PLACE GUIDE

Tomb of the General 将军坟

Jiangjun Fen

Seven receding tiers of dressed stone give the Tomb of the General its striking pyramid-like profile.

The southern side of the Tomb of the General, Ji’an, Jilin.
The southern side of the Tomb of the General, Ji’an, Jilin. · Prcshaw · CC BY-SA 4.0
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About Tomb of the General

It stands at the southern foot of Longshan in Ji'an's Taiwang Town, within the Goguryeo royal burial landscape. Large stones leaning against its sides support the masonry, while smaller subsidiary tombs reveal that the main monument belonged to a wider funerary complex. The tomb is commonly associated with King Jangsu, although the occupant's identity is not conclusively established. Its exterior construction is the principal focus of a visit.

The tomb dates to around the fifth century and belongs to the Yushan burial area (禹山墓区) of the Donggou tomb complex (洞沟古墓群). It is registered as JYM0001. In 1961, it was included in the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) as part of that complex. It entered the World Heritage List in 2004 as part of the Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (高句丽王城、王陵及贵族墓葬).

A survey in 1997 counted 1,146 stone blocks in the main tomb structure. The burial chamber lies within the third tier and contains two coffin platforms. Iron chains, roof tiles and gilt fittings have been recovered from silt near the main tomb. Pottery and metal fragments were also found near the subsidiary tombs and sacrificial site.

What to look for

  • The seven diminishing stone platforms and the carefully fitted blocks forming their edges.
  • The massive leaning support stones around the base, an unusual feature of the tomb's engineering.
  • The smaller subsidiary tomb remains beside the royal monument.

Background & history

The Tomb of the General (Korean: 장군총; Chinese: 將軍冢) is an ancient Korean pyramid, also known as the Pyramid of the East. The pyramid is thought to be the burial tomb of King Gwanggaeto or his son King Jangsu, both former Kings of Goguryeo. The pyramid was "rediscovered" in 1905. The base of the pyramid measures approximately 75 meters on each side, about half the size of the Egyptian pyramids and is eleven meters in height. The pyramid is composed of 1,100 dressed stone blocks. Large stones, each measure approximately 3 × 5 meters were placed around the base of the pyramid and can still be seen today. The monumental size of the tomb is a testament to the power of the Goguryeo elite and the ability of this ancient kingdom to mobilize large numbers of people for building projects. The pyramid-style tomb was typical of Goguryeo culture and was transmitted to the kingdom of Baekje's burial practices.

Excerpt from Wikipedia: Tomb of the General · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected introductory sentences; formatting simplified. Background information, not current visitor-service advice.

Location & getting there

Getting to Tomb of the General

Travel to the Jiangjunfen (将军坟) site in Taiwang Town, at the southern foot of Longshan northeast of central Ji'an.

  • Use the marked visitor paths around the monument; the presence of a burial chamber does not imply visitor entry.
General visit reminders

Choose the building, exhibition or part of the historic area you most want to see, then leave time to explore its setting. Check the venue’s current opening and reservation arrangements directly; a place appearing on the map does not mean every building or gallery is accessible on your travel date.

Combine your visit

Suggested order within this visit:

  1. Main stepped elevation

    Read the changing size of the seven platforms from ground level.

  2. Support-stone sides

    Compare the buttressing stones with the dressed wall blocks.

  3. Subsidiary tomb area

    Look for the smaller burials from the designated path.

This sequence is an editorial suggestion based on the features described in the sources. Access to individual buildings or areas should be checked locally; no travel time or shared admission is implied.

Historic sites & architecture · 历史古迹/建筑 →

Find Tomb of the General

将军坟 · 通化市

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Sources & visit information

The linked encyclopedia sources support background and place descriptions. Current opening hours, ticket prices, booking rules and transport schedules have not been independently verified for this guide. Confirm them with the venue or operator before travelling.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92932608.

Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "长寿王陵", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92932608.