Tomb of King Guhyeong, Sancheong

On the slopes of Wangsan, east of Jirisan, a huge mound of stones rises in seven tiers up the hillside. It is the Tomb of King Guhyeong, Sancheong, traditionally said to be the grave of the last king of Gaya. It looks nothing like the earth-covered royal tombs elsewhere in Korea, and scholars still disagree about whether it is a tomb at all or a stone pagoda.

The last king of Gaya

King Guhyeong, also called Guhae or King Yang, was the tenth ruler of Geumgwan Gaya, a confederation of small states in the southeast. He came to the throne in 521, ruled for eleven years and in 532 handed his kingdom over to King Beopheung of Silla. The great Silla general Kim Yu-sin was his great-grandson. The character jeon (傳, "traditionally attributed") at the start of the Korean name signals that the identity of the person buried here is not certain. The site was designated a national Historic Site on 9 February 1971.

Gaya was a league of small states along the lower Nakdong River, and Geumgwan Gaya was centred on present-day Gimhae. Gimhae has the tomb of its founder, King Suro; Sancheong holds the grave traditionally attributed to its last king. The beginning and the end of the kingdom are remembered in two different places.

Tomb or pagoda?

The structure is built of rough, unworked stones on a slope that falls from west to east. The front rises in seven tiers, 7.15 m high at the centre. The tiers curve gently rather than running straight, and the top is rounded like a burial mound.

A Joseon-era gazetteer describes a hill of piled stones stepped on all four sides that people called a royal tomb. Others point to similar stone mounds around Andong and Uiseong and see it as a stone pagoda. The name "Tomb of King Guhyeong" first appears in a record by the late Joseon writer Hong Ui-yeong (1750–1815). Records kept at Wangsansa, a temple that once stood nearby, used the same name, and a wooden chest kept there is said to have held portraits of the king and queen, clothing, a bow and a sword. The temple is gone; only a ritual hall remains.

What to look for

• Seven-tiered mound: from the front it looks like a stepped pyramid. Walk round to the side and you will see that the back is much steeper.
• Niche: a small opening, roughly 40 cm square, in the middle of the fourth tier. Its purpose is still unknown.
• Wall and stone figures: a stone wall about 1 m high surrounds the mound. In front stand a stele inscribed "Tomb of King Yang of Garak" (駕洛國讓王陵), an offering table, a stone lantern, and pairs of civil officials, military officials and guardian animals. These figures were added much later than the mound itself.
• Red gate and stone bridge: cross the stone bridge over the stream and pass through the red hongsalmun gate to reach the tomb.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: open 24 hours, with a car park.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to an hour to look around properly.
• When to go: fresh green in May–June and autumn colours in October–November. Morning light falls on the front of the mound and makes the tiers stand out.
• Deogyangjeon: at this shrine, built by the king's descendants in 1793, memorial rites are still held every spring and autumn.
• Combine with: Donguibogam Village in the same district, Geumseo-myeon. Public transport is impractical, so come by car or taxi.