Chunghyeon Museum creates a perfect harmony of an old house and time-honored fence, surrounded by modern buildings. The original values of traditional materials have been increasingly highly recognized after being ignored for a long time, and more people are turning their eyes to traditional things for wisdom of ancestors. Chunghyeon Museum is an old house of a head family in Gyeonggi-do, which proves that the value of small-scale and inconvenient things may be higher than that of modern things.

I walked along the street with fences made with mud and stones, and completed with tiles, and the tall gate came into vision after the fence. Entering into the gate, the sight of apartment buildings and modern houses are replaced with the gate and tile-covered roofs of the old house. I looked around Chunghyeongwan, the house of the head family, Gwangamdang, Site of Chunghyeonseowon, Pungyokdae and Samsangdae. Spring is an ideal season to take the tour of Chunghyeon Museum, as spring flowers in full bloom provide a stunning view.

Themed Museum for Experience of the Life of the Head Family
Established in Soha-dong, Gwangmyeong City, the Museum is a unique themed museum where we can experience the culture of the head family. The Museum houses remains of Ori Lee Won-Ik (梧里 李元翼, 1547-1634), who served as the prime minister of the Joseon Dynasty, and his descendants. There are the house of the head family, Yeongwusadang, Chunghyeonseowon, Jeongja, graves and stone monuments at the Museum, and the Hoseonggongsindosang (Portrait) of Ori Lee Won-Ik, which was designated as Treasure No. 1435, is also located in the Museum, providing the perfect setting for a historic tour. A docent explains the culture of the head family during weekends. Gwangamdang, a small house with three bedrooms in the Museum, was built by the King, and was restored after being destroyed during the Japanese Invasion, Chinese Invasion, Japanese Colonial Rule and the Korean War. Gwangamdang was built by the King Injo, who highly recognized the integrity of Ori. Ori spent his senior years at Gwangamdang. We can see the idea of filial devotion and allegiance to the country of the Joseon days at the Museum, and learn the philosophy of the head family that makes traditional ceremonies. 

The House of the Head Family Built in the Mid Joseon Period
Founder Lee Seung-Gyu and Director Ham Geum-Ja commute from their residence. They have dedicated themselves to honor ancestors and maintain the spirit of ancestors in this era when convenience is the best value. Ori is the 2nd great grandson of Ikryeonggun, the son of King Taejong, and has set an example as an upright government officer who served three kings including King Seonjo, Gwanghaegun and King Injo. The Museum was named after Chunghyeonseowon.

The houses of the head family that have been neglected during the modernization period are gaining attention again as the cultural assets of the Joseon Dynasty. The charm of proud loneliness and the spirit of ancestors have gained attention, and the number of people who visit the old houses has increased. Founder Lee gave a detailed explanation about the spirit of the head family and the role of head family members.

The head family is required to meet the qualifications. The head family shall be recognized by the government through a posthumous name, and have the Bulcheonwi memorial ceremony. The memorial ceremony is the government permit to honor the man of merit at a shrine. The eldest son of the family is responsible for operating the house and making the ceremony. The responsibility of the eldest son was heavy in the past, as he had to make six ceremonies a year at Lunar New Year’s Day, Hansik, Dano, Chuseok, the anniversary of the death, and the birthday of the ancestor. These days, the ceremonies have been streamlined.

The house of the head family has to be equipped with the house, jeongja and seowon. It is difficult to be qualified as the house of the head family, because it cannot be qualified with the absence of the single facility among the above-mentioned ones. Ceremonies were made at the Bulcheonwi shrine, and gatherings of the family were held at the house. Guests were treated at jeongja, and soewon was the place for higher education in the Joseon period. We can see the Site of Chunghyeonseowon these days, but it is qualified enough to be the house of the head family. Filial devotion was considered as the more important duty than allegiance to the country in the Joseon period. The graves of parents were placed near the houses. There are graves of Hamcheongun and his wife, who are parents of Ori, as well as graves of their brothers, providing the ideal venue to experience the culture of filial piety and the graves of the Joseon period.

The House of the Head Family Shows the Tradition of Guest Reception
The remains of the head family that are 400 years old are the valuable historic materials showing the life of those days. Items used by the head family are displayed at the basement floor of Chunghyeongwan. The displayed items include tableware, trays, tea things, honey cake mold, brassware, iron and bookcases. Most notably, the brassware coated with stainless steel was coated by the wife of the eldest son at Dongdaemun, showing the heavy duty of the wife of the eldest son. The collection also includes the table setting of 7 side dishes, tableware for religious ceremonies, chamber pots, inkstones and books, as well as trays by origin.

The comment and pictures of the upright man are displayed on the exhibition hall on the first floor. There is a name plate of Gwangamdang granted by King Injo, and Sagye (a chair and a stick granted to the respected public officer who is older than 70 years by the government at the party), which Ori received when he was 77 years old. There is Seoyeo-sonsuyak-buyeonpunghyeon (King Injo Year 6, 1628 A.D.), which Ori wrote words of encouragement and wisdom for his grandson Suyak when he was appointed as the head of Yeongpunghyeon. The words said, “The best policy is to love people, and the best way to clean yourself is to get rid of greed.” “Domang” is the words describing the grief of losing spouses, and it is popular among family tourists. “Hoseonggongsindosang,” which was designated as a treasure, is a portrait with formal message granted with the contribution to safe evacuation of King Injo, and it has a high value as a painting. He wrote a testament in 1630 when he was 84 years old, and the testament said, “Maintain close ties among brothers, live frugally and make my funeral simple.” In addition, words for descendants, letters, exchanges of writings with leaders of the same period and “Yeolseongeopil,” the block book of the autograph letter of King are displayed at the exhibition hall.

A Slow Walk at the Old House
After looking around Chunghyeongwan, I enjoyed the beautiful landscape around the house. The square-shaped house has a yard at the center. It was designated as the cultural asset of Gyeonggi-do, as it shows the style of houses in Gyeonggi-do of the latter era of the Joseon Dynasty. There is Gwangamdang built by the King by the house. It is a long, simple building with a 400 year-old Thuja orientalis Linne on the yard. There is tangeumam where Ori played geomungo. There is Yeongwu Shrine on the back of Gwangamdang. Yeongwu Shrine is a valuable historic site.

Chunghyeon Museum Operated by Members of the Head Family
Founder Lee Seung-Gyu described himself as a foolish man, in a sense that he has maintained the spirit and the pride of the head family, sacrificing the short-sighted profits. His dedication and challenges that he has made to build the Museum were summarized into the word. It is frustrating to see the behavior of honoring ancestors being recognized as a foolish behavior. It is certain that the society will become a more diverse and pleasant place when the number of people who think of the next generations and value traditions increases.

Founder Lee, the 13th eldest grandson of Lee Won-Ik, established the Museum in 2003 at his own expenses. After living at the house as a newly-married couple, he moved for careers. He returned to the house after retiring from work, and developed interests in the Museum while reviewing the graduation thesis of his wife who attended the graduate school. He also developed interests in the theory of divination based on topography. The more you know, the more you learn. Founder Lee is always eager to share his rich knowledge on the culture of filial piety, the theory of divination and the place of graves of ancestors with visitors.

About Ori Lee Won-Ik (梧里 李元翼, 1547~1634)
He was the 2nd great grandson of Ikryeong-gun, the 12th son of King Taejong, and served as an officer in the mid Joseon period. He is well-known as an upright government officer who served as a prime minister for three generations during the term of King Seonjo, Gwanghaegun and King Injo. Members of royal families were prohibited to serve as government officers for four generations, and Lee Won-Ik was the first man who passed the civil service examination and became a government officer. He was selected as au upright government officer during the reign of King Seonjo, and gained respect with great writing skills and great personality. He stayed at the site of the Museum in his senior years, and there are Gwangamdang built by King Injo for him, Oriyeongu, which is a family shrine, Site of Chunghyeonseowon and the house of the head family. Tangeumam where Ori played geomungo, a 400 year-old Thuja orientalis Linne, recently recovered Pungyokdae and Samsangdae give a chance to feel the poetical taste of scholars of the Joseon period.

Order of Visits
Chunghyeongwan → House of Head Family → Gwangamdang → Tangeumam and a Thuja orientalis Linne → Stone figures and graves of Hamcheongun and his wife → Pungyokdae → Samsangdae → Site of Chunghyeonseowon → Oriyeongu

[Tourist Information]
Operating Hours: 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Reservations are required in winter season (from November to February)
Closed on Mondays, New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year’s Holiday and Chuseok Holiday
Admission Fees: KRW 3,500 per adult and KRW 2,500 per child and solider
A group of 20 or more members gets 20% discount

◆ Location
Keyword for Search: Chunghyeon Museum
Address: 1085-16 Soha 2-dong, Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do
Contact: 02-898-0505
Website: www.chunghyeon.org
By Car: Gwangmyeong IC (KTX) → Turn right to the direction of Seoul → Go to the direction of Gwangmyeong City Hall → Go straight for 1km after the sign of Chungmyeon museum, turn left and turn right at the first street  Chunghyeon Museum
From Suwon: Dongsuwon IC (Yeongdong Expressway) -  Ansan JC (Seoul Ring Expressway) – Seohaean Expressway -  Gwangmyeong Station IC (Gwangmyeong KTX Station) – Yangji Sageori (turn right to the direction of Gwangmyeong City Hall) – Oriro – Sign of Chunghyeon Museum and House of Ori Lee Won-Ik - Turn left and turn right at the first street  Chunghyeon Museum
Public Transportation: Cheolsan Station, Subway Line No. 7, Exit No. 1 – Bus No. 3 bound for Anyang – Get off at Soha 2-dong Army Base (Ihwa Oil Station and Chunghyeon High School) / Seoksu Station, Subway Line No. 1 – City Bus No. 1 or 11-1 – Ihwa Oil Station

◆ Adjacent Tourist Destinations: Nabiya Nolja Museum, Speedom (Domed cycling race stadium), KTX Gwangmyeong Station and Yeonghoewon

◆ Restaurant Options: Daeho Restaurant (02-899-7780, located in the next to Chunghyeon Museum, KRW 4,000 per serving) and Myeongmul Duruchigi of Soha-dong (02-897-3141)

Chunghyeon Museum cultural property Gwangmyeon-si gyeonggi-do korea

 LOCATION | 1085-16, Soha 2-dong, Gwangmyeon-si 
 TEL | 82-2-898-0505
 URL | www.chunghyeon.org
 
This is a place where the remains and relics of Yi Won- Ik(1547-1634), a gentleman as well as a scholar, and his descendents are kept and preserved.
 

Public Transportation

Take bus no.5627 at Subway Line No.2 Guro

Digital Complex Station and get off at the museum. Or Take village bus No.1 or bus No.1-1 at Subway Line No.1 Seoksu Station and get off at the public parking lot. Take bus No.17 at Subway Line No.7 Chilsan Station, and get off at Chunghyeon high school

By Car

Take Nambu Sunhwan Expressway and head towards Soha samgeori on Siheungdaero.



Detail information

Service hour : 10:00~17:00

The master was the 4th generation descendent of the 12th son of Taejong, Ikryeong-gun, who served as the prime minister of Joseon dynasty for 3 terms during the reign of King Seonjo, King Gwanghaegun, and King Injo, and is well-known as ‘Ori Prime Minister.’ The place where the museum is located

is a place where the master spent his last days, and has Gwangamdang granted by King Injo to Yi Won-Ik, and also has designated cultural properties such as the shrine, Oriyeonwoo, Chunghyeonji, and Jongtaek. You can feel the elegance of scholars since there is Tangumam where the master used to play the geomungo(a Korean zitherlike instrument), a 400 year old Chukbaek tree, and the recently restored Pungyokdae, and Samsangdae.

EXHIBITION HALL

Chunghyeon Hall It is displaying the portrait scroll, autograph, message, collection of writings of the master, and old documents, wooden furniture, and shuttlecock of his descendents. Through the will written by his own hands, and the poem for his granddaughter, you can feel the attentive side of him as the head of a family rather than a strict prime minister. Outside Exhibits Gwanggamdang, Oriyeongwoo,

Chunghyeonji, Samsangdae, Pungyokdae, Grave of Yi Won-Ik, and Sindobi is on display.

SPECIAL PROGRAM

Traditional Making Class It runs periodic programs for children that teaches them how to make food

out of traditional materials or how to make objet. Traditional Craftwork It deals with materials adults can enjoy as hobbies such as making Korean paper.

NOTE

Ori Yi Won-Ik The master who lived in difficult time left a number of achievements when he served in public office. He has improved the watch system of soldiers so that it would be spread throughout the nation, and during his time as a Anju moksa, he recommended mulberry tree, and earned the nickname, 'Yigongsang'. During the Japanese Invasion of 1592, he distinguished himself by recapturing

Pyeongyang as the governor of Pyeongando, and have rendered distinguished services in overcoming the Japanese Invation by supervising military affairs as a Dochechalsa of 4 provinces.

 
  Last modified : 2009. 08. 21

  Source : Chunghyeon Museum

  Please contact website to get more information.

  Reference : 02-898-0505
 

 
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