Yi clan was kept separately when the graves of Gwon Geun and his wife were relocated in 1444, the 26th year of King Sejong, and was only set up in its present location inside Gwon Geun's shrine in April 1999. It is made of granite and measures 92 cm in height, 48 cm in width and 13 cm in thickness. Gwon Geun's gravestone, carved on an octagonal stone pillar, is an unusual form, and although it is no longer complete, together with the gravestone of his wife of the Gyeongju Yi clan it is valuable material for the study of early Joseon burial customs.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Eumseong, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산