Janggi Cheokwabi Stele and Geunmindang

About this place

The Cheokwabi ('Rejection of Reconciliation Stele') was erected by Heungseon Daewongun — following his victories in the French Intrusion (Byeong-in Yangyo, 1866) and American Intrusion (Sinmi Yangyo, 1871) — along major roads in Seoul and across the country as a warning against Western intrusion and a call to reject any compromise with Westerners. The Janggi Cheokwabi is one of these steles. The stele rises on a square pedestal, with the four corners and the two upper ends neatly trimmed. The inscription on the front warns: 'If we do not fight when Western barbarians invade, we have no choice but to make peace; and to advocate for peace is to sell out the country.' The stele was erected in 1871 following the Sinmi Yangyo. When the Imo Incident (Imo Mutiny) broke out in 1882 and the Daewongun was abducted to the Russian legation, most cheokwabi steles were demolished, leaving only a few scattered examples like this one to convey a fragment of that history. Originally located within Janggi Eupseong fortress, it was moved to the garden of the Janggi-eup township office in 1990. Geunmindang served as the main administrative hall (dongheon) of the Janggi county magistracy, where the county magistrate handled public and private affairs. Having fallen into disrepair, it was relocated from within Janggi Eupseong in 1922 to serve as the Janggi-myeon township office. It was moved again to its current location in 1960, and now functions as an annex of the Janggi-myeon office.