경주 문무대왕릉
| 경주 문무대왕릉 Tomb of King Munmu, Gyeongju |
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| 대표명칭 | 경주 문무대왕릉 |
|---|---|
| 영문명칭 | Tomb of King Munmu, Gyeongju |
| 한자 | 慶州 文武大王陵 |
| 지정(등록) 종목 | 사적 제151호 |
| 분류 | 유적건조물/무덤/왕실무덤/고대 |
해설문
국문
영문
This is the tomb of King Munmu (626-681, r. 661-681), the 30th king of the Silla dynasty (57 BCE–935 CE). He is considered the first king of the Unified Silla period (668-935). Located in the sea 200 m from the beach, this is a rare example of an underwater tomb.
King Munmu’s birth name was Kim Beop-min. He succeeded his father, King Muyeol (r. 654-661), to the throne. His father had defeated the Baekje kingdom in 660, and King Munmu continued his father’s legacy by defeating the Goguryeo kingdom in 668, thus unifying the Three Kingdom’s of Korea under one state. For the next eight years, Tang China, who had been an ally in the unification process, fought with Silla for the vast former Goguryeo territory in the north. In the end, Silla was able to secure most of the Korean Peninsula.
According to the History of the Three Kingdoms (Samguk sagi), King Munmu left a dying wish that “After I die, I intend to become a dragon of the sea who can look over the country, so have me cremated and hold my funeral in the East Sea.” Upon his death, his son King Sinmun (r. 681–691) held his funeral as requested upon a rock which came to be called Great King Rock. A year after the funeral, a dragon arose from the sea at this rock. He gifted a jade belt, and also made a reed flute (piri) out of some bamboo growing on the rock, and said that when it is played, the country’s difficulties would be solved.
The water around the tomb appears like a stream flowing from east to west. Below the water, there is a flat tortoise-shaped stone, under which it is presumed King Munmu’s remains are buried.
