Precious Old Documents Donated by Gwon Sik's Descendants
Shed New Light on Uiseong's History and Culture
Museum to Become a Hub for Local Historical Research
The descendants of Gwon Sik (Hangjeong Gwon Sik, 1423-1485), the founding ancestor of the Gwon family in Uiseong during the early Joseon period, have entrusted 1,252 valuable old documents and literary works-carefully preserved over generations-to their hometown of Uiseong. This donation is expected to serve as an opportunity to shed new light on the history and culture of Uiseong, going beyond the simple transfer of artifacts.
On August 12, Uiseong County announced that the Hangjeong Gwon Sik family branch of the Andong Gwon clan had delivered 274 old books and 978 historical documents to the Uiseong Jomunguk Museum.
The donated items include two volumes of Dosan Geupmun Jehyeonrok, ten volumes of Sijeon Daejeon, six volumes of Hakbong Teacher's works, six volumes of Myobeop Yeonhwagyeong, one volume of Hangjeong Silgi, the Jarakdang Yujip, the Siljeok Byeonjeungnok, and other rare old books, as well as a variety of materials such as appointment documents (Gyoji) and letters (Ganchal) spanning from the late Joseon period to the Japanese colonial era.
These materials are primary sources that vividly convey the political, social, and cultural landscape of their time. The academic community highly values them for their bibliographical significance and historical importance.
In particular, the Gyoji are representative documents that illustrate the appointment process of officials during the Joseon Dynasty, providing crucial materials for understanding the official ranking system and personnel policies of the era.
The Ganchal, as well, are invaluable records offering glimpses into the daily lives and personal relationships of ancestors. They can be widely utilized not only for research on the local history of Uiseong but also for microhistorical studies of Korean history as a whole.
A representative of the family branch stated, "It is deeply meaningful to entrust materials handed down through generations to our hometown museum. We hope this donation will foster more active exchanges between the local community and academia, and become an opportunity for descendants to learn the importance of history."
He added, "We plan to donate an additional 250 old documents, bringing the total to around 1,500 items."
Kim Jusu, governor of Uiseong County, expressed his gratitude, saying, "We deeply appreciate the family branch for donating these precious artifacts. We will actively support the utilization of the donated materials for academic research, exhibitions, and educational programs in various ways."
Hangjeong Gwon Sik was the first member of the Andong Gwon clan to settle in Uiseong over 570 years ago, establishing the foundation of the local community. He had a significant impact on the region through his scholarship and virtue, and his descendants have continued this tradition, preserving the history and culture of Uiseong to this day. This donation is expected to mark a turning point for the Uiseong Jomunguk Museum, further establishing it as a comprehensive repository of local historical materials.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
