Sillabi Monument in Naengsu-ri, Pohang

Basic information

Designation

National Treasure No.264

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

443년(눌지왕 27), 503년(지증왕4) 추정

Designated year

1991

Location

포항시, 경상북도— 경상북도 포항시 북구 토성길37번길 13 (신광면, 신광면사무소, 신광보건지소)

Coordinates

36.129873, 129.263064

This stone monument was unearthed accidentally while farmers were plowing in 1989. It is the oldest of all the extant Silla monuments. This monument is made of a rectangular natural rock, with letters inscribed on its front, back, and top. From the bottom up, it grows narrow. The letters, 231 in all, are inscribed in the printed style of writing with traces of the square style. This monument is in almost the same style as Goguryeo Commemorative Stone in Chungju (National Treasure No. 205) and Silla Stone Monument in Bongpyeong-ri, Uljin-gun (National Treasure No. 242) in terms of shape and calligraphic work. This monument records the property owned by a person named Jeolgeori and inheritance settlement for his descendants. Aristocrats from each district participated in the settlement process, illustrating the limit of royal authority of the period. The monument also depicts the scene of offering a cow in sacrifice to heaven, vividly displaying the customs of the period. The state-erected monument also shows the earlier form of the code of administrative law. Judging from the inscription which contains the characters for the term ‘gyemi’ (one of the years comprising the sexagenarian cycle) and various titles including King Jijeung, this monument seems to have been built in 503, the fourth year of the reign of the king. This monument provides valuable data for the study of epigraphy as well as various social aspects of the period.

Location