And Spirit-path Stele and Surroundings of Jeong Nan-jong Tomb

The tomb complex of the Jeong Nan-jong family contains the graves of Jeong Nan-jong, a civil official of the early Joseon period, and his descendants. The grave of Jeong Nan-jong and his wife lies at the lowest level, the grave of his eldest son Jeong Gwang-bo and his wife at the middle level, and the grave of his second son Jeong Gwang-pil and his wife at the top. The graves of several other descendants also remain, including Jeong Gwang-jwa, Jeong Wi-gyeom, Jeong Ik-gyeom, Jeong Bok-gyeom, Jeong Yu-jin, Jeong Yu-cheong, Jeong Jun-hang and Jeong Jin-won. Jeong Nan-jong (1433-1489) was active during the reigns of King Sejo and King Seongjong, excelled in Neo-Confucian studies, and was the foremost calligrapher of his age, skilled in the cursive and clerical scripts and in the style of Zhao Mengfu. His eldest son Jeong Gwang-bo (1457-1524) served as magistrate and prefect of several districts. His second son Jeong Gwang-pil (1462-1538) was active during the reign of King Jungjong; he was demoted after trying to save Jo Gwang-jo during the Gimyo Purge of 1519, but later, following the restoration that placed King Jungjong on the throne, rose to the position of Chief State Councillor. At Jongmyo Shrine, where the spirit tablets of kings are enshrined, leading meritorious subjects who served the throne are honoured alongside them, and Jeong Gwang-pil was enrolled as a meritorious subject of King Jungjong. Jeong Nan-jong, Jeong Gwang-bo and Jeong Gwang-pil were literati of the early Joseon period and members of a family renowned for producing chief state councillors, and traces of their lives survive on the spirit-path steles that identify the occupants of the graves; the steles of all three stand to the west of the graves. The spirit-path stele of Jeong Nan-jong, erected in 1525, has an elaborately carved hornless-dragon pattern at its top, its text composed by Nam Gon and its calligraphy written by Gang Jing. The stele of Jeong Gwang-bo, erected the same year, is an ornate stone with a hornless-dragon cap and tortoise-shaped base; at the request of his second son Jeong Sa-ryong, its text was composed by Yi Haeng and its calligraphy written by Seong Se-chang. The stele of Jeong Gwang-pil, erected in 1562, had its text composed by So Se-yang and its inscription written by Yi Hwang, reflecting the family's standing. In this way the spirit-path steles of all three men were composed or inscribed by some of the most eminent literati of the early Joseon period. Each grave precinct has a grave marker identifying its occupant, and at its centre stand an offering table, an incense-burner stone and a stone lantern; stone pillars and civil-official stone figures were also placed on either side. Jeong Nan-jong's grave has two pairs of civil-official stone figures, the larger of which resemble those at Hoemyo, the tomb of the deposed Queen Yun (later honoured as Queen Jeheon's Hoereung), and are comparable in scale and form to stone figures found at royal tombs. The stone figures at Jeong Gwang-bo's grave wear gold crowns and court robes; since this style of dress on stone figures became popular only after the mid-16th century, these represent an early example of the costume, and their carving is notable for the delicate rendering of the ornamental sash and jade pendants on their backs. Between the mounds of Jeong Gwang-bo and his wife stands a single grave marker topped with a carved animal figure resembling a haechi, a mythical guardian beast that properly belongs to the rank badge of the Inspector-General (senior second rank) rather than Jeong Gwang-bo's own rank of junior third rank; it is thought that, out of respect shown by his descendants, the stone furnishings at his grave were all made one rank higher than his actual status. The stone figures at Jeong Gwang-pil's grave are notable for their expressive, lifelike facial character. The tomb complex of the Jeong Nan-jong family, representative of the graves of scholar-officials of the early Joseon period, allows insight into scholar-official burial practices of the 15th and 16th centuries, and is an important site where the writing and calligraphy of some of the era's most eminent literati can still be found.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gunpo, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물