Song Sang-hyeon Grave and Spirit-path Stele, Cheongju

This is the grave and spirit-path stele (sindobi, a memorial stele set up along the approach to a tomb) of Song Sang-hyeon, pen name Cheongok (1551–1592), who died for his country during the Japanese invasions of Korea. Originally located in Dongnae, Busan, the grave was moved in 1610, the second year of King Gwanghaegun, to its present site on the hill behind Chungnyeolsa Shrine in Suui-dong, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. Song Sang-hyeon's clan seat was Yeosan; his pen name was Cheongok and his posthumous title Chungnyeol. He placed first in the seungbosi examination at fifteen and became a jinsa, a holder of the lower literary licentiate degree, at twenty. After passing the special state examination (byeolsi mungwa) in 1576, the ninth year of King Seonjo, he held a succession of offices, serving as Jipyeong of the Office of the Inspector-General in 1583 and then as senior section chief (jeongnang) in the Ministries of Rites, Taxation and Works. From the following year he twice travelled to Ming China as an envoy. In 1591 he was raised to the rank of Tongjeong Daebu and appointed Magistrate of Dongnae, and on hearing rumours of an impending Japanese invasion he strengthened the city's defences and governed well. When the Japanese invasions broke out on 13 April 1592, the twenty-fifth year of King Seonjo, and Japanese forces that had taken Busanjin Fortress pressed on to Dongnae Fortress on the 14th, the enemy called out from outside the south gate, "If you wish to fight, fight; if not, lend us the road." Song Sang-hyeon, as Magistrate of Dongnae, replied, "It is easy to fight to the death, but hard to lend the road," making clear his resolve to resist. The enemy then surrounded Dongnae Fortress and battle began. He led his troops in resistance, but when the fortress fell before overwhelming numbers, he put on his court robes, sat upright, and died for his country. It is said that the Japanese general So Yoshitoshi, moved by his loyalty, had him buried outside the east gate. Song Sang-hyeon was posthumously granted the offices of Minister of Personnel and Deputy Prime Minister, and was enshrined at Chungnyeolsa Shrine in Busan, Sungjeolsa Shrine in Gaeseong, Sinhang Seowon and Chungnyeolmyo Shrine in Cheongju, and Jeongchungsa Shrine in Gobu. The burial ground is furnished with an altar table, stone statues of civil officials, ornamental stone pillars, a stone lantern and a gravestone. The spirit-path stele stands beside the approach road about 250 m below the grave and was erected in 1659, the tenth year of King Hyojong. It takes the form of a stele body set on a square pedestal and capped with a roof stone; the stele body measures 90 x 280 x 26 cm, and a protective shelter was built over it in 1980. The inscription on the stele was composed by Song Si-yeol (pen name Uam) and written out by Song Jun-gil (pen name Dongchun), while the title in seal script (dujeon) was written by Yi Jeong-yeong (pen name Seogok).

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Cheongju, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물