Jo Heon Spirit-path Stele, Okcheon

A spirit-path stele records the lifetime achievements of a king or a senior official and is erected south-east of his tomb. This stele commemorates the life and career of Jo Heon (pen name Jungbong, 1544–1592), a civil official of the mid-Joseon period. Jo Heon entered the National Academy in the twentieth year of King Myeongjong's reign (1565), and two years later, in 1567, passed the civil service examination in the third class. He subsequently held posts including Assistant Section Chief of the Board of Taxation, Registrar of the National Academy, Inspector of the Office of the Inspector-General, and Assistant Magistrate of Jeolla-do. After retiring from office, he withdrew to Bamti in Aneup, Okcheon-gun, and devoted himself to teaching disciples and to scholarship. When the Japanese invasions of Korea broke out in the twenty-fifth year of King Seonjo's reign (1592), he raised a righteous army of some 1,600 men and recovered Cheongju Fortress, but the army was disbanded owing to interference from the Chungcheong-do Inspector. Leading a remaining force of only around 700 men, he marched to Geumsan Mountain, where he fought to the last against the Japanese forces of Kobayakawa, and died in battle together with his seven hundred righteous soldiers. This stele records in detail his life in this way, together with the Battle of Geumsan, the site of his final engagement. It was erected in the twenty-seventh year of King Injo's reign (1649); the text was composed by Left State Councillor Kim Sang-heon, and the calligraphy was written by Minister of Personnel Song Jun-gil.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Okcheon, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산