King Kongmin's Military Officers

Outside of Kaesong, North Korea, a large city located not far from the DMZ is the Royal Tomb of King Kongmin. One of the best preserved royal tombs in North Korea, it is also one of the two sites in the country to attain UNESCO World Heritage status.

The "spirit road" up to the tombs of the king and his queen are lined with statues of Confucian officials and military officers, like the ones here. If you've seen one royal tomb, it's easy for them to all seem the same. There is a matter of significance to the placement of the statues, and their proximity around the tombs, requiring the consultation of numerous geomancers, astrologers, and mathematicians to make sure the site had good pung su (feng shui).

Stone statues surrounding King Kongmin's Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.