Jo Heon Grave, Okcheon

This is the grave of Jo Heon (pen name Jungbong, 1544–1592), a civil official, great scholar and righteous army commander of the mid-Joseon period. He passed the state civil service examination in the 22nd year of King Myeongjong (1567) and subsequently held a number of official posts. While in office he never hesitated to speak plainly on matters of state policy, and staked his life in particular on opposing a policy of friendly relations with Japan. A scholar of deep learning, after retiring from office he built Huyuljeongsa in Okcheon, where he devoted himself to training disciples and pursuing scholarship. When the Japanese invasions of Korea broke out in 1592, he raised a righteous army in Okcheon and took the lead in attacking Japanese forces; joining with the monk-soldiers led by the monk Yeonggyu, he recaptured Cheongju fortress. He then fought at Geumsan with 700 men against tens of thousands of Japanese troops, and all of them died in the battle. His disciples afterwards gathered the remains of the 700 righteous soldiers, buried them together in a single mound, and named it Chilbaeuichong, the Mound of the Seven Hundred Martyrs. Jo Heon's own remains were buried separately in Dori-dong, Okcheon-gun, but were moved to their present location in the 14th year of King Injo (1636). The grave site today holds two memorial steles, one of which records his achievements and was inscribed when his remains were moved here, by Song Si-yeol (pen name Uam). A pair each of munin-seok (stone statues of civil officials) and mangju-seok (ornamental stone pillars) stand to the left and right.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Okcheon, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물