Naju City Begins In-Depth Research on 'Clan-Owned Artifact Collection'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Han-hyeok] Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Kang In-gyu) announced on the 14th that it will actively promote the collection of relics held by clans and the research of donated relics, which are fundamental resources for Naju studies.

Naju studies (羅州學) refer to the academic discipline that comprehensively and systematically researches and fosters various regional assets spanning history, culture, economy, industry, ecology, and other fields connecting the past, present, and future.

The city is pursuing Naju studies as part of the 7th local government’s pledges, aiming to establish the identity of Naju as a representative historical and cultural city of Honam and to formulate sustainable development strategies accordingly.

In particular, on January 8th, the city promulgated the “Ordinance on the Research and Promotion of Naju Studies,” establishing a legal basis for the development of Naju studies.

The collection of relics held by clans is the first step toward full-scale Naju studies.

Previously, the city received donations of documents from clans last year, including the “Jinju Kang Clan’s Moheon-gong Jungjong” and “Documents related to the Uibyeongjang (righteous army commander) of the Heungseong Jang Clan’s Jikjanggong branch,” and has been working on their national translation (國譯) and annotation (解題) to determine their content and historical value.

The Jinju Kang Clan documents collected by the city in July last year represent the first case of relic donation by a clan for Naju studies.

They also add significance and value as the first relics (documents) processed as basic research materials for Naju studies.

The documents date from the late Joseon Dynasty to the Korean Empire period and reveal contents related to the loyalty and filial piety of the righteous army commander Kang Wi-gu and his son, who died together during the Imjin War, as well as a memorial requesting rewards for the virtuous conduct of the daughter-in-law from the Nampyeong Moon Clan, official responses from the Ministry of Rites, and posthumous honors, all concerning the three cardinal virtues of loyalty, filial piety, and chastity.

Since January, the city has assigned dedicated personnel to secure expertise in Naju studies.

Furthermore, the city plans to firmly establish the foundational base for Naju studies through in-depth research on the historical value of documents, including relic collection, national translation, and annotation, based on historical materials.

Mayor Kang In-gyu said, “Various relics, including old documents from influential clans that have protected and lived in Naju throughout its long history, are very important foundational assets for Naju studies. We will continue to share the results of national translation and annotation of collected relics with citizens and do our best to activate Naju studies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.