Wooden Coffin from Japan

What you see here in front of you are the restored coffins of King Muryeong and his queen. The wooden coffins are decorated with gold and silver, and they provide important evidence of the ongoing exchange that occurred at the time between Baekje and Japan.

The timber used to make these coffins is not native to the Korean Peninsula. In fact, this type of pine is only found in the southern part of Japan. The origin of the wood was determined 20 years after the coffins were excavated from the Royal Tomb of King Muryeong. The Japanese pine is resistant to moisture and decay, making it a worthy choice of material for the coffin of a monarch. Does that mean that the coffins were imported from Japan? No. Ancient Japanese coffins were usually made of stone. Therefore, it is believed that the coffins of King Muryeong and his queen were not produced in Japan, but that the timber used to construct them was imported and used in Baekje.

Through the tale of the birth of King Muryeong, we can gain an idea of the relationship between Baekje and Japan at that time.

According to Japanese historical records, the king of Baekje sent his pregnant queen to Japan with his brother. On their way to Japan, the queen gave birth to a boy on a small island in southern part of Japan, and he grew up to be King Muryeong. The child was actually named Sama, which means ‘island’ in Japanese, and so King Muryeong was also called ‘King of the Islands’.

The wooden coffins from the Royal Tomb of King Muryeong are of great historical importance, as the importation of timber of the highest quality from Japan attests to the intimate relationship that existed between Baekje and Japan at that time.