[Stones and Stories] Silla Baduk Reenacted After 1,500 Years... "Millennium Sudam" Event Held

Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] The National Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage Administration, together with the Korea Baduk Association Foundation, will hold “Millennium Sudam (千年手談) - Silla Baduk Match -” on the 28th at 11 a.m., where an actual Baduk game will be played using Baduk stones excavated from the Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44 in Gyeongju.

Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44, created about 1,500 years ago, is a stone mound coffin tomb with a large burial mound measuring 30 meters in diameter. In November 2020, luxurious gold and silver ornaments such as a gilt-bronze crown, gold earrings, and a chest pendant strung with gold and glass beads were excavated, leading to the presumption that it is the tomb of a Silla royal family woman. Notably, about 860 uniformly sized pebble stones shaped like Baduk stones were excavated near the feet of the tomb’s occupant, attracting much attention.

The pebble stones shaped like Baduk stones were not first excavated from Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44. Similar pebble stones have been found in Silla tombs from the 5th to 7th centuries, such as Hwangnam Daechong South Tomb (243 pieces), Cheonmachong (350 pieces), Geumgwanchong (about 247 pieces), and Yonggangdong Tomb (253 pieces). The excavated pebbles are round and flat, measuring 1 to 2 cm in diameter, and are broadly divided into dark and light colors. They are presumed to be natural Baduk stones without artificial processing or coloring.

However, some of the excavated pebbles have colors that are difficult to distinguish as black or white stones, and considering that 361 stones are needed to play Baduk but the number of stones found is insufficient, there have been opinions that these stones are unlikely to have been used as actual Baduk stones.

Therefore, this event was planned to test whether the pebble stones excavated from Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44 can actually be used for a Baduk match. The stones excavated from Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44 will be sorted by color into 200 black stones and 200 white stones each. Kim Su-young (female, amateur 7-dan) will play with the black stones, and Hong Seul-gi (male, amateur 6-dan) will play with the white stones in a Baduk match at the excavation site of Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44. During the match, Professor Nam Chi-hyung (Myongji University Baduk Department) and Secretary-General Lee Seung-hyun (Daegu Baduk Association) will provide commentary and share interesting stories about the history of Baduk in Korea, China, and Japan. If the match proceeds smoothly using the pebble stones excavated from Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44, it is expected to serve as an opportunity to consider similar pebbles found in Silla tombs as Baduk stones.

Meanwhile, in preparation for this match, preservation experts conducted prior safety inspections and artifact cataloging to prevent damage or loss of the pebble stones excavated from Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44 during the match. Additionally, the players will receive prior explanations about the artifacts, and the match will be conducted under the supervision of artifact managers and preservation experts to ensure the safety of the artifacts.

This Baduk match can be viewed on “Baduk TV,” a Baduk-specialized channel operated by the Korea Baduk Association Foundation, and will also be simultaneously broadcast on the “National Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Research Institute YouTube” and “Baduk TV YouTube” channels. In particular, the National Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Research Institute’s YouTube channel has prepared a system to allow real-time interaction through comments regarding questions about the excavation of Jjoksaem Tomb No. 44 and the Baduk match.

The National Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage Administration stated, “We will continue to reveal the reality of artifacts excavated through interdisciplinary convergence research and consistently disclose the process to inform the public about our history and culture.”