Yungneung and Geolleung Royal Tombs, Hwaseong

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.206

Category

유적지

Era

조선 정조 13년(1789)

Designated year

1970

Location

화성시, 경기도— 경기 화성시 효행로481번길 21 (안녕동)

Coordinates

37.207975, 126.989093

Yungneung is the place where Crown Prince Sado and his wife are buried. The prince was named Jangheon when King Jeongjo acceded to the throne and enthroned as Emperor Eui in 1899. Yungneung was named Hyeollyungwon after the park, Yeongwuwon, was moved from Baebongsan Mountain. A stone screen with patterns of peonies and lotus flowers stands alongside the tomb. The stone lantern is constructed using a new style that combines the octagonal style from the early Joseon Dynasty and the rectangular style of the reigns of Kings Sukjong and Yeongjo. The same method was used in Geolleung and Yereung. The stone figure of a person had great influence on later tombs in the nineteenth century. The image itself is very realistic and invigorating as its head, which formerly hung down to the breast, looks upward. There is a civil officer image with a gold crown, which also was influential in subsequent works. King Jeongjo strove to make Hyeollyungwon creative and original. Geolleung is the tomb where King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of Joseon, and his wife Queen Hyoui are buried. King Jeongjo is famous for his filial piety and for his recruitment of wise scholars, and during his reign, led the country to a golden age of literature. The tomb used to stand at the eastern hill of Hyeollyungwon but was moved to the west because the original place was deemed inauspicious after the queen passed away. The graves of the king and the queen were placed together. The tomb forms a ridge with two rooms surrounded by the balustrade. In addition, other sculptures were arranged following the construction of Yungneung. Although there are two graves in the tomb, there is only one stone for the spirit. A stone lantern was constructed combining octagonal and rectangular shapes. The statues of civil and the military vassals set an example for stone sculptures in the royal tombs in evoking a stable and realistic sentiment.

Location