Late Joseon Period Map 'Suseon Chongdo' Designated as Seoul City Tangible Cultural Property

Suseon Chongdo, a Late Joseon Period Seoul Map in Yongsan History Museum Collection, Newly Designated as Seoul Tangible Cultural Property No. 582...Woodblock Printed Seoul Map with Manuscript Supplements of West and South Hanyang Fortress Areas Recognized for Rarity
Scheduled for Exhibition at Yongsan History Museum This Fall

Suseonchongdo

The Suseon Chongdo (首善總圖) held at the Yongsan History Museum in Seoul was designated as Seoul Metropolitan City Tangible Cultural Property No. 582 on the 21st. The term ‘Suseon (首善)’ refers to an exemplary place, specifically the capital where the king resides, and ‘Suseon Chongdo (首善總圖)’ means a map of Seoul.

The Suseon Chongdo designated as a Seoul Tangible Cultural Property this time is a 19th-century woodblock printed old map of Hanyang (Seoul), measuring 84 cm in width and 77 cm in height.

The district acquired the Suseon Chongdo through public purchase while continuously collecting artifacts during the opening of the Yongsan History Museum.

The Suseon Chongdo is a woodblock printed old map carved with maps and text on wooden plates, supplemented by separately drawing the areas outside Seodaemun and Namdaemun of the Hanyang Fortress. It is recognized for its rarity as there are very few similar examples of Seoul maps.

Although it is the same edition as the existing woodblock printed Suseon Chongdo (held by the Seoul Museum of History and Yeungnam University Museum), it is highly valuable as a map showing the original form of Suseon Chongdo because it is a first edition printed before revisions.

Looking at the map, along the red lines inside the fortress, Unjongga (present-day Jongno Intersection) and Ihyeon (present-day Gwangjang Market), which were the busiest commercial areas during the Joseon Dynasty, are depicted in detail. It allows understanding of the distribution of shops at the time, conveying the atmosphere of a city transforming into a commercial hub.

In particular, Chilpae outside Namdaemun (present-day Namdaemun Market) also shows the status of stores such as fish shops, vegetable shops, and rice shops, well reflecting the market’s expansion outside the fortress at that time.

The official announcement of the Seoul Metropolitan City cultural property designation stated, “Considering the content of the map, the Suseon Chongdo is judged to have been supplemented by hand in the mid-19th century, which is later than its production period. Especially, it is evaluated as an important map that allows understanding of Seoul’s changes because it detailed the appearance of the street stalls, one of Seoul’s representative commercial centers, reflecting the era’s changes.”

Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District, said, “The Suseon Chongdo is scheduled to be open to the public in the second half of this year,” and added, “Various collections that reveal the history of Yongsan are exhibited at the Yongsan History Museum, so I hope people take this opportunity to visit and also view other exhibitions.”

Additionally, visitors can see ▲a sketch map of the Joseon railway line ▲postcards of Yongsan Station ▲a city map of Yongsan ▲and Dongchal (copper coins).

Detailed information and photos are also available on the Yongsan History Museum website and the e-Museum site, where high-resolution artifact photos can be downloaded and examined. They can also be viewed on Instagram.

The Yongsan History Museum is a local history museum that encompasses the history and cultural diversity of the city of Yongsan. To maximize the value of the building, which is also a nationally registered cultural heritage, restoration and repair work was carried out referring to its original appearance when first built in 1928.

The district has prepared various exhibition spaces and experience corners for different eras in the museum and created a rooftop garden where visitors can imagine the present of Yongsan and relax.

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