Iksan City Hosts Private Records Contest... Grand Prize Awarded to 'Hamyeolhyeon Seonsaengan'

Over 2,500 Records Connecting Modern and Contemporary Eras Submitted... 43 Award-Winning Works Selected

On the 28th, Iksan City in Jeonbuk announced that it has selected 43 award-winning works, including "Hamyeolhyeon Seonsaengan," as the grand prize winners of the 4th Private Records Collection Contest held to preserve the region's archival heritage.

According to the city, this contest received various records connecting Iksan's modern and contemporary history. Under the theme "Your Iksan Remembered Through Space," the contest was held until May. A total of 84 participants submitted about 2,500 records.

Jeonbuk Iksan-si '4th Private Records Collection Contest' Award Winners Selected.
[Photo by Iksan-si]

The city conducted two in-depth evaluations by experts in the fields of records, history, Korean studies, and cultural heritage to select the winners. A total of 43 winners were chosen, including 1 grand prize, 3 excellence awards, 8 merit awards, and 31 encouragement awards. The judging results can be viewed at the Iksan Citizen Records Center starting from the 1st of next month.

The grand prize was awarded to "Hamyeolhyeon Seonsaengan," submitted by Hamra Noso, which contains records of the spaces Hamra and Hamyeol. Seonsaengan (先生案) is a historical document from the Joseon Dynasty that recorded the names, official titles, birth years, and ancestral homes of former officials in central and local government offices.

This record includes a list of 96 Hamyeolhyeon magistrates, from Mr. Lee Gwijeong, who was appointed in 1453, to Mr. Lee Deokhang, who was dismissed in Seoul in 1742. It is considered a valuable resource as it appears to be the only Seonsaengan among the four counties of Iksan, Yeosan, Hamyeol, and Yongan.

The excellence awards included items such as the Iksan County Gazette, first published after the 1914 integration of the four counties Iksan, Yeosan, Hamyeol, and Yongan; a diary written in Japanese by a mother who was a student at Iri Girls' High School during the late Japanese colonial period and its translated version by her son; and a Nonggisebaedo, which depicts the performance process of Gisebae Nori, designated as an intangible cultural heritage of Jeonbuk, submitted by the Hwang family with over 200 records.

The merit awards included maps related to the rice production increase plan in the Jeonju, Wanju, and Iksan areas during the 1920s and 1930s; railway fragments recovered from the Iri Station explosion accident; diaries documenting daily routines over 25 years from 1999 to 2024; and a red plaque received by Mr. Kim Cheong upon passing the civil service examination. The encouragement awards included Garam Lee Byeonggi's Yoro Wonya Hwagi, a complete set of leaflets with maps, 40 letters exchanged between a father and son during military service, and the cornerstone of the Jeonbuk Agricultural Land Improvement Association building.

An expert who participated in the judging stated, "The collected records have been consistently gathered and produced over a long period, allowing us to understand the contextual information of the records, which is meaningful." He added, "Based on my experience judging contests, this contest is very encouraging for the development of records as it evenly collected records from various fields."

Meanwhile, the awards ceremony is scheduled to be held at the opening ceremony of the contest exhibition in September. Winners will receive the Iksan Mayor's Award and prize money. The city plans to produce a catalog of the records submitted to the contest and share Iksan's memories and records with many people at the exhibition held at the Iksan Arts Center Gallery from September to October.

Jung Heon-yul, mayor of Iksan, said, "I am grateful to the citizens who showed great interest and shared records in the 4th Private Records Collection Contest this year." He added, "We will carefully preserve the records that support Iksan's history and identity, pass them on to future generations, and strive to spread the culture of records."