Gim Myeon Janggun Yujeok

About this place

The Gim Myeon Janggun Yujeok is a historic site collectively designating the tomb, spirit-path stele (sindobi), Doamsa Shrine, Doamjae, and Doam Seodang of General Gim Myeon (pen name Songam, 1541–1593), who was active as a righteous-army commander during the Imjin War and died for his country. When the Imjin War broke out in the 25th year of King Seonjo of Joseon (1592), General Gim Myeon rallied a righteous army in Goryeong, Geochang, and other areas and, winning dozens of battles, was raised up as a righteous-army commander. In 1593 he became Army Commander of the Right Gyeongsang Province, but he fell ill while stationed at Geumsan and Gaeryeong together with the righteous armies of Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces on the eve of the great Battle of Seonsan. The general died for his country, leaving the words of loyalty: 'I knew only that there was a country; I did not know that there was my own body.' Among his writings is the three-volume 'Songam Silgi.' In the 7th year of King Hyeonjong (1667), Confucian scholars built a memorial shrine in Goryeong-eup. In the 13th year of King Jeongjo (1789), the shrine was moved to its present location and a spirit-path stele was erected so that his lofty loyalty might be handed down to posterity for all time.