Andong Historic House Steeped in Independence Movement Designated as Folk Heritage

Haknam Historic House Holds 10,360 Relics
Geumseongdang Musindo Set for Folk Heritage Designation

Distant view of Andong Haknam Old House.

A historic house that produced independence activists and preserves over 10,000 relics will now be managed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage site.

On May 6, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that 'Andong Haknam Historic House' in Omi Village, a clan village of the Pungsan Kim family, will be designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The main building (Anchae) was constructed in 1759 by Kim Sangmok, and the Sarangchae (men's quarters) and Haengnang (servants' quarters) were added in 1826 by his grandson, Haknam Kim Jungwoo, forming a robust square (ㅁ-shaped) layout. While the floor plan and arrangement align with the 'ㅁ'-shaped courtyard house style common in Andong, the main and men's quarters were built in different periods and are not connected, reflecting architectural changes over time.

The relics handed down within the family include 630 types and 1,869 volumes of old books, 39 types and 8,328 pieces of old documents, and 115 pieces of calligraphy and paintings, totaling 10,360 items. These are currently entrusted and managed by the Korean Studies Advancement Center. Among the most noteworthy relics are diaries spanning from Haknam's son Kim Duheum to his great-grandson Kim Jeongseop, which provide insight into changes in the culture of Andong scholars and the daily life of the Pungsan Kim family in the 19th century. Another significant item is the "Seventy-Seven Years Memoir" by Kim Eungseop, who served as Minister of Justice in the Provisional Government in Shanghai. This memoir is valued as a key resource for understanding figures and circumstances during the Japanese colonial period.

Sarangchae of Andong Haknam Gotaek.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Cultural Heritage Administration also announced the planned designation of the "Seoul Geumseongdang Musindo," housed at the Eunpyeong History Hanok Museum in Seoul, as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Musindo are paintings depicting gods such as the Blind Shaman, Blind Samshin Grandmother, and Byulsang, who are believed to govern human fortune and illness. These paintings illustrate the characteristics of shamanic beliefs in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions.

The Geumseongdang Musindo were enshrined inside "Seoul Geumseongdang," a shamanic shrine that venerates both Geumseong Daewang, the mountain spirit of Geumseongsan in Naju, and Geumseong Daegun, the sixth son of King Sejong of Joseon. The rounded face shapes and long, auspicious fingers of the figures, stylistic elements often seen in Buddhist paintings, suggest that these works were painted by a Buddhist monk (Hwaseung). An official from the Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "Analysis of the pigments indicates that they were created in the late 19th century," adding, "Musindo from the 19th century are extremely rare, making these works highly valuable."

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