Site of the Monument on Bukhansan Mountain Commemorating the Border Inspection by King Jinheung

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.228

Category

유적지

Era

신라 진흥왕 29년( 569)

Designated year

1972

Location

종로구, 서울특별시— 서울 종로구 구기동 산3번지

Coordinates

37.625468, 126.956042

This is the site of the monument built in Bukhansan Mountain to commemorate the accomplishments of King Jinheung of the Silla Dynasty. It had been forgotten for almost 1,200 years after it was built but it was discovered by Kim Jeong-hui, a famous scholar of monumental inscriptions as well as a noted calligrapher in the early 19th century. It is believed to have been erected to commemorate King Jinheung's virtuous treatment of residents living near Bukhansan, like mitigation and remission of taxes and pardoning prisoners. The monument was believed to have been built the last among four King Jinheung monuments on the basis of a reading of the Chinese characters ‘Namcheon’ carved on its surface, which would mean that it was built after the 29th year during his reign (568), but a new decipherment- has proved it to have been built earliest. This fresh research helps clarify the period that King Jingheung spent in the region of Bukhansan (around 555). Therefore, it is now supposed to have been erected between 553 (the year Jinheung stayed in the Bukhansan region) and 561 (the year of the building of the Changnyeongbi Monument). At the present day, there remain only a foundation and grooves for building, with a marker indicating that this is the site of Bukhansanbi, a monument to King Jinheung. The body of the monument is housed in the National Museum of Korea, having originally been moved to Gyeongbokgung Palace for safekeeping in 1972. It was designated as National Treasure No. 3 in 1934, but was slightly damaged during the Korean War. With its precious monumental inscriptions, this is regarded as a historic relic second only to the Stele for King Gwanggaeto of the Goguryeo Dynasty. The Monument on Bukhansan Mountain Commemorating the Border Inspection by King Jinheung of Silla was replicated and erected in its original site in October 19, 2006.

Location