Imgyeongeop Churyeondo Painting

Churyeondo was one of General Im Gyeong-eop's treasured swords, the other being Yongcheongeom; Yongcheongeom was the sword he used personally in battle, but it was lost during the Korean War. Churyeondo, a short sword, is the only surviving relic of the two, and is said to have been used habitually for personal protection in everyday life, although no related written records survive. It is currently displayed at the relics hall of Chungnyeolsa Shrine, and both the blade and scabbard are in good condition. The blade is iron; the hilt and scabbard are wood; and the fittings that secure the wood are of brass and copper. The guard and other fittings are made of thin iron sheet, over which an alloy of tin and lead has been plated. An inscription survives on both sides of the blade. The storage case was made at a later date. The name Churyeondo (秋蓮刀, 'Autumn Lotus Sword') is taken from a verse inscribed on the blade. The autumn lotus - a flower that blooms resolutely when other lotuses do not - is understood to symbolise a man of integrity and unwavering principle. Conservation treatment was carried out from 15 July to 9 September 2005, and the sword, mounted as a long sword, survives in good condition. On both edges of the Churyeondo the following 28-character inscribed verse survives: 'Time, oh time, does not come again; life and death alike lie here. A true man's whole life holds but one wish - to repay his country; for ten years I have sharpened this three-foot autumn lotus blade.' This Churyeondo is a treasured sword said to have been used by General Im Gyeong-eop (1594-1646), and is a relic of great historical and technical value; its condition is good, it retains its original form well, and the inscription on the blade makes it fully deserving of heritage designation. Dimensions: total length 101.4 cm / width 6 cm / blade length 86.7 cm.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Chungju, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산