Kija's Tomb
Encyclopedia
Kija's Tomb is a burial site located on Moran Hill
in Pyongyang
, North Korea
. The tomb is said to be the burial place to the controversial, semi-legendary Shang sage Jizi
(Gija in Korean), a member of the Shang
imperial family and relative to the tyrannical King Zhou, last ruler of the Shang dynasty.
Jizi allegedly fled China to Korea, where he founded the state of Gija Joseon
and eventually succeeded the Dangun
as king of Gojoseon
. Legend says that Gija brought to the Korean people many skills from China, such as agriculture and weaving; he is also credited with founding the city of Pyongyang.
The site of Gija's burial mound was identified during the Goryeo Dynasty by Emperor Sukjong
, who constructed the first mausoleum at the 1102. A memorial temple was later added and the mausoleum was enlarged and repaired in 1324 and again in 1355.
In 1570 King Seonjo of Joseon
erected a monument at the site requiring all people riding past to dismount out of respect. During the Japanese occupation period, the legend of Gija was used to erode Korean identity by pointing out the first Korean kingdom was founded by a foreigner. The site, therefore, was heavily promoted as a tourist venue by the Japanese.
However, under the Communist government, which denies Gija's existence as a fabrication of the Japanese, the tomb has been neglected and defaced; the tomb was allegedly excavated in the 1960s, which in turn yielded nothing but broken bricks and pottery. The current state of the tomb is unknown, though it is believed to have been destroyed shortly after its excavation. The site was purposefully excluded from the list of National Treasures of North Korea
.
Moran Hill
Moran Hill is located in the central part of Pyongyang, the capital of the North Korea. The hill is noted for its curious features and scenery, as well as its political significance....
in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. The tomb is said to be the burial place to the controversial, semi-legendary Shang sage Jizi
Jizi
Jizi was a semi-legendary Chinese sage who is said to have ruled Gojoseon in the 11th century BCE. Early Chinese documents like the Book of Documents and the Bamboo Annals described him as a virtuous relative of the last king of the Shang dynasty who was punished for remonstrating the king...
(Gija in Korean), a member of the Shang
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
imperial family and relative to the tyrannical King Zhou, last ruler of the Shang dynasty.
Jizi allegedly fled China to Korea, where he founded the state of Gija Joseon
Gija Joseon
Gija Joseon describes the period after the alleged arrival of Gija in the northwest of Korean peninsula. It was considered by most of the Chinese and the Korean scholars as a part of the Gojoseon period of Korean history...
and eventually succeeded the Dangun
Dangun
Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, around present-day Liaoning, Manchuria, and the Korean Peninsula. He is said to be the "grandson of heaven", and to have founded the kingdom in 2333 BC...
as king of Gojoseon
Gojoseon
Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Go , meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn....
. Legend says that Gija brought to the Korean people many skills from China, such as agriculture and weaving; he is also credited with founding the city of Pyongyang.
The site of Gija's burial mound was identified during the Goryeo Dynasty by Emperor Sukjong
Sukjong of Goryeo
Sukjong of Goryeo was the 15th ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was the younger brother of Sunjong. He married Myeongui, the daughter of Yu Hong....
, who constructed the first mausoleum at the 1102. A memorial temple was later added and the mausoleum was enlarged and repaired in 1324 and again in 1355.
In 1570 King Seonjo of Joseon
Seonjo of Joseon
King Seonjo ruled in Korea between 1567 and 1608. He was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. He is known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign, although political chaos and his incompetent leadership during the Japanese invasions of Korea...
erected a monument at the site requiring all people riding past to dismount out of respect. During the Japanese occupation period, the legend of Gija was used to erode Korean identity by pointing out the first Korean kingdom was founded by a foreigner. The site, therefore, was heavily promoted as a tourist venue by the Japanese.
However, under the Communist government, which denies Gija's existence as a fabrication of the Japanese, the tomb has been neglected and defaced; the tomb was allegedly excavated in the 1960s, which in turn yielded nothing but broken bricks and pottery. The current state of the tomb is unknown, though it is believed to have been destroyed shortly after its excavation. The site was purposefully excluded from the list of National Treasures of North Korea
National treasures of North Korea
Designated national treasures of North Korea are tangible artifacts, sites, and buildings deemed to have significant historical or artistic value.-No. 1-50:-No. 51-100:-No. 101-150:-No...
.
See also
- JiziJiziJizi was a semi-legendary Chinese sage who is said to have ruled Gojoseon in the 11th century BCE. Early Chinese documents like the Book of Documents and the Bamboo Annals described him as a virtuous relative of the last king of the Shang dynasty who was punished for remonstrating the king...
- Gija JoseonGija JoseonGija Joseon describes the period after the alleged arrival of Gija in the northwest of Korean peninsula. It was considered by most of the Chinese and the Korean scholars as a part of the Gojoseon period of Korean history...
- Tomb of King Tangun
- Tomb of King TongmyongTomb of King TongmyongThe Tomb of King Tongmyŏng is a mausoleum located in near Ryongsan-ri, Ryŏkp'o-guyŏk, P'yŏng'yang, North Korea. The tombs contain the remains of Tongmyŏng, the founder of the ancient Goguryeo kingdom, northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea...
- National Treasures of North KoreaNational treasures of North KoreaDesignated national treasures of North Korea are tangible artifacts, sites, and buildings deemed to have significant historical or artistic value.-No. 1-50:-No. 51-100:-No. 101-150:-No...