| his is the tomb
of King Sejong, the 4 th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, who
reigned from 1418~1450 with his queen, Queen Sohun.
King Sejong was one of our history's greatest rulers. He is
credited with developing the Korean language and for his many
inventions, including the udometer and the sundial. King Sejong
also conquered the lands to the north to expand the country's
territory and reinforced the country's security by conquering
Tendo.
He also fostered scholars, trained archers
and wrote many books, including the Yongbiucheonga and the
Nongsajikseol. The royal mausoleum is a good representation
of the styles of the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. The
two headstones show that the king and queen have been buried
together, and on the 12 stone pillars surrounding the grave
are inscribed 12 zodiac signs). In the center of the mausoleum
is an eight-sided hanging lantern.
Below the mausoleum is
a small house for offering sacrifices to the king and a royal
kitchen for preparing the food for the royal sacrifice. Nearby
is a house where the guards used to stay and to the east of
the sacrificial house, tomb stones have been erected. To the
left of the front doors, you will find various scientific
tools, including the udometer and sundial, and in the Sejong
Hall, you will find relics and information on King Sejong.
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