Goheung Buncheong Culture Museum Opens Special Exhibition on Donated Modern Cultural Heritage

Old Letters, Regaining the Lost Country Through Righteousness

[Goheung=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shim Jeong-woo] Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, opened a special exhibition titled “Old Letters, Regaining the Lost Country through Righteousness (Ui)” at the Buncheong Culture Museum on the 29th.

This exhibition features over 50 donated old documents (letters) and will be held in the special exhibition hall until June 19.

Last year, the Goheung Buncheong Culture Museum received a donation of more than 400 letters written from the late 19th century to the early 20th century from local residents. These donated letters were preserved by the descendants of Samhojae Song Ju-heon and consist of correspondence between Song Ju-heon and his family members or literary figures.

Letters (Ganchal) are correspondences from the pre-modern and modern eras, serving as valuable materials that provide detailed insights not only into the historical context but also into personal handwriting, social relationships, and psychological changes. Letters collected from specific individuals in an organized manner hold immense academic value.

Song Ju-heon, a native of Goheung and a representative literary figure of the Yeonjae school, was a leading Confucian scholar who guided the anti-Japanese movement with “Ui-ri Studies (義理之學)” as his life’s compass. In January 1919 (lunar calendar), following the death of Emperor Gojong, he actively participated in the Paris Petition Movement and the Movement to Restore Emperor Sunjong. Due to these activities, he was arrested by the Japanese military police and imprisoned for eight months. The letters vividly contain the history of Song Ju-heon and other Confucian scholars’ resistance against Japanese colonial rule.

After Song Ju-heon passed away in 1950, his writings were compiled into the “Samhojae Collection” by his third son, Song Hyo-seop, and distributed in 1974. Literary figures who received the collection sent thank-you letters to Song Ju-heon’s son from various regions.

Most of these letters praised his loyalty and righteousness, showing that Song Ju-heon was respected by all even after his death. The government of the Republic of Korea recognized his dedication and contributions to the anti-Japanese movement by awarding him the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Patriotic Medal) in 1990.

A county official stated, “Through the donated old documents of Song Ju-heon, we can read the history of resistance against Japanese colonial rule, the desire for national independence, and his deep longing for his family. We express our gratitude to everyone who donated these precious cultural assets for this exhibition.”

Goheung=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shim Jeong-woo sevenshim@asiae.co.kr

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