Tomb of King Munmu

The underwater royal tomb where King Munmu, the 30th king of Silla, who defeated Goguryeo and Baekje and unified the three kingdoms, sleeps!

The legend of King Munmu, who tries to protect Silla by becoming a sea dragon in the East Sea, has been handed down.

If you drive about 30 to 40 minutes east of Mt. Toham, 745 meters above sea level, where Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Hermitage are located, you will see the magnificent East Sea in front of you. There is a small giam on the sea about 200m away from the beach of Bonggil-ri, where there is Daewangam (Soojungneung) called the Royal Tomb of King Munmu of Silla (BC57-AD935), which achieved the unification of the Three Kingdoms (Goguryo, Baekje, and Silla).

In 676, Silla was King Munmu, who overthrew Baekje and Goguryeo, and almost unified the Joseon Peninsula. However, King Munmu, who frequently invaded the East Sea and invaded the coast, began to build Jinguksa Temple to protect Silla on a small mountain overlooking the East Sea.

On his deathbed, “The Three Kingdoms became one, but with the momentum of Japanese invaders invading East Sea, the era of calm in Silla has not yet arrived. “If I die, I will be reincarnated as a sea dragon in the East Sea and prevent Japanese pirates from invading the East Sea, so please bury my remains in the East Sea,” said King Munmu, who achieved the great task of reunification of the Three Kingdoms.

Silla’s 31st King Sinmun, who was meant to be King Munmu, built the “King’s Rock” at Jinguksa Temple, where the East Sea was being built, and buried his ashes in the rock, so Jinguksa Temple was renamed “Gameunsa Temple,” which means thanking him for his kindness.

In addition, it is said that the father, who became a dragon, had a waterway under the temple hall so that he could freely enter the Gameunsa Temple, so that the father could take a rest. In the past, the large stream flowing to the East Sea passed in front of Gameunsa Temple, but now, due to the rise of the ground, the area around Gameunsa Temple turned into a rice field, but it is said that Daejongcheon Stream flowing to the East Sea flowed in front of the temple. .

Tomb of King Munmu

Tomb of King Munmu

There is a small pond in the center of the underwater tomb Daewangam Hermitage, where the remains of King Munmu are said to be buried, and a cross-water path from east to west is built around the pond. Inside the underwater tomb, where seawater from the sea side flows from the east waterway to the west waterway, there is always calm and clear water, and a large stone is located under the water.Some say that the remains were buried under this stone, but it is said that the current theory is that the remains were scattered on the stone.

King Munmu’s Rock from Seokguram

How to go：Take bus number 150 at Gyeongju Intercity Bus Terminal and get off in front of King Munmu’s Underwater Tomb (40 minutes apart, 50 minutes required)