Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom
Encyclopedia
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
(identification number 1135) located in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. The designated area of the site is located in and around Ji'an, Jilin
Ji'an, Jilin
Ji'an is a county-level city in southwestern Jilin province, Northeast China. It belongs to the prefecture-level city of Tonghua. Ji'an has an area of and a population of approximately 230,000. The city was established as a city in 1988....
. The site was designated as a cultural World Heritage Site in 2004, qualifying as such under the first five of the six criteria for cultural heritage sites.
The site contains the archaeological remains of three cities (Wunü Mountain City
Wunü Mountain
Wu Nu Shan , which means the mountain of Five Women, is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located in the north of the town of Huanren, in Huanren Manchu autonomous county, Liaoning Province, China...
, Guonei City, and Wandu Mountain City
Wandu Mountain City
Hwando Mountain Fortress, also known as Wandu Mountain City, along with Gungnae Fortress, served as the second capital of the Korean kingdom Goguryeo...
), and forty identified tombs of Koguryo imperial and noble families.
Capital Cities
Wunü Mountain CityWunü Mountain
Wu Nu Shan , which means the mountain of Five Women, is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located in the north of the town of Huanren, in Huanren Manchu autonomous county, Liaoning Province, China...
was the first capital of Koguryo Kingdom, which is the Ancient Korean Dynasty. Guonei City and Wandu Mountain City
Wandu Mountain City
Hwando Mountain Fortress, also known as Wandu Mountain City, along with Gungnae Fortress, served as the second capital of the Korean kingdom Goguryeo...
were also capitals of the Koguryo Kingdom. These areas belongs to Chinese teritory now, but back then, western chinese territory belonged to Koguryo Kingdom, which is one of the Ancient Korean Dynasty.
Wunü Mountain City is only partly excavated. Guonei City, within the modern city of Ji’an, played the role of a supporting capital after the main Koguryo capital moved to Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
. Wandu Mountain City contains many vestiges including a large palace and many tombs.
The Capital Cities of the Koguryo Kingdom are an early example of mountain cities, later imitated by neighbouring cultures. The system of capital cities represented by Guonei City and Wandu Mountain City also influenced the construction of later capitals built by the Koguryo regime.
The capital cities of the Koguryo Kingdom represent a perfect blending of human creation and nature whether with the rocks or with forests and rivers.
Tombs
The site includes archaeological remains of 40 tombs which were built by Koguryo (37 BCE – 668 CE) that was founded in northern China and later extended into the northern half of the Korean PeninsulaKorean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
.
Some of the tombs have elaborate ceilings, designed to roof wide spaces without columns and carry the heavy load of a stone or earth tumulus (mound) which was placed above them. The tombs, particularly the important steel and a long inscription on one of the tombs, shows greatness of early Korean culture on Koguryo. The paintings in the tombs, while showing artistic skills and specific style, are also an example of strong influence from various cultures.
The tombs represent a masterpiece of the human creative genius in their wall paintings and structures.
Since these are the tombs of the Kings of Koguryo, Ancient Korean Dynasty, these tombs are recognized as the Heritage of Korea.
See also
- Complex of Goguryeo TombsComplex of Goguryeo TombsThe Complex of Goguryeo Tombs lie in North Korea. In July 2004, they became the first UNESCO World Heritage site in the country. The site consists of 30 individual tombs from the later Goguryeo kingdom, one of Three Kingdoms of Korea, located in the cities of P'yŏngyang and Namp'o...
, UNESCO world heritage site in Pyongyang, North Korea. - Ancient Tombs at Longtou MountainAncient Tombs at Longtou MountainThe Ancient Tombs at Longtou Mountain are a collection of twelve burials for royalty of the Balhae Kingdom. It is located on the Longtou Mountain, southeast Toudao Township , Helong County , Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin, China...
with Mausoleum of Princess ZhenxiaoMausoleum of Princess ZhenxiaoThe Mausoleum of Princess Jeonghyo was made in 793 by the people of early Korea's Balhae kingdom, and is a part of the Ancient Tombs at Longtou Mountain in Jilin, China...
of Bohai Kingdom.