Tomb of King Munmu

Historic Site · Korea

Daewangam · Underwater Tomb of King Munmu

Protection & Safety

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In short

The tomb of King Munmu of Silla, set on a rock in the sea because he willed to become a dragon and guard the East Sea.

The low rock of Daewangam standing in the sea off the Gyeongju coast, waves breaking around it. — vatar/편성재 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Quick facts

Address: 26 Bonggil-ri, Munmudaewang-myeon, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

About this place

The Tomb of King Munmu lies offshore of Munmudaewang-myeon in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, and holds the thirtieth king of Unified Silla. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture records that he was buried in the East Sea according to his will, and that the will was this: cremate him in the Buddhist manner and bury him in the East Sea, and he would become a dragon and block the Japanese raiders who came in from that sea. It is a natural rock in the water close to shore, designated a Historic Site on 24 July 1967.

Origin and history

The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture describes the Tomb of King Munmu as the tomb of the thirtieth king of Unified Silla, off Munmudaewang-myeon in Gyeongju.

He was buried in the East Sea according to his will. That will was that if he were cremated in the Buddhist manner and buried in the East Sea, he would become a dragon and block the Japanese raiders coming in from that sea.

It was designated a Historic Site on 24 July 1967.

What it is locally associated with

OriginProtection & Safety
A will to guard as a dragon
The will was that if he were cremated in the Buddhist manner and buried in the East Sea, he would become a dragon and block the raiders coming in from it.
documented history
Power spot
Channels on four sides
From the rock it looks as though channels were cut on all four sides for the sea to run in and out.
documented history
Power spot
The stone at the centre
A wide, flat stone lies lengthwise north to south at the centre of the still water inside.
documented history

Here the grave is itself the petition. Elsewhere a person comes to ask for something; here the person buried said in advance what he would do. He would become a dragon and stop the raiders entering the East Sea.

Climb onto the rock and it looks as though channels have been cut on all four sides for the sea to run in and out, with a fairly broad stretch of still water inside. At the centre of that water lies a wide, flat stone set lengthwise north to south.

That is as far as the encyclopedia goes. Whether the will was kept, and how much of it is fact, the record does not say — and neither does this page.

Claims and evidence levels 4

The Tomb of King Munmu is the tomb of the thirtieth king of Unified Silla, offshore of Munmudaewang-myeon in Gyeongju. documented history
He was buried in the East Sea according to a will stating that, cremated in the Buddhist manner and buried there, he would become a dragon and block the Japanese raiders entering that sea. documented history
From the rock it appears that channels run in and out on all four sides, with a broad stretch of still water inside holding a wide flat stone laid north to south. documented history
It was designated a Historic Site on 24 July 1967. documented history