Designation of Macheonmok Tomb and Jae-sil in Gokseong-gun as Jeollanam-do Monument No. 252

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] On the 28th, Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do announced that the Machunmok tomb and Jae-sil located in Bangsong-ri, Seokgok-myeon have been designated as Jeollanam-do Monument No. 252.

The Machunmok tomb is rectangular in shape and is equipped with stone artifacts such as a tomb marker, muinseok (stone statues of civil or military officials), mangjuseok (stone pillars), and jangmyeongdeung (long-life lantern). The tomb is surrounded by a curved wall called gokjang (曲牆), making it an important site for the study of early Joseon Dynasty tomb styles. The Jae-sil (Yeongmojae) is noted for its excellent furniture structure and carpentry techniques, and the shrine (Chungjeongmyo) is known as the place where the Machunmok Jwamyeonggongshin Nokgwon (Record of the Meritorious Subject, Treasure No. 1469) is kept. Due to these various historical values, it was collectively designated as Jeollanam-do Monument No. 252.

Chungjeonggong Machunmok (忠靖公 馬天牧, 1358?1431) was a figure from the late Goryeo to early Joseon period who helped Yi Bang-won, King Taejong, suppress the Prince’s Rebellion in 1400 (the 2nd year of King Jeongjong). For his achievements, he was promoted to Jwamyeonggongshin (Meritorious Subject) in 1401 and was granted the title of Jangheung Buwongun (Lord of Jangheung) in 1429 (the 11th year of King Sejong).

Why did Machunmok, born in 1358 (the 7th year of King Gongmin of Goryeo, the year of Musul), in Mowon Village under Saak Mountain in Jangheung, become a representative figure of Gokseong-gun? Machunmok was born to his father Ma Yeong (馬榮) and mother Pyeongsan Shin clan, who is known to be from Gokseong-gun. Accordingly, when Machunmok turned 15, he relocated to Dang-sang Village (堂上村) in Oji-myeon, Gokseong-gun, where his maternal family resided. Later, he entered politics, was promoted to Jwamyeonggongshin, and has since become one of the representative figures of Gokseong.

This is not the first time that relics related to Machunmok have been designated as cultural assets in Gokseong-gun. In 1990, during the restoration of Chungjeongmyo, the Machunmok Jwamyeonggongshin Nokgwon was discovered. It was subsequently designated as Treasure No. 1469 in 2006 and has been carefully preserved to this day.

A county official said, “This cultural asset designation is a good result recognizing the historical and academic value of the Machunmok site, which had long been a cherished project. We plan to do our best to preserve the original form as much as possible so that it can be passed down to future generations.”