Tomb of King Muyeol, Gyeongju

On the slopes of Seondosan on the west side of Gyeongju, the Tomb of King Muyeol belongs to Kim Chun-chu, King Taejong Muyeol, 29th ruler of Silla, who laid the groundwork for unifying the Three Kingdoms. It is one of the few Silla royal tombs whose occupant is known for certain, thanks to the Stele of King Taejong Muyeol (a National Treasure), whose tortoise base ranks among the masterpieces of Silla stone carving. Behind the tomb, four more great mounds climb the hillside.

Kim Chun-chu, the first king of "true bone" rank

Kim Chun-chu succeeded Queen Jindeok as the first king from the jingol ("true bone") aristocracy rather than the royal "sacred bone" line. Even before taking the throne he travelled in person to Goguryeo and Tang China as a diplomat, and as king he allied with the Tang to conquer Baekje, preparing the way for unification. According to the Samguk sagi he died in the sixth month of 661, eight years into his reign, and received the posthumous title Taejong Muyeol. Unification was completed under his son, King Munmu.

The tomb and the stele

• Tomb of King Muyeol (Historic Site): the lowest of the large mounds on the Seoak-dong hillside. Sources differ on its size: 8.7 m high and 114 m round, or about 13 m high and 112 m round. It has never been excavated but is thought to be a stone chamber tomb with a corridor. Rough stones that may be part of a retaining ring show at the edge of the mound; the zodiac-carved ring stones of later royal tombs are not yet present.
• Stele of King Taejong Muyeol (National Treasure): in the pavilion in front of the tomb only the tortoise base and capstone survive; the inscribed slab is lost. The tortoise strides forward with its neck raised, and on the capstone six dragons, intertwined in two groups of three, hold up a pearl. The characters "Stele of the Great King Taejong Muyeol" carved on the capstone are what identify the tomb. The calligraphy is attributed to the king's second son, Kim In-mun.
• A first for Tang-style steles: it is considered the earliest example of the tortoise-base and dragon-capstone style that became standard in Unified Silla.

Seoak-dong tumuli

Directly behind the tomb, four large round mounds of the Seoak-dong tumuli rise one above the other. Some scholars attribute them to Kings Beopheung, Jinheung and Jinji and to the posthumously honoured Great King Munheung. Walking between the grassy mounds with Seondosan behind them is a highlight. The tumuli are open at all times and free.

Kim Chun-chu and Kim Yu-sin

Kim Yu-sin was never far from Kim Chun-chu's side. Chun-chu married Yu-sin's sister Munhui, and the two men backed each other in politics and war as they led the conquest of Baekje. Kim Yu-sin's tomb lies on the slopes of Songhwasan not far away, so visiting both completes the story.

The stele in detail

The stele was erected in 661, the first year of King Munmu's reign. The tortoise's shell is carved with large hexagonal honeycomb patterns, and the socket that once held the inscribed slab is ringed with lotus petals. Its lively, realistic carving is counted among the finest of its kind not only in Korea but in East Asia. The tomb precinct took its present form in 1972–1973 and covers 28,487 m².

Tripto tips

• Hours: 09:00–18:00 from March to October and 09:00–17:00 from November to February, every day.
• Admission: adults KRW 2,000, youths and soldiers KRW 1,000, children KRW 500. Parking is free.
• Time needed: 40 minutes to an hour including a walk up to the Seoak-dong tumuli.
• When to go: spring to autumn when the grass is green; in the late afternoon the mounds cast long shadows, which suits photos.
• Getting there: the tomb lies on the western edge of Gyeongju, easy to reach by taxi or bicycle from the centre. The Tomb of Kim Yu-sin and the Five Royal Tombs are a short drive away, making a good west-Gyeongju circuit.