Maeng Sa-seong Tomb

This is the tomb of Maeng Sa-seong (pen name Gobul, 1360-1438), a chief state councillor under King Sejong of Joseon. Maeng Sa-seong supervised the compilation of the Veritable Records of King Taejong and compiled the Paldo Jiriji (Geography of the Eight Provinces); he also reorganised court music and had instruments made, contributing greatly to cultural development in the early Joseon period. The tomb precinct has recently been renovated, leaving little of its original form, though traces of early Joseon burial style survive in the rectangular border stones at the base of the mound. The stone furnishings are a mixture of old and modern pieces: only the mound's border stones, the tombstone (myopyo, a stone tablet inscribed with the name of the deceased) and the stone civil official figure are original, while the newer tombstone, offering table, incense-burner stone, boy attendant figures and stone pillars (mangju) are all recent additions. The tombstone directly in front of the mound was erected in 1438, the 20th year of King Sejong's reign and the year the master died. Its form -- a capstone carved as an inverted lotus leaf set on a square base (hayeopsu-bangbu-hyeong) -- is notable for its elegant, refined calligraphy in the Songseolche style, the vigorous yet dignified standard script associated with the Yuan calligrapher-painter Zhao Mengfu (art name Songseol). The stone civil-official figure at the lower part of the tomb, shown wearing a bokdu cap and official robes (bokdu-gongbok-hyeong), with a face carved in relief outline and shallowly raised features, is typical of the style of the early 15th century. The newer tombstone to the right of the front of the mound was erected in 1959. This tomb is a cultural heritage site notable for its tombstone in elegant Songseolche calligraphy, and for its now-rare surviving stone furnishings from the early 15th century.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gwangju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물