Myeongju Gun Royal Tomb

This is the tomb of Kim Ju-won, a member of the jingol (true-bone) aristocracy of the late Silla period and the founding ancestor of the Gangneung Kim clan. Because he was enfeoffed as the King of Myeongju, his tomb is called a royal tomb. He was long known as a fifth-generation descendant of Kim In-mun, the second son of King Taejong Muyeol, but recent research suggests he was instead a fifth-generation descendant of Munwang, King Taejong Muyeol's third son. When King Seondeok died without an heir to succeed him, Kim Ju-won, as a member of the royal bloodline, was put forward as king. However, while he was travelling to Gyeongju, heavy rain fell and made a river impossible to cross, so that he could not attend the council. The officials then decided that Heaven itself was preventing him from ascending the throne, and chose another man instead, installing Kim Gyeong-sin (later King Wonseong) as king. The following year Kim Ju-won came to Myeongju (present-day Gangneung), with which his family had long-standing ties, and there built up an independent power base opposed to the central court. He was enfeoffed as the King of Myeongju and became the founding ancestor of the Gangneung Kim clan. King Wonseong granted him the entire East Sea coast from Tongcheon to Pyeonghae as a sigeup (a fief granted to a meritorious subject). The tomb precinct today contains two mounds, one behind the other, each edged at the base with a long rectangular border of stones, with a memorial stele standing in front. On either side stand a pair each of stone pillars (mangjuseok), stone civil officials (munin seok) and stone animal figures, and at the entrance to the village stands a sindobi (a stele erected by the roadside near a tomb to commemorate the lifetime achievements of a king or high official).

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gangneung, Gangwon

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물