Seoul Museum of History Receives Donation of ‘Choi Yuryun Gaegukwonjonggongshin Certificate’

Treasures Preserved for Over 600 Years Amid War and Fire

The Seoul Museum of History announced on the 7th that it received a donation of the ‘Choi Yuryun Gaeguk Wonjong Gongshin Nokgwon (崔有漣 開國原從功臣錄券)’, designated as a Treasure in 1998, from the Gangneung Choi clan Daegyeonggong (Heunbong) branch’s Seoul metropolitan relatives association. This donation is expected to greatly enhance the value of the Seoul Museum of History’s collection and help introduce the founding of Joseon and the history of Seoul to the public.

The Gongshin Nokgwon (功臣錄券) is an honorary document awarded to meritorious subjects, recording the achievements and rewards of the honored officials to certify their privileges. Although there had been stories within the Gangneung Choi clan that the Gongshin Nokgwon had been passed down through generations, its actual existence was unknown until the 1990s, when it was discovered to be kept at the home of clan member Choi Deokjung (崔德重), residing in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. Despite wars and disasters, Choi Deokjung’s ancestors preserved the Gongshin Nokgwon. During the Korean War, before evacuating, they buried the Gongshin Nokgwon in a jar in the yard. Thanks to these efforts, the Gongshin Nokgwon has been preserved intact for over 600 years.

This donation is one of the results of the ‘Planned Donation Project,’ which was actively promoted through the cooperation of the owner and the museum’s prior preparations.

Choi Euncheol, president of the Gangneung Choi clan Daegyeonggong (Heunbong) branch’s Seoul metropolitan relatives association, said, “I decided to donate because I hope that the precious cultural heritage left by our ancestors will be widely utilized rather than just kept by the relatives association. I was worried about theft or damage to the artifact, but now I feel relieved.”

Kim Yongseok, director of the Seoul Museum of History, stated, “We are grateful to the Gangneung Choi clan members for their great decision to give this valuable cultural asset, preserved for over 600 years, to the citizens of Seoul,” and added, “We plan to develop various ways to utilize the donated artifact so that citizens can widely enjoy its significance and value.”

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