“Boseong Seokgyojae, Jukgokjeongsa Yeonpyeongdapmunborok” Registered as Jeollanam-do Cultural Heritage

Late Joseon Period Local Seojae Formats

A Book Compiling Letters Exchanged About Neo-Confucianism

Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do announced that ‘Boseong Seokgyejae’ and ‘Boseong Jukgokjeongsa Yeonpyeongdapmunborok’ have been registered as cultural assets designated by Jeollanam-do.

Boseong-gun submitted the application in 2021, and after document and on-site evaluations, they were officially designated as Jeollanam-do cultural assets in July and August of this year, respectively.

'Boseong Seokgyejae,' designated as Jeollanam-do Cultural Property No. 52 Photo by Boseong-gun

‘Boseong Seokgyejae,’ designated as Jeollanam-do Cultural Asset No. 52 this time, is a Joseon Dynasty seodang (private Confucian academy) located in Deoksan-ri, Joseong-myeon. It is a wooden structure with six bays in the front and three bays on the side.

Boseong Seokgyejae was built in 1871, and its construction date is clearly documented, well representing the form of a local study hall in the late Joseon period.

Important records from the period remain intact, including the 1871 ridge beam inscription, the 1898 and 1919 inscriptions of Seokgyejae, and poetry and documents related to its operation by notable figures of the time such as Maechun Hwang Hyun, Seolju Song Unhoe, Sopa Song Myeonghoe, and Hoebong An Gyuyong.

Additionally, it holds rarity as an educational site in the local rural society and as a rural study hall with architectural significance. Over approximately 150 years, most structural components have maintained their original form, enhancing its cultural asset value.

‘Boseong Jukgokjeongsa Yeonpyeongdapmunborok,’ registered as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Asset No. 364, is a collection of classical texts held at Jukgokjeongsa in Jinbong-ri, Boknae-myeon.

This book was published using woodblocks at Songgwangsa Temple in Suncheon before the Imjin War. It is a compilation of letters exchanged between Zhu Xi (Juja) and his teacher Yeonpyeong Lee Dong regarding Neo-Confucianism.

As a rare edition in Korea, its colophon is clear, allowing identification of the publication date and place. It is highly valued for its historical and academic significance as an important research resource from before the Imjin War with a well-documented provenance.

Besides the newly registered cultural assets, Boseong-gun is actively pursuing the discovery and registration of cultural assets annually.

Notably, in 2022, ‘Boseong Obongsan Gudlejang Quarry Site’ was registered as a national registered cultural asset, and four cultural assets were designated as national or provincial cultural assets.

In 2023, ‘Boseong Seokgyejae’ and ‘Boseong Jukgokjeongsa Yeonpyeongdapmunborok’ were designated as Jeollanam-do cultural assets, and three more are awaiting on-site evaluation.

Furthermore, Boseong-gun plans to discover, register, preserve, and manage local cultural heritage in the second half of this year.

For artifacts held privately beyond the 12 already registered local cultural heritages, applications can be submitted to the respective eup or myeon. After systematic expert review, these will be registered and managed as Boseong-gun local cultural heritage.

A Boseong-gun official stated, “We will create a Boseong full of culture and stories and spread its value.”

Boseong = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Cheon-seok hss79@asiae.co.kr

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