Hakbong Spirit-path Stele and Myobangseok

A spirit-path stele (sindobi) is a monument recording the lifetime achievements of a king or high official, erected to the south-east of his tomb; a myobangseok is set directly beside a tomb to identify its occupant. This stele stands about 50 metres below the tomb of Hakbong Kim Seong-il, who, together with Yu Seong-ryong, represented the Toegye school in the mid-Joseon period. Kim Seong-il studied under Yi Hwang and, after passing the jeunggwang literary examination in the byeonggwa grade in 1568 (the first year of King Seonjo), held a series of official posts. During the Japanese invasions, he was appointed Choyusa (a special royal envoy for rallying civilian resistance) of Right Gyeongsang Province and rendered great service in supporting righteous-army activity, working in particular to unite government troops and righteous armies to strengthen their combined fighting power. In 1593 (the twenty-sixth year of King Seonjo), while concurrently serving as Inspector-General of Right Gyeongsang Province and touring the counties of the province to encourage the people, he fell ill and died. The stele is carved from a single stone combining body and capstone, set on a tortoise-shaped base; the capstone is carved with two dragons amid clouds. It was erected in 1634 (the twelfth year of King Injo); the inscription was composed by Jeong Gyeong-se and written by Yi San-roe, while the title carved on the front is in the calligraphy of Kim Sang-yong. The myobangseok was erected in 1619 (the eleventh year of King Gwanghaegun), and had already stood guarding the tomb before the stele itself was built. The stele is older than other such steles in the province and is of great size, and the myobangseok is a rare and distinctive example. Since both the subject of the stele and those associated with its inscription all belong to the Yeongnam school, which carried on the legacy of the Toegye school, their significance is all the greater.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Andong, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산