The Joseon dynasty lasted from 1392 until 1910, and its kings and queens were laid to rest in a scattering of forested tombs around Seoul, forty of which are on the World Heritage list. Hongyureung is the name for two of them close to Namyangju, Hongneung and Yureung, which belong to the last two rulers of Korea. Hongneung is the resting place of Gojong, who proclaimed the Korean Empire in 1897 and died in 1919, in mysterious circumstances, just before the great independence uprising of that year. Yureung holds his son Sunjong, the last emperor, who lost his throne when Japan annexed Korea.
These two tombs differ from the older ones in a way that tells a story. Because the dynasty had become an empire, the layout follows Chinese imperial custom more closely, with stone figures of horses, elephants and lions, and a Chinese-style hall for ceremonies, rather than the more modest Joseon style. Even so, the setting is typical: a gentle hill, a stream in front, trees behind, chosen according to geomancy, so the dead may rest well.
Namyangju lies on the Han River upstream from Seoul, in a region of wooded hills and reservoirs, and the roads to it are some of the pleasantest near the capital. The road along the river toward Paldang winds beside the water, with cafes and bridges, while the hills north and east offer tight, shaded bends. Weekends are crowded with cyclists, hikers and families, and the roads clog around the riverside cafes. In winter the hills ice up, and in the summer monsoon, the road can flood.
Namyangju, a city of about ninety thousand, has fuel stations and restaurants, and a short run takes you to the Dasan area, where the thinker Jeong Yak-yong lived, and to the Yangsu riverside gardens. Eat tteokgalbi, grilled rice-cake ribs, or a sundubu stew, followed by a coffee overlooking the river. The tombs have an entrance fee and are closed one day a week, so check before you set out. Spring and autumn are lovely.