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.