The Monuments to Loyalty

The Monuments to Loyalty stand in Sonjuk-dong, Kaesong City. They were erected in the period of the feudal Joson dynasty to commemorate the loyalty of Jong Mong Ju who was killed on the Sonjuk Bridge. The pavilion housing the two monuments is an 11.41-m-long and 5.25-m-wide gabled structure with colourful designs painted on brackets and pillars. Each of the monuments consists of a stone base, a turtle-shaped pedestal, a main body and a crown. The main body alone is made of darkish marble, and all the other parts of grey granite.

The monuments are characteristic of big stone trimming with exquisite workmanship. The pedestal as a whole is a carved turtle weighing more than ten tons. The long neck, protruding eyes, and four big sharp fore-teeth bending inward—all these represent well the turtle’s characteristic posture. In particular, patterns engraved on the carapace and the lotus-shaped cushion stone on which the main body stands testify to the high art of sculpture. The smooth surface of the main body bears intagliated characters.

The crown of the monument is in the shape of a gable roof, and dragons are engraved on the underside of the eaves, adding to the monumentality and decorative quality of the structure.

The monuments are heritage structures demonstrating the Korean people’s developed artistic talent and cultural level. On June 23, 2013 it was registered in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage.