Sangju Ojakdang

About this place

Sangju Ojakdang is a house built by Jo Jeong, a righteous-army commander of the Joseon dynasty. It originally had about 40 kan (bays), but was partly demolished in 1781, and today the main quarters (anchae), the men's quarters (sarangchae), and a family shrine (gamyo) built within the house remain. It stands a little to the south of Sangju Yangjindang, backing onto the hill behind and facing Jangcheon Stream and the broad wheat fields around it. Entering the main gate, the spacious sarang courtyard has, centered on a middle gate, the jungmungan-chae and the sarangchae to left and right; it is 7 kan across the front and 2 kan by 2 kan on the sides. Behind the sarangchae is the anchae, 5 kan across the front and 2 kan deep, composed of the kitchen (jeongji), the inner room (anbang), the wooden-floored hall (daecheong), and a room across the way (geonneonbang). At the corner of the wall on the left behind the anchae is the family shrine, and outside the wall opposite is the bulcheonwi shrine of Jo Mok-su. In the anchae each room is arranged front and back, and a storeroom (gobang) for keeping various household goods was placed above the kitchen. The corners of the square pillars were shaved and rounded, and lotus-bud carved members atop the pillar heads support the main beams. It not only preserves well the features of a mid-Joseon dwelling, such as doors and windows made in the old manner, but also shares many architectural characteristics with Yangjindang, giving it high value.