Hotaiwang Stele (Gwanggaeto Stele) (好太王碑)

The Hotaiwang Stele (Gwanggaeto Stele, Haotaiwang Bei) stands in Taiwang Town, Ji'an City, Jilin Province, close to the tomb of the Goguryeo king it commemorates. Erected in 414 AD by King Jangsu in honour of his father King Gwanggaeto, it is a rough-hewn granite monument about 6.4 m tall, inscribed on four faces with about 1,775 characters of classical Chinese. The text records the founding legend of Goguryeo, the king's military campaigns and rules for the care of royal tomb guardians, and it is one of the most important primary sources for early Korean history, which has also made it a subject of scholarly debate. Today the stele is protected within a glass pavilion, so the carved faces are seen through glass and from a distance, and binoculars are helpful for reading detail. The site is part of the UNESCO World Heritage property Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom. Adult admission is about CNY 60, usually as a combined ticket covering the stele and the Great King's Tomb nearby, with students at about half price. A visit takes one to one and a half hours, including the walk to the tomb. The site opens about 8:00 to 17:00. It is reached by taxi from Ji'an town in about fifteen minutes. Crowds are generally modest, with tour groups arriving mid-morning in summer and national holidays being busiest. May to October is the best period for comfortable weather, and morning light helps reduce reflection in the glass. Information panels provide translations in several languages, but a local guide adds useful context about the inscription and the king's reign.