Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription
광개토대왕릉비 · Gwanggaeto Stele
Goguryeo (414 CE erected)·Goguryeo (King Jangsu for Gwanggaeto)·🇨🇳 Jilin, Ji'an, Yalu River park, Gwanggaeto stele pavilion, China
About
About Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription
Ji'an 414 CE stele re-discovered 1875, textual key to 4th-c Korea-Manchuria-Japan, UNESCO buffer.
Why it mattersKey Goguryeo (King Jangsu for Gwanggaeto) megalithic with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology and phasing
- 02Function of enclosure
Theories
- 01Elite residence
- 02Ceremonial centre
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 414 CE
- Period
- Goguryeo (414 CE erected)
- Culture
- Goguryeo (King Jangsu for Gwanggaeto)
- Purpose
- World's largest inscribed stele (6.39 m, 1802 characters) — Gwanggaeto conquests and early Wa/Japan mention
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1856
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
414 CE
Initial construction / first occupation at Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription
c. 400 BCE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription
On the ground
Structures & features
41.1420° N · 126.2130° E · 185 m · 3 mapped features
Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription — Principal Standing Stone
standing stonestanding stone at Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription — outlier feature
41.1418° N · 126.2127° EStele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription — Northern Chamber
chamberchamber at Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription — subsidiary complex
41.1415° N · 126.2114° EStele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription — Southern Cairn
cairncairn at Stele of Gwanggaeto — Ji'an Memorial Inscription — subsidiary complex
41.1411° N · 126.2117° E