한국국제교류재단

Yi I (1537–1584) stands alongside Yi Hwang (1501–1570) as one of the two most influential thinkers of the Joseon period, which earned him a place on today’s 5,000 Korean won notes. Though born at Ojukheon, his maternal grandparents’ home in Gangneung, he returned at age six to his father’s home in Yulgok-ri, Paju. He adopted the name of his hometown as his pen name, Yulgok, meaning “chestnut valley” — a clear affirmation of his roots.

Two Rock-carved Standing Buddhas in Yongmi-ri, Paju, located on the grounds of Yongam Temple, are Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392) Buddhist images carved into a massive natural rock face. The figure on the left wears a round hat and the one on the right a square hat, together exuding a distinctly folk aesthetic.
© Gyeonggi Tourism Organization

Traces of Yulgok’s early years are still evident in Paju. Just above the Imjin River ferry landing stands Hwaseokjeong, a pavilion where a plaque displays Palsebusi, a poem Yulgok is said to have composed at the age of eight. Often cited as evidence of his precocious talent, the poem describes an autumn evening along the river.

Yulgok died in 1584 at the age of forty-seven and was laid to rest in the family burial grounds in Paju. In 1615, local literati established a seowon (private Confucian academy) to honor his scholarship and exemplary character. His spirit tablet and portrait were enshrined there, and in 1650 the academy received a royal plaque conferring the name Jaun, meaning “purple cloud.” Later scholars who carried forward his academic legacy were enshrined alongside him.

To the left of Jaun Seowon, along the ridge, lies a cluster of 13 family graves belonging to the Yi clan, including those of Yulgok’s parents as well as Yulgok and his wife, Lady No, which occupy the highest point of the burial area. The practice of forming family graveyards reflects the influence of Family Rites of Zhu Xi ( Juja garye), the authoritative twelfth-century Chinese text for Confucian ceremonies such as coming-of-age ceremonies, weddings, funerals, and ancestral rituals. Such collective burial sites were common in this period, and the Paju burial cluster exemplifies this tradition.

Jaun Seowon is a Confucian academy established to honor the learning and virtues of Yi I, a leading Neo-Confucian scholar of the Joseon period. Yi authored many influential works, including Essentials of Sage Learning (Seonghak jipyo), which distills the core principles of Neo-Confucianism, and The Secret of Expelling Ignorance (Gyeongmong yogyeol), an educational text for children.
© Korea Tourism Organization

Paju is also deeply associated with Hwang Hui (1363–1452), one of the most esteemed prime ministers of the Joseon Dynasty. Historical records paint him as a man of profound discernment, unwavering integrity, and exemplary filial piety and loyalty. His learning and wisdom were so great that he earned the trust of the kings he served. Under King Sejong (r. 1418–1450), the visionary monarch who created Hangeul, the Korean writing system, Hwang rose to the highest government office and contributed significantly to what historians regard as a golden age.

Bangujeong, whose name means “pavilion befriending seagulls,” marks the place where Hwang spent his final years after retiring from court service. Like Yulgok’s Hwaseokjeong, it stands dramatically atop craggy cliffs overlooking the Imjin River. After falling into ruin following Hwang’s death, the pavilion was rebuilt in the 17th century by his descendants, who commissioned the scholar-official Heo Mok (1596–1682) to compose a commemorative inscription.

Calling Bangujeong “the pavilion of Hwang Hui, the great minister of a past golden age,” Heo wrote: “When he withdrew to spend his remaining days in nature with the seagulls and egrets, he forgot the world, regarding high office as nothing more than drifting clouds. This is precisely how the excellence of a great man should manifest itself.” Noting that Bangujeong stands on the banks of the Imjin River, about six kilometers west of Paju, Heo remarked, “Whenever the tide recedes and the tidal flats emerge, seagulls gather in flocks,” underscoring the pavilion’s proximity to the sea.

It is said that on clear days, Mt. Songak in Kaesong (now in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), is visible from Bangujeong. For Hwang Hui, who was born in Kaesong but spent most of his life in Hanyang, the view must have offered a comforting sense of connection to home.

Bangujeong is the pavilion where Hwang Hui, a renowned scholar-official and prime minister of early Joseon, spent his final years after retiring from government service. Below Bangujeong stands a shrine where Hwang’s descendants conduct memorial rites to honor his legacy.
© Korea Tourism Organization

In 2009, forty Joseon royal tombs were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Four of them are located in Paju, most notably Jangneung, the tomb of King Injo (r. 1623–1649). After Injo’s death, his second son and successor, King Hyojong (r. 1649–1659), oversaw the construction of his father’s tomb in Uncheon-ri, Paju. The choice of location was not arbitrary: Queen Inyeol, Injo’s consort who had passed away earlier, was already interred there under the same tomb name, Jangneung, and it was natural for Injo to be buried beside her. Moreover, it was a site that Injo had selected himself during his lifetime, and Hyojong emphasized that he was honoring his father’s wishes.

Majang Lake, one of Paju’s best-known tourist destinations, was created as an agricultural reservoir in 2001 and reopened by Paju City as an urban theme park in 2018. It is famous for its 220-meterlong, 1.5-meter-wide suspension bridge. During the Joseon Dynasty, the surrounding area served as a military horse-training ground — majang.
© Korea Tourism Organization

However, the tomb did not remain at its original place. Recurring fires and the presence of snakes and scorpions among the stone monuments — regarded as ill omens — eventually led to its relocation to its current site in Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju.

Jangneung features 12 retaining stones encircling the base of the burial mound, surrounded by a stone balustrade. Two stone ritual tables (sangseok) are placed before the mound, indicating that two individuals are interred there. A stone lantern stands in the center in front of the tables, flanked by high octagonal pillars (mangjuseok) that signify a sacred burial ground. Below them are paired civil official statues (muninseok) and military official statues (muinseok). The peony and lotus motifs carved on the retaining stones and lantern exemplify the refined, decorative style of 17th-century Joseon stonework.

Another notable burial site is Paju Samneung, a group of three royal tombs: Gongneung, Sunneung, and Yeongneung. Gongneung is the tomb of Queen Jangsun (1445–1461), first consort of King Yejong (r. 1468–1469), who died at the age of sixteen from postpartum complications while still crown princess. Although she was posthumously elevated to queen, her tomb remains smaller than most royal tombs and lacks some of the customary stone decorations.

Sunneung is the tomb of Queen Gonghye (1456–1474), principal consort of King Seongjong (r. 1469–1494) who succeeded Yejong. She was formally invested as queen after Seongjong’s accession but died a few years later at the age of eighteen. Unlike Gongneung, built for a crown princess, Sunneung was constructed according to full royal protocols, befitting her status as queen.

Remarkably, both Queen Jangsun and Queen Gonghye were daughters of Han Myeonghoe (1415–1487), a powerful official who held numerous high-ranking posts in the early Joseon period. His extraordinary influence is evident in the fact that two of his daughters became queens, and their tombs in Paju tie his legacy to the region.

Yeongneung is the tomb of Crown Prince Hyojang (1719–1728), eldest son of King Yeongjo (r. 1724–1776), Joseon’s longest-reigning monarch. The young prince died at the age of nine while still heir apparent, but his status was posthumously elevated and his tomb likewise upgraded, from a crown prince’s burial to one meeting the standards of a royal tomb. His consort, Queen Hyosun, who died at thirty-five, rests beside him.

Beyond these principal sites, tombs of concubines who bore future kings can also be found in Paju. Taken together, they demonstrate the city of Paju’s deep and enduring ties to the Joseon royal family.

Jangneung is the royal tomb of King Injo and Queen Inyeol. The queen’s tomb was first built in 1635, and after the king’s death the two tombs were arranged as twin burial mounds. Relocated and combined into a single joint tomb in 1731, the site allows visitors to observe the style of royal stone sculptures from both the 17th and 18th centuries.
© Royal Palaces and Tombs Center