Gyeongneung, Royal burial plot in Goyang, South Korea
Gyeongneung is the tomb of Prince Uigyeong, eldest son of King Sejo, who died in 1457, and of Queen Sohye, mother of King Seongjong, buried on the right-hand mound in 1504. The two mounds stand side by side, and the queen's stone figures include military officers as well as civil officials, while the prince's have only civil officials.
Gyeongneung was laid out in 1457 for Uigyeong Seja, eldest son of Grand Prince Suyang, who died young; he was later honoured as Deokjong. His mother, Queen Sohye, was buried on the right-hand mound in 1504. The tomb became part of the Seooreung cluster and was designated Historic Site No. 198 on 26 May 1970.
Gyeongneung holds Prince Uigyeong, who died in 1457 as a crown prince, and Queen Sohye, who outlived him and died in 1504 as queen dowager. Because she held the higher rank at death, she lies on the right, the superior side, and her mound alone has military guardian figures alongside the civil officials.
Gyeongneung lies in Yongdu-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, within the Seooreung tomb cluster, and is reached on foot along the paths linking the tombs. The two mounds sit on a slope, the queen's on the right-hand crest, so the ground is uneven and the walk between them takes some minutes. Allow time to read the stone inscriptions on site.
Gyeongneung reverses the usual Joseon tomb order: Queen Sohye, who died in 1504 as great queen dowager, lies on the higher right side, while Prince Uigyeong, who died in 1457 as crown prince, lies on the left. Her stone row includes military officer figures; his has only civil officials.
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