Okcheon Ijidang

Okcheon Ijidang is a building that Kim Man-gyun established to honor the achievements of Jo Heon (1544–1592), a Neo-Confucian scholar and militia leader of the mid-Joseon period, at the place where Jo Heon enjoyed the arts while befriending the outstanding scenery and taught his disciples. When the Imjin War broke out, Jo Heon raised a militia in Okcheon, recaptured Cheongju, and participated in the Battle of Geumsan, where he lost his life. As both a militia leader and an outstanding scholar, he inherited and developed Yi I's scholarship.
Ijidang was built around 1674 by Kim Man-gyun, about 80 years after Jo Heon's death, and Song Si-yeol named it 'Ijidang' borrowing the phrase from : 'Gosanangji gyeonghaenghaengji (If a mountain is high, one cannot but look up to it; if conduct is bright, one cannot but follow it).' After that, in the 5th year of Gwangmu (1901), the four clans of Okcheon—the Geum, Yi, Jo, and An families—repaired it, bringing it to its present state. The plaque reading 'Ijidang' is known to be in Song Si-yeol's own handwriting. In addition, poetry plaques of Jo Heon and other literati of the late Joseon period remain. Ijidang served as a private academy after Jo Heon's death and played a key role in maintaining the academic lineage of the Giho School.
The building measures 6 bays wide and 1 bay deep. It is a 'ㄷ'-shaped tiled-roof house with a 3-bay wing connected on the left side of the main body and a 2-bay wing on the right, well demonstrating the simple and elegant architectural characteristics of the late Joseon period. In particular, the case of adding two-story pavilions to both wings is a very rare form, making it highly valuable.
Ijidang is situated on a hillside overlooking the Seohwacheon Stream, a tributary of the upper Geumgang River. In front, the gently flowing river unfolds, and behind, it leans against bizarre rocks, allowing one to appreciate the beautiful scenery of all four seasons.

Details

Admission fee

Free