Abstract

The Joseon royal family’s Taesils are not located in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do but are scattered throughout the country. However, the royal court dispatched masons and allowed them to collaborate on the stones. The stylistic similarity of the Taesil, which is decorated with stones, to royal tombstones is also due to the commonality of the makers. King Taejong Taesil, made during the early Joseon Dynasty, was heavily influenced by Goryeo, and a prototype for Joseon Taesil stones had not yet been established. King Injong and Myeongjong Taesils were continuously added from the 16th to the 18th centuries; therefore, they contained stones from different periods. This shows that, even during the late Joseon Dynasty, the royal court actively managed Taesil through local officials. The King Jeongjo Taesil, which represents the late Joseon Dynasty, was built after King Jeongjo’s ascension. Masons from the capital, who constructed Jeongjo’s tomb, were dispatched, and many of the stones reflected the appearance of the royal tomb. The carving of bearings on the railing stones of King Munjo Taesil shows that the notion of direction was reinforced at that time. In general, the forms first tried in the mausoleum were later reflected in the stones of the royal tombs.