Head House of the Wonju Byeon Clan (Ganjae) and Ganjaejeong

About this place

This is the head house and pavilion of Byeon Jung-il (邊中一, 1575-1660), styled Ganjae (簡齋), a scholar of the mid-Joseon period. The date of the head house's construction is unknown, but given that the brothers Byeon Hui-ye (邊希乂) and Byeon Hui-ri (邊希李) settled in Geumgye shortly after the Muo Literati Purge (戊午士禍, 1498), it is presumed to date from thereafter. This head house and pavilion are dominated by the architectural style of the period around the 19th century, and are well equipped with the dignity and scale of a head family. In particular, it is a rare example of a scholar-official family's spatial domain, in that, within a mountain valley, the main quarters, the detached hall (byeoldang), the shrine, and the pavilion are each situated in places suited to their functions while conforming to the natural terrain from top to bottom. Byeon Jung-il was outstanding in filial devotion from childhood, and during the Japanese Invasion of 1592 he devoted himself to overcoming the national crisis, serving under the command of Gwak Jae-u. For this, in 1686 (12th year of King Sukjong), the state specially bestowed the Jeongchunghyogak (旌忠孝閣, a memorial gate for loyalty and filial piety). For a single person to receive a commemorative gate for combining both loyalty and filial piety is a very special case. (Source: Korea Heritage Service)