Reenactment Event of Toegye Seonsaeng's Return Journey ... 14-Day Route from Seoul Gyeongbokgung to Andong Begins

The reenactment event of Toegye Seonsaeng's final homecoming journey will open with a ceremony at 1 p.m. on the 27th at Sajongjeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, and embark on a 14-day journey.

The Toegye homecoming reenactment event retraces the journey that Toegye Seonsaeng took over 450 years ago when, after submitting a resignation memorial to King Seonjo for several months, he was granted permission to return home and traveled from Gyeongbokgung Palace to his hometown of Andong. The event is held for reenactors and general participants to walk together and reflect on its significance.

Now in its fourth year, the Toegye homecoming reenactment event was organized to learn about the life and spirit of Toegye Seonsaeng along the 700-ri route from Gyeongbokgung Palace to Dosan Seowon in Andong, to recall his mindset at the time of his homecoming, and to revive the proper spirit of the seonbi (scholar-gentleman) in our society.

On the 27th, the opening ceremony of the reenactment event of Teacher Toegye's homecoming was held at Sajongjeon Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul.

Until last year, the event was scaled down due to COVID-19, but this year’s opening ceremony was attended by more than 200 people, including distinguished guests such as Jeon Byeong-geuk, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Lee Kyung-hoon, Deputy Director of the Cultural Heritage Administration; Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul; Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province; as well as related scholars, reenactors, and general participants.

Small-scale events will also be held in local areas such as Chungju Gwana Park, Cheongpung Hanbyeokru Pavilion, and Isan Seowon in Yeongju, where local citizens will participate to recall and reflect on the time when Toegye Seonsaeng was returning home.

Toegye Seonsaeng chose the path of retirement despite the king’s persuasion because he wished to cultivate virtuous people and seonbi who are humane and possess character, aiming for a world with more good people, which he had long hoped for.

Participants in the 13-night, 14-day journey following the path Toegye Seonsaeng walked?from Seoul through Namyangju, Yangpyeong, Yeoju, Chungju, Jecheon, Danyang, Yeongju, to Dosan in Andong?will have a valuable opportunity to find a new turning point in life through the spirit of Toegye Seonsaeng, who sought to give back his experience and knowledge to society until his last moments.

Mayor Kwon Ki-chang of Andong said, “The journey of Toegye Seonsaeng’s homecoming is not only a path of enlightenment through his life and spirit but is also expected to become a new walking culture encompassing nature and humanities. I hope it will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the spirit of retirement and the intention to nurture future scholars left by Toegye over 500 years ago, and to explore the way forward for the local era that our society currently faces.”

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