Gyeongneung, Royal tomb in Guri, South Korea.

Gyeongneung is a royal tomb in Guri comprised of a burial mound encircled by stone structures, red pavilions, and guardian statues arranged according to traditional patterns. The entire site is part of the larger Donggureung Royal Tombs complex and displays the characteristic layout of the Joseon period.

King Heonjong of the Joseon Dynasty, who ruled from 1834 to 1849, rests here alongside his two queens, Hyohyeon and Hyojeong. The construction of this tomb reflected the royal burial practices of the late Joseon period.

The burial site follows strict Confucian principles, with separate zones for ceremonies and marked pathways that guide visitors through sacred areas. You can see how these spatial divisions shape the way the site is experienced as you walk through it.

Gyeongneung lies in Inchang-dong, Guri, Gyeonggi-do, within the Donggureung complex, and was designated Historic Site No. 193 on 26 May 1970. The three mounds stand in a row behind the pavilion: Heonjong's on the viewer's left, Queen Hyohyeon's in the middle, Queen Hyojeong's on the right. Look for the stone figures and the low wall separating the mounds.

Gyeongneung is the only royal tomb of the Joseon dynasty with three burial mounds, and the king does not lie in the middle. Heonjong rests to the right of Queen Hyohyeon, with Queen Hyojeong on her left, because the right side was held to be the superior position for the dead. Seen from the pavilion, the king's mound is the leftmost of the three.