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A house befitting its master: Imcheonggak in Andong
Kim Bong-ryeol
The author is an architect and professor emeritus at the Korea National University of Arts.
Seokju Lee Sang-ryong (1858-1932), a first-generation independence activist, went into exile in Manchuria in 1911 at age 53. There he organized independence groups and founded the Shinheung Military Academy, which trained numerous independence fighters. As the eldest descendant of the head family of Imcheonggak in Andong, he lived by the creed that the nation came before clan. He liquidated a vast fortune, including the head family house, to fund the struggle for independence.
Imcheonggak is revered as both a cradle of the independence movement and a rare treasure of traditional Korean architecture. The house sits on a rise above the Nakdong River and takes its name from "facing the clear waters." Built in 1519 by Lee Myeong of the Goseong Yi clan, it is among the oldest surviving hanok (traditional Korean-style house) in Korea and was once the largest, with more than 120 rooms. In 1941, the colonial authorities routed a railway directly in front of the residence and demolished the outer servants' quarters and ancillary buildings, leaving roughly 70 rooms.
Although erected in the early Joseon period, the house preserves features associated with Goryeo-era dwellings. The women's quarters, middle quarters, men's quarters and haengnangchae (servants' quarters situated to the front and rear) are joined under a continuous roof. In plan, the compound is shaped like the Chinese character "用" (yong, "to use"), enclosing five courtyards. One defining trait is the presence of more than 20 formal two-story rooms. The natural change in elevation creates areas where three levels appear to coexist. By contrast, most surviving hanok from late Joseon are single-story complexes, so Imcheonggak's compact multilevel scheme recalls a tradition otherwise lost.
A well once served the courtyard of the sarangchae (quarters reserved for men and guests). Over time, the male heads moved to a detached pavilion called Gunjajeong and yielded the sarangchae to the women of the household. Nine independence patriots were born in the well room, an apt symbol of how the house and owner resembled one another. Imcheonggak kept long traditions while embracing modest innovations, and it is not by chance that a household of orthodox Confucian scholars stood at the forefront of change. True to the meaning of "Gunjajeong" - a place for exemplary conduct - the family answered the call of the times as independence fighters.
Marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation, restoration work, including railway rerouting, is nearing completion, and the Seoul Museum of History is mounting an exhibition titled "State Councilor Lee Sang-ryong and Imcheonggak."
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
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By Newsroom of the Korea JoongAng DailyKim Bong-ryeol
The author is an architect and professor emeritus at the Korea National University of Arts.
Seokju Lee Sang-ryong (1858-1932), a first-generation independence activist, went into exile in Manchuria in 1911 at age 53. There he organized independence groups and founded the Shinheung Military Academy, which trained numerous independence fighters. As the eldest descendant of the head family of Imcheonggak in Andong, he lived by the creed that the nation came before clan. He liquidated a vast fortune, including the head family house, to fund the struggle for independence.
Imcheonggak is revered as both a cradle of the independence movement and a rare treasure of traditional Korean architecture. The house sits on a rise above the Nakdong River and takes its name from "facing the clear waters." Built in 1519 by Lee Myeong of the Goseong Yi clan, it is among the oldest surviving hanok (traditional Korean-style house) in Korea and was once the largest, with more than 120 rooms. In 1941, the colonial authorities routed a railway directly in front of the residence and demolished the outer servants' quarters and ancillary buildings, leaving roughly 70 rooms.
Although erected in the early Joseon period, the house preserves features associated with Goryeo-era dwellings. The women's quarters, middle quarters, men's quarters and haengnangchae (servants' quarters situated to the front and rear) are joined under a continuous roof. In plan, the compound is shaped like the Chinese character "用" (yong, "to use"), enclosing five courtyards. One defining trait is the presence of more than 20 formal two-story rooms. The natural change in elevation creates areas where three levels appear to coexist. By contrast, most surviving hanok from late Joseon are single-story complexes, so Imcheonggak's compact multilevel scheme recalls a tradition otherwise lost.
A well once served the courtyard of the sarangchae (quarters reserved for men and guests). Over time, the male heads moved to a detached pavilion called Gunjajeong and yielded the sarangchae to the women of the household. Nine independence patriots were born in the well room, an apt symbol of how the house and owner resembled one another. Imcheonggak kept long traditions while embracing modest innovations, and it is not by chance that a household of orthodox Confucian scholars stood at the forefront of change. True to the meaning of "Gunjajeong" - a place for exemplary conduct - the family answered the call of the times as independence fighters.
Marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation, restoration work, including railway rerouting, is nearing completion, and the Seoul Museum of History is mounting an exhibition titled "State Councilor Lee Sang-ryong and Imcheonggak."
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.