Stele of Son Si-yang for His Filial Devotion in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju

A jeongnyeobi is a stele erected in the town where a loyal subject, filial son or virtuous woman lived, in order to honour them. This stele records the history of how a jeongmun (commemorative gate) came to be erected in praise of the filial conduct of Son Si-yang, a man of the Goryeo period. After his parents died, Son Si-yang is said to have built a hut beside each of their graves and kept watch there for three years. At the time, Chae Jeong, the Governor of the Eastern Capital, reported his filial conduct in writing to the king, leading to the erection of a commemorative gate in the village. Only the body of the stele survives; it has neither a base stone below nor a capstone above. It was erected in 1182, the twelfth year of King Myeongjong of Goryeo, and the inscription was composed by Chae Jeong. Unlike the typical form of steles erected during the Goryeo period, this jeongnyeobi is shaped like a square pillar, and it is a rare example of a Goryeo-period inscription unrelated to Buddhism. Having originally stood by the roadside, it was fitted with a base and a protective shelter was built in 1977 for its preservation.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물