President Park Geun-hye visits the Sosu Seowon Confucian academy on Oct. 19 and learns more about the historic site from a local tour guide.
“Many people don’t know about our beautiful heritage sites. We really should spread the word,” said President Park Geun-hye during her visit to the Sosu Seowon (소수 서원) Confucian academy in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.
President Park visited the historic site on Oct. 19, accompanied by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Yoonsun, Governor Kim Kwan-yong of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, a local tour guide and international students from Germany and China.
The group toured the Sosu Seowon and the nearby Seonbichon (선비촌), where they visited the Head House (종택) of the Indong Jang clan (인동 장씨).
During the tour, the president said, “The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is currently developing 10 travel itineraries that showcase the unique characteristics of each region. The Sosu Seowon is one of the destinations. It offers a glimpse into the life of a Confucian scholar, or a seonbi, and I’m here today to kick start the seonbi travel itinerary.”
President Park Geun-hye listens in on a seonbi character development class at the Ganghakdang (강학당, 講學堂), one of the Sosu Seowon’s lecture halls where Joseon’s finest students took classes.
The president, sitting on the ledge of the main room at the Indong Jang clan’s Head House, talked about the book “A Different Republic of Korea – About Which Only Koreans are Ignorant” (한국인만 모르는 다른 대한민국) written by Emanuel Pastreich. “The book asks that readers explore the history of the seonbi to gain a new perspective on Korea. It’s important that we make people aware of our scholarly roots, and to think about how we can apply the seonbi mentality to our modern-day life,” she said to her travel companions.
The president’s wish to promote unique travel itineraries in each region is part of the bigger plan for the government’s “K-tour Best 10” project. The program will select the top 10 tourist sites in various provinces and, by doing so, hopes to invigorate regional tourism and to improve the quality of the travel experience.
President Park Geun-hye looks around the main buildings of the Sosu Seowon on Oct. 19.
The K-tour Best 10 includes one itinerary that highlights the history of the seonbi scholars, which the president explored during her trip to Yeongju. There are also routes that focus on ancient Baekje or on the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
The president described the program as one that would bring together history, the heritage sites themselves and the history of provincial tourist spots, giving tourists a fuller travel experience. The guidelines provided by the program would also make it easier for tourists to navigate the region’s accommodations, eateries, and entertainment and transportation options.
The Sosu Seowon, which falls under the K-tour Best 10’s “Seonbi Culture” category, is a Confucian academy that was named by Joseon’s 13th monarch, King Myeongjong (1534-1567), in 1550. With the name meaning “reawakening scholarship,” it became the first school to receive a signboard from a ruling monarch. The academy, located on the grand slopes of Sobaeksan Mountain, produced a number of revered scholars during Joseon times. Nowadays, the academy is a great place for families to visit, as the heritage site offers a chance to retrace the steps of many of the nation’s Confucian scholars.
By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae
hlee10@korea.kr
President Park Geun-hye visits the Sosu Seowon on Oct. 19, accompanied by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Yoonsun, Governor Kim Kwan-yong of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, a local tour guide and international students from Germany and China.
President Park Geun-hye looks at the numerous wooden buildings that make up the Sosu Seowon academy on Oct. 19.
President Park Geun-hye and her companions stand on the Jukgyegyo Bridge (죽계교) and admire the scenery at the Seonbichon on Oct. 19.
