Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All South Korea Gongju Seoksu from the Tomb of King Muryeong

Seoksu from the Tomb of King Muryeong

A guardian spirit sculpture that once guarded the tomb of a 6th-century Korean king.

Gongju, South Korea

Added By
katielou106
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Stone Guardian from the Tomb of King Muryeong   Gongju National Museum
Possibly the cutest National Treasure of Korea   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Tomb of King Muryeong   G41rn8 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Seoksu from King Muryeong’s tomb   J.T. Williams / CC BY-SA 2.0
  J.T. Williams / CC BY-SA 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1971, a large earthen mound was discovered in Gongju while repairing a drainage system. It turned out to be a tomb, where the remains of Muryeong, the 25th king of Baekje, had lain for some 1,500 years. Among the many treasures found inside the tomb was this small stone creature, a tomb guardian who had faithfully done its duty for over a millennium.

A seoksu, or stone animal guardian, is a type of statue that was placed at or within a tomb or palace. These sculptures came in various forms, including lions, horses, oxen, elephants, pigs, tigers, or mythical animals like the haetae. Seoksu could also be placed in the pile of stone and rubble used to surround the tomb. 

This seoksu sculpture was found in the center aisle of nearby King Muryeong's tomb, and has since been moved to the permanent collection of the Gonju National Museum, along with a wealth of other items found in the excavation of the tomb of King Muryeong. It is around 30 centimeters in height, 48 centimeters in length, and 22 centimeters in width. The sculpture kind of resembles a pig, and if you look closely you can see carved details depicting a tail and anus. However, the leaf-shaped steel horn on its head and the flame patterns depicting wings show that it is likely a depiction of a mythical creature. The sculpture has a large nose and a blunt mouth, which still holds some remnants of red paint, suggesting that the Sroksu was once brightly painted.

Although it may not seem quite as precious as some of the other treasures found within King Muryeong's tomb, the seoksu was the first example of a stone figure excavated that had been buried alongside a Baekje king.

Related Tags

Burial Places Royalty Statues Tombs

Know Before You Go

 You can also visit the nearby tumuli which is the excavated tomb of King Muryeong.

Community Contributors

Added By

katielou106

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 7, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://english.cha.go.kr/chaen/search/selectGeneralSearchDetail.do;jsessionid=yOvtawaU5ZtC2m2Fem6haeZp1baydRagFo3SnfLFvzWyYYrwJE1En7xRf5seGXJO.cha-was02_servlet_engine4?mn=EN_02_02&sCcebKdcd=11&ccebAsno=01620000&sCcebCtcd=34&pageIndex=17&region=&canAsset=&ccebPcd1=&searchWrd=&startNum=&endNum=&stCcebAsdt=&enCcebAsdt=&canceled=&ccebKdcd=&ccebCtcd=
  • https://gongju.museum.go.kr/eng/
Seoksu from the Tomb of King Muryeong
34 Gwangwangdanji-gil
Gongju, 314-020
South Korea
36.465504, 127.112237
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Magoksa Temple

Gongju-si, South Korea

miles away

Palsangjeon

Songnisan, South Korea

miles away

Jaman Mural Village

Jeonju-si, South Korea

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of South Korea

South Korea

Asia

Places 107
Stories 14

Nearby Places

Magoksa Temple

Gongju-si, South Korea

miles away

Palsangjeon

Songnisan, South Korea

miles away

Jaman Mural Village

Jeonju-si, South Korea

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of South Korea

South Korea

Asia

Places 107
Stories 14

Related Places

  • Tomb of Askia.

    Gao, Mali

    Tomb of Askia

    The most important and best preserved remnant of West Africa's powerful Songhai Empire.

  • Cartuja de Miraflores.

    Burgos, Spain

    Cartuja de Miraflores

    This Gothic church houses ornate royal tombs and a magnificent gilded altarpiece.

  • Entrance.

    Acharnes, Greece

    Tholos Tomb of Menidi

    This beehive tomb built for royalty sat hidden for over 3,000 years.

  • Bean-shaped pillow with child design, Northern Song Dynasty.

    Guangzhou, China

    Ceramic Pillows at the Museum of the Nanyue King's Mausoleum

    Three floors above a 2,000-year-old royal tomb is a rare collection of ancient porcelain pillows.

  • Tombs of Darius I the Great, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes, and, Darius II.

    Fars Province, Iran

    Naqsh-e Rustam

    The ancient necropolis houses the immense rock-cut tombs of four Persian kings.

  • The Tomb of Seuthes III.

    Shipka, Bulgaria

    The Tomb of Seuthes III

    The remarkably well-preserved final resting place of a powerful ancient Thracian king.

  • Lilongwe, Malawi

    Hastings Kamuzu Banda Mausoleum

    In Malawi, this is where the lion sleeps tonight.

  • Ahlat, Turkey

    Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery

    Hundreds of medieval Islamic gravestones decorate the mountainous landscape in the largest cemetery in Turkey.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.