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Reality and Transition of Royal Tomb Management System of Goryeo in the Joseon Dynasty

  • The Review of Korean History
  • 2026, (163), pp.227~278
  • Publisher : The Historical Society Of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > History
  • Received : May 15, 2026
  • Accepted : September 18, 2026
  • Published : September 30, 2026

BAKYEONGUNG 1

1강원대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study traces the actual state and evolution of the management system of Goryeo Royal Tombs during the Joseon Dynasty, examining how the Joseon Dynasty preserved the tombs of the preceding dynasty and implemented the political and Confucian significance embedded within them. Managing the Goryeo Royal Tombs served as a manifestation of Joseon’s commitment to establishing and proving its historical legitimacy, while deeply rooted in the rationale of practicing Confucian virtuous governance. In particular, among the tombs of various Goryeo kings, it was designated and managed as a core subject in connection with the rank and number of Goryeo kings enshrined in the Goryeo Taejo Shrine(Sunguijeon). Kings Taejong and Sejong instituted differential management policies based on this criterion, completing the institutional foundation as codified in the Gyeongguk daejeon. Linking the management of Goryeo Royal Tombs with Sunguijeon not only expressed deference toward the preceding dynasty, but also reflected a deliberate policy intention to differentiate the status between the two dynasties by projecting a reorganized ritual order, establishing a concentrated control system over core royal tombs, and reducing the status of the remaining tombs. However, as practical management waned, difficulties arose in identifying tomb owners, facing limitations such as persistent illegal farming, lumbering, and unauthorized burials. It was during the reign of King Hyeonjong that the management system was systematically re-established and the tomb precincts were sanctified. King Hyeonjong formalized regular inspections by dispatching officials from the Ministry of Rites every three years and differentiated the boundaries of prohibition markers centered on the four enshrined spirits in Sunguijeon. Furthermore, appointing descendants of the Goryeo royal family as tomb guards secured both practical protection and symbolic deference to the former dynasty. Hyeonjong’s policy of safeguarding Goryeo Royal Tombs and expanding preferential treatment for Goryeo descendants was inherited by subsequent monarchs. King Yeongjo fortified the sanctification of Goryeo Royal Tombs by issuing Royal Edict on Prohibition Markers at Former Dynasty Tombs. King Jeongjo formally incorporated the Yeoreung Chambong into the Ministry of Personnel, and King Cheoljong instituted alternating nominations, thereby realizing the Confucian ideal of courtesy and respect toward preceding royal lineages. During King Gojong’s reign, large-scale repairs of Goryeo Royal Tombs, the erection of 57 stone markers, the creation of the Goryeo Hyeonreung Jikjang position, and the promotion of Yeoreung Chambong to capital posts institutionalized deference toward Goryeo royal descendants as a bureaucratic privilege and a device symbolizing Confucian virtuous governance. Meanwhile, the regular inspection system formalized under King Hyeonjong exhibited flexible operation between the Confucian rationale of preserving royal tombs and addressing public welfare issues, such as preventing the burdens of official reception expenses. While the principle of dispatching officials every triennial exam year was observed during the reigns of Kings Sukjong and Yeongjo, from King Jeongjo’s reign onward, it became customary for local magistrates to act as proxies due to the burdens of reception expenses caused by famines, resulting in repeated cycles of administrative relaxation and normalization. Ultimately, the regular inspection system appears to have been effectively abolished during King Gojong’s reign. This should not be interpreted as neglect, but rather as the completion of an overarching, standing management system comprising tomb stone markers alongside continuous reporting by local magistrates and dedicated Goryeo tomb custodians. In conclusion, despite historical vicissitudes, the management system of Goryeo Royal Tombs during the Joseon Dynasty consistently embodied Confucian respect and historical justification toward the preceding dynasty in connection with Sunguijeon, while undergoing a dynamic transition to address practical public welfare concerns and secure the administrative efficacy of the on-site protection system.

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