Sacheoseokgyo Bridge Stele

The magistrate of Dongnae, Yi Munwon, donated funds, and together with contributions raised among the notables of Dongnae, the four wooden bridges outside the south gate of Dongnae were rebuilt as stone bridges; this stele was erected to commemorate that work. It originally stood by the roadside in front of Dongnae High School, but was moved, due to road-widening works, to the entrance of Imjindongnae Uichong (the tomb of the martyrs of Dongnae) inside Geumgang Park, and later moved again to its present location. The wooden bridges had to be rebuilt every one or two years, and each time the cost was collected from the people, causing them great hardship. Gang Wiseong therefore proposed building stone bridges instead, to ease the burden on local residents, and four or five people, including Bak Doyu and Bak Sain, travelled the area raising funds; even the magistrate of Dongnae at the time donated his own salary to help, and so the stone bridges were completed. This was a practical achievement brought about by the unity of the local people. Carved from granite, this stele was erected in the fifth year of King Jeongjo of Joseon (1781). The name of the stele, 'Sacheoseokgyo-bi' (Stele of the Four Stone Bridges), is carved at the top of the front face, with the account of the building of the stone bridges recorded below it. The inscription was written by Byeon Bak, a leading painter of the late Joseon period who also painted the Busanjin Sunjeoldo and the Dongnaebu Sunjeoldo (both treasures), paintings depicting the fall of Busanjin and Dongnae-bu. The stele has value as a historical record attesting to the roads and bridges of the time, and, since both the date of its erection and the date of the stone bridges' construction are clearly known, it is also of high value for local history.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Nam-gu, Busan

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물