Historic Site of Scholar Seong Sam-mun

About this place

This was the site of the ancestral home of Seong Sam-mun's maternal grandfather Pak Dam, and is known as the birthplace of Seong Sam-mun (成三問). In 1676 (the 2nd year of King Sukjong), the scholars Yi Ryang and local students founded a shrine here in honor of the loyalty and virtue of Seong Sam-mun and the other Sayuksin (Six Martyr Officials). In 1685 (the 11th year of Sukjong), Pak Paeng-nyeon, Yi Gae, Ryu Seong-won, Ha Wi-ji, and Yu Eung-bu were additionally enshrined. In 1692 (the 18th year of Sukjong), the court named it Nounseowon (Green Cloud Academy), and in 1712 (the 38th year of Sukjong) it was renamed Noeunseowon (Noeun Academy). In 1864 (the 1st year of King Gojong), the Daewongun's order to close private academies saw the shrine demolished. The scholars then sealed the spirit tablets and erected an altar above them, calling it the 'Noeundan', where they held memorial rites every year on the 15th day of the tenth lunar month. After Korea's liberation in 1945, the Hongseong Historical Preservation Society rebuilt the three-gate shrine and cleared the site. The memorial stele is located 30 m south of the Noeundan, with the stele text composed by Song Si-yeol, the calligraphy by Kim Jin-sang, and the frontal inscription by Yu Cheo-ki.