“How Was Inheritance Handled in the Joseon Dynasty?”... Songpa District Launches ‘Ancient Documents Academy’ Humanities Lecture Series

Humanities Lecture Series for Adults Begins on June 17

Songpa District in Seoul will offer a humanities lecture series for adults titled "Ancient Documents Academy" at the Songpa Book Museum (77 Songpadaero 37-gil) for about a month, starting June 17.

Songpa Book Museum. Provided by Songpa District.

This lecture series, themed "Inheritance and Women," will provide an opportunity to understand the inheritance culture, family systems, and the evolution of gender relations during the Joseon Dynasty by interpreting Bunjaegi, documents used to record the inheritance and distribution of property within families.

The Songpa Book Museum, established in 2019 as the first public book museum in Korea, is a leading local cultural complex that promotes book culture. The district has expanded cultural experiences for residents by hosting various book-themed exhibitions and educational programs for a wide range of age groups. The "Ancient Documents Academy," introduced this year, is a variation of the "Classics Academy," which has aimed to complete a classic book each year since 2023 and received an impressive 93% satisfaction rate from participants last year.

The lectures will be led by Professor Ahn Seungjun from Korea University's Cooperative Program for Classical Translation. Professor Ahn is a renowned authority in the field of ancient document research, having served as Director of the Ancient Documents Research Office at the Academy of Korean Studies, President of the Korean Society of Old Documents, and Visiting Professor at Kyoto University in Japan.

The classes will be held every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. for about two hours, from June 17 to July 15. Any adult interested in classical literature can register on a first-come, first-served basis through the Songpa Book Museum website. The tuition fee is 15,000 won for all five sessions.

Seo Gangseok, Mayor of Songpa District, stated, "I hope you will enjoy reading ancient documents filled with the wisdom of our ancestors together with experts in early summer," and added, "We will continue to provide diverse learning opportunities for all generations so that anyone who wishes to learn can pursue lifelong education."

Provided by Songpa-gu.