Simjiwonmyo Shrine and Spirit-path Stele

Mansa Sim Ji-won (1593–1662) was of the Cheongsong Sim clan. He rose through a succession of prestigious civil posts (cheongyojik) to become Chief State Councillor, and after the death of King Hyojong he took charge of state affairs as wonsang, a senior minister acting during the interregnum. Sim Ji-won's tomb lay directly adjacent, front and back, to the Tomb of General Yun Gwan, which is designated a historic site. Because of this, a 400-year sansong (a dispute over grave sites) between the Cheongsong Sim and Papyeong Yun clans became well known. The dispute was resolved in 2007, when the tombs of the Cheongsong Sim clan, including Sim Ji-won's, were moved about 120m to the east, in exchange for the Papyeong Yun clan providing land for the relocation. Sim Ji-won's tomb takes the form of a single mound (danbun) containing the joint burial (hapjang) of Sim Ji-won and his two wives, of the Andong Kwon clan and the Haepyeong Yun clan. In front of the mound stand a grave marker (myopyo), stone figures, an incense-burner stone, a stone pillar (mangjuseok), and civil-official statues (munin-seok). The grave marker, erected in 1677, takes the form of isubangbu (a stone with a dragon-carved head and a square base); its text was composed by Jang Seon-jing and written by Sim Ik-hyeon. The stone body of this marker was severely damaged during the Korean War, and in 1957 only the stone body was remade, while the dragon-head cap and base were reused; the original stone body is preserved in front of the tomb precinct. At the entrance to the precinct stands Sim Ji-won's spirit-path stele, erected in 1686, in the form of gaeseokbangbu (a roof-stone with a square base); its inscription was composed by Kim Su-hang, and the text and seal script (jeonseo) were written by Sin Ik-sang.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Paju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물