SITE OF THE ROYAL TOMBS OF SEOORUNG

Originally, this site had only five royal tombs of Joseon, but other tombs were later moved there for a variety of practical reasons. During the colonial period, the Japanese also moved some to this place, for more symbolic and ideological reasons. The ceramic urn, which contained the umbilical cord of the buried sovereign, has often been stolen. This gesture is made all the more obscure by the trouble they took to put fake urns with fake cords back into the desecrated tombs! Slightly creepy, we'll give you that. Before entering the park, you should take a look at the traditional house that houses the tomb administration office in the parking lot. The Gyeongneung Tomb houses the grave of Prince Deokjong. He never reigned, but was given a royal tomb. Son of King Sejo, he died at the age of 20 in 1457. His son became King Seongjong. His wife, Princess Han So-heui, died in 1504. Having no influential family, she had only a modest tomb (to the right of the prince's). Very Buddhist, she wrote a book for the teaching of women (Naehun).

Sunchangwon is the tomb of Prince Sunhoeseja, son of King Myeongjong, who died at the age of 12, and his princess. Daebinmyo is the tomb of Heuibin Jang, concubine of King Sukjong, mother of King Gyeongjong, who died in 1701. She became queen in place of Min Inhyeon, Sukjong's second wife, repudiated for sterility, before being killed by the king who then took his second wife. According to tradition, this intriguing woman was versed in magic. Ikneung is the burial place of Queen Kim In-gyeong (1661-1680), the first wife of King Sukjong. Sugyeongwon is the tomb of the concubine Yi (1696-1764) of King Yeongjo, mother of the posthumous King Jangjo. Changneung is the tomb of King Yejong (1468-1469) and his second wife, Queen Han. Myeongneung houses the tomb of King Sukjong (1674-1720), the builder of Bukhansanseong, buried next to his second and third wives. This grave is separate from the others. Hongneung is the tomb of Queen Seo, King Yeongjo's first wife, who died in 1757. Although she could not have children, the king loved her deeply. When he died, he left an empty space next to her grave to be buried next to her. Traditions being what they are, he was finally buried with his second wife in Dongguneung.