Chusa Memorial Hall opens July 11th, embodying 'Beopgocshin' spirit

The Chusa Memorial Hall, honoring the esteemed Joseon Dynasty scholar and calligrapher Kim Jeong-hui, is set to officially open its doors on July 11th in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province. The opening coincides with the 240th anniversary of Kim Jeong-hui's birth.

Located near the Chusa family residence, the new memorial hall is a comprehensive cultural complex spanning 2,727 square meters across two floors. It is designed to offer exhibitions, educational programs, and hands-on experiences. The facility has been undergoing trial operations since April 28th.

The first floor houses a permanent exhibition space dedicated to Kim Jeong-hui's life and work, exploring themes such as his hometown, his travels to Qing Dynasty China, his academic pursuits, artistic creations, social interactions, and posthumous tributes. Visitors can also experience media art that reimagines the changing seasons at the Chusa family residence.

“

The Chusa Memorial Hall will be more than just a repository for artifacts; it will become a hub for cultural creation, carrying forward Mr. Chusa's spirit of 'Beopgocshin' (emulating the past to create the new) into contemporary culture.

The second floor is dedicated to interactive experiences, a small lecture hall, and a special exhibition space. The inaugural special exhibition, titled 'Chusa Travels to Liaodong,' will run until September 30th. It will feature approximately 20 artifacts related to Kim Jeong-hui's roughly six-month journey to Beijing in 1809, including the 'Chusa Phil-dam Cheop' (a collection of written dialogues) from the Chusa Museum in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. This unique piece documents exchanges between Kim Jeong-hui and his Qing Dynasty mentors and scholars.

Yesan County anticipates that the memorial hall, along with the Chusa residence, family graves, and Hwaamsa Temple, will boost local cultural tourism by linking these Chusa-related resources. Mayor Choi Jae-gu stated, "The Chusa Memorial Hall will be more than just a repository for artifacts; it will become a hub for cultural creation, carrying forward Mr. Chusa's spirit of 'Beopgocshin' (emulating the past to create the new) into contemporary culture." He added, "We will expand Chusa's spirit and values through various exhibitions, educational, and academic programs, nurturing it as Yesan's representative cultural space."

“

We will expand Chusa's spirit and values through various exhibitions, educational, and academic programs, nurturing it as Yesan's representative cultural space.