The Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ji’an, Jilin Province, and Huanren, Liaoning Province, in Northeast China. Goguryeo (also called Koguryo or "Gaogouli" in Chinese) was a Korean kingdom that existed from 37 BCE to 668 CE. It was located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Manchuria.
These archaeological sites were named a cultural World Heritage Site in 2004. They meet the first five of the six criteria for cultural heritage sites. The designation includes the remains of three fortified cities: Wunü Mountain City, Gungnae, and Hwando, as well as forty tombs belonging to Goguryeo’s royal and noble families.
In 2010, the Chinese government created the Ji’an Gaogouli National Archaeological Park. This park includes all the Goguryeo World Heritage Sites in Ji’an and Jilin, but not those in Liaoning, such as Wunü Mountain City.
North Korea tried to register these sites as a World Heritage Site around 2000. It was planned to be registered in 2003, but China opposed North Korea’s sole registration. Instead, China applied to register the Goguryeo ruins found in Jilin Province. Because of this, the sites in North Korea and China were registered together in 2004. It is known that there is a disagreement between North Korea and China about the history of Goguryeo.
Capital cities
Wunü Mountain City (Onyeosanseong) was the first capital of Goguryeo. Gungnae and Hwando were also capitals of Goguryeo.
Wunü Mountain City has only been partially uncovered by archaeologists. Gungnae City, located within the modern city of Ji'an, helped support the main capital after the main Goguryeo capital moved to Pyongyang. Hwando has many remains, including a large palace and several tombs.
The capital cities of Goguryeo were early examples of mountain cities that other cultures later copied. The system of capitals, including Gungnae City and Wandu Mountain City, influenced the construction of later capitals built by the Goguryeo regime.
The capital cities of Goguryeo show how people worked with nature, using rocks, forests, and rivers to create cities that blended human effort with the natural environment.
Tombs
The site has the remains of 40 tombs built by the Goguryeo people, who ruled parts of northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Some tombs have complex ceilings that support large areas without needing columns. These ceilings also hold up the heavy weight of a mound made of stone or earth placed above them. The paintings inside the tombs show skilled artistry and a unique style, and they reflect the influence of many different cultures. The tombs are an example of human creativity, shown through their wall paintings and building designs.