Walking through the Neungsan-ri Tombs.
The first place I visited in Buyeo was the Neungsan-ri Ancient Tombs. The Neungsan-ri Ancient Tombs are the royal tombs of the Baekje royal family built in Sabi, the third capital of Baekje. If the Seokchon-dong Ancient Tombs are in Hanseong (Seoul), the first capital of Baekje, and the Songsan-ri Ancient Tombs are in Ungjin (Gongju), the second capital, then the Neungsan-ri Ancient Tombs are located here, the third and final capital.
If I had to pick the most popular item in the Neungsan-ri Ancient Tombs, it would be the Baekje Gilt-bronze Incense Burner excavated here in 1993. The incense burner is so elaborately made that it is hard to believe it was made over a thousand years ago, and it is an artifact that shows Baekje, a cultural powerhouse with a developed art scene. Even now, if you go to the souvenir stand in front of the main tourist attraction in Buyeo, you can see a 5,000 won gilt-bronze incense burner model being sold, so it seems that relics that are over a thousand years old are still contributing to the local economy. It's like seeing Michelangelo in Vatican City or Gaudi in Barcelona.
Looking at the uphill road to the tumuli and the unknown tombs on the hill, I remembered coming here in elementary school. Back then, when I was young, I used to roll around on the grassy hills between the tombs as a slope... Now, I feel dizzy just thinking about it, running wild between the tombs in this place that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After arriving at the tumuli, I gave my friend a brief explanation about the Neungsan-ri tumuli. What? The answer I got was, "Isn't this a cemetery?" When I thought about it, yes, it was. Now, this place has become an important ancient historical site and a valuable tourist resource in the region, but hundreds of years ago, this place was just one of the cemeteries. No, since it was a royal cemetery, it must have been like the current National Cemetery. After hearing that from my friend, the Neungsan-ri Tombs that day, when only my friend and I were there, felt strangely gloomy. (The weather was also gloomy that day.)
#Domestic travel #Buyeo travel #Neungsan-ri Tombs #Travel destination of a lifetime #Photo spot of a lifetime #jhtour