Yeoju Youngneung Tomb at Gyeonggi Province in Korean- Tour

1.  Date and Time : Sept 4, 2018.  11:00~13:30 (2 hours and 30 minutes including half an hour break).

2.  Location : Yeoju City at Gyeonggi Province in Korea.

3. Distance and Course :

About 5.23 km. Course is to start Sejongdaewang Youngneung Parking Lot => Sejongdaewang Museum => Entrance Gate => Tomb Guard House => Three Way Junction => Great King Sejong Tomb (GKST) => Three Way Junction => King Hyeojong Tomb (KHT) => Entrance Gate => Hyeojong Youngneung Parking Lot. Please refer to “King Tomb Youngneung Tour –King Sejong and King Hyeojong” attached.

4.  Particular and Summary :

Youngneung is a tomb burring Great King Sejong and Queen together who was 4th King in Joseon Dynasty. It was first time Joseon people arranged two separate rooms under single tomb in Joseon Dynasty. This tomb has been strictly arranged in compliance to Joseon national decorum which was standard guide to next King generation. This tomb was moved from Gwangju to Yeoju, present location which was built without fence stone as Sejo’s Will and instead arranged only handrail. They did not arrange stone coffin rooms but laying the coffin at middle of the tomb and filling up with limestone around the coffin. There are two soul stone which is indirectly showing as two people tomb.

Another Youngneung is a tomb burring two separate tombs for King Hyeojong who was 17th King in Joseon Dynasty. It is a normal when people arrange two tomb in horizontal but they arranged two tomb in vertical which we could interpret as King is higher than queen

5.  Access :

There are various ways to reach the Yangjae Station in Seoul where you will take Shinbundangseon Line (Subway Line) and get off at Pankyo Station taking 15 minutes for 3 station passing. As soon as you get off, you should change the subway line to Gyeonggangseon (Subway Line) and get off at Sejongwangneung Station taking 56 minutes for 9 station passing. As soon as arrive, you should change local bus No 904 and get off at the Sejongwangneung Bus Stop. Please walk 15 minutes for 194m from the Bus Stop to Sejongwangneung Entrance. Please refer to the map of “Transportation from Yangjae Station to Sejongwangneung”. I estimate total transportation time from Seoul Yangjae Station to Sejongwangneung for 2 hours for one way which estimate about 4 hours for round trip. But you would reduce this transportation time to 3 hours for round trip in case you use private car or rent car which you could save one hour for the transportation. 

6.  Overall Remarks.

      There are two different Youngneung, the one for GKST and the other for KHT. I will introduce you these two tombs, first Sejong and later Hyeojong. Please see “King Tomb Youngneung Tour- Sejong and Hyeojong” attached. It is the principal difference between two toms, Sejong burring with queen together at the same tomb but Hyeojong separately burring with Queen in vertical line. If you contact following link, you could see more explanation about these two tombs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO8B5UNo1bk&feature=youtu.be

1)   Great King Sejong Tomb Tour

There is maintenance and repair construction works on the way at GKST area which is scheduled to be completed by end of 2018. Therefore we could not look around complete GKST until construction works is completed. When I walked to entrance gate, I found such construction works notice was before the entrance gate. I walked for short while and saw Sejong Museum in front which is exhibiting Sejong’s development for Hangeul and music instrument and Hyejong’s Conquer North (Old China). As soon as quickly looking around the museum, I passed ticket booth and met so fresh and sound unpaved nature road lined up with so beautiful old pine trees on the road as you see at the photo as well as video linked to above Utube. As I walked on this road for about 40 minutes, I reached tomb guard houses  which was taking care of two king tombs (Sejong and Hyeojong) and turned left and headed to three way junction where I could take a way either to Sejong at left or to Hyeojong at straight. I walked for about 10 minutes more to reach the Three Way Junction and turned left again. I found once more so breathtaking fresh air on the way heading to GKST and walked about half an hour and met GKST area. I first take a look GKST Monument declaring this is GKST and found Subokbang (GKST Keeper House) at left which looks very small for whole family. I found Jeongjagak (Memorial Praying House) at center and middle line. I could unfortunately not access the Jeongjagak because of maintenance and repair works. But I could luckily took a nice picture at somewhat remote. There is one more house relating with GKST memorial praying as Surakgan (warming chilled foods after praying). I walked up to GKST for few minutes and reached GKST which is lining up with two difference statues at left and right, the one for higher officials and the other for army generals. There are horse statues behind official and general. Sheep statues were positioning around the GKST taking care and protecting GKST. There is external protecting fence around GKST. When you see GKST at front, you could see stone lantern pagoda at center and two touch pillar at left and right. This tomb arrangement was standard system in Joseon Dynasty afterwards. As I looked down at GKST, I could now see one more related house as Surakgan standing at right GKST as shown at the photo. If you like to know location or arrangement of these three houses, Jeongjagak, Surakgan and Subokbang, please see “King Tomb Youngneung Tour - King Sejong and King Hyeojong” attached.
2. King Hyeojong Tomb Tour
I walked for about 20 minutes after finishing GKST tour and met Three Way Junction again where I could reach KHT and left turned at the junction and walked for about 10 minutes and found KHT which is arranging higher position while Queen’s Tomb lower position in center and vertical line of HKT as you see at the photo. This arrangement would be expressing ranking between King and Queen in order. There are principally no different between GKST and KHT but GKST (burring King and Queen together) and KHT (burring King separately Queen). I took a look HKT around for 15 minutes and walked down to KHT Entrance Gate via Three Way Junction after and for 20 minutes.