Heritage with Related Tags
Complex of Koguryo Tombs
The site includes several group tombs and individual tombs, totaling about 30 individual tombs, dating from the late Goguryeo Kingdom. The Goguryeo Kingdom was one of the most powerful kingdoms in what is now northeastern China and half of the Korean Peninsula, dating from the 3rd century BC to the 7th century AD. Many of these tombs have exquisite wall paintings, which are almost the only remains of this culture. Of the more than 10,000 Goguryeo tombs discovered in China and Korea to date, only about 90 have wall paintings. Almost half of these tombs are located at this site, and they are believed to have been built to bury the king, members of the royal family and nobles. The wall paintings provide unique testimony to daily life during this period.
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong
Located in the southern Korean city of Kaesong, the site consists of 12 separate parts that together bear witness to the history and culture of the Goryeo Dynasty from the 10th to the 14th century. The geomantic layout of the former capital of Kaesong, its palaces, institutions and mausoleum complexes, defensive walls and gates embody the political, cultural, philosophical and spiritual values of a pivotal era in the region's history. The inscribed monuments also include an astronomical and meteorological observatory, two schools (one of which was dedicated to training state officials) and memorials. The site bears witness to East Asia's transition from Buddhism to Neo-Confucianism, and the assimilation of cultural ethos and political values from the various countries that preceded the unification of the Goryeo Dynasty. The fusion of Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist and geomantic concepts is reflected in the planning of the site and the architecture of the monuments.