Chunghyeon Museum

When King Injo heard that his elderly chief minister was living in a thatched house with a leaking roof, he had a new one built for him in 1630 and named it Gwangamdang (觀感堂), "the hall for seeing and being moved". The minister was Ori Yi Won-ik, one of the most respected incorruptible officials of the Joseon dynasty. The Chunghyeon Museum in Soha-dong, Gwangmyeong, opens to the public the head-family house and heirlooms that his descendants have looked after for more than 400 years.

The short prime minister

Yi Won-ik (1547–1634) was a fourth-generation descendant of Prince Ingnyeong, a son of King Taejong, and entered government after passing the civil service examination in 1569. During the Japanese invasions of the 1590s he escorted King Seonjo as the court fled north to Uiju, and he went on to serve as chief state councillor under three kings: Seonjo, Gwanghaegun and Injo. He opposed the move to depose Queen Dowager Inmok under Gwanghaegun, and after Injo's coup he talked the new king's supporters out of executing the deposed ruler. He is also remembered for proposing that the Daedong law, a reform that eased the tax burden on farmers, be tried first in Gyeonggi Province.

He lived so frugally that he was officially honoured as a cheongbaengni, an exemplary clean official, and his small stature earned him the nickname "the short prime minister". The story of Gwangamdang sums up his life better than any title.

A museum founded by the family itself

The museum was set up by Dr Yi Seung-gyu, the 13th-generation head of the family, and his wife Ham Geum-ja, and opened in October 2003. It brings together objects the family has kept for generations, and the fact that it is run by the head family itself is what makes it unusual among Korean museums.

What to see

• Exhibition hall (Chunghyeongwan): portraits and calligraphy of Yi Won-ik, his written testament, his collected works, ritual vessels and household items, and family records spanning more than four centuries. One portrait once hung in a shrine that grateful locals built for him in Pyongyang while he was still alive, during his service in Pyeongan Province.
• Gwangamdang: a five-bay house on a high stone terrace, with a wooden central hall flanked by heated rooms. The present building is not the original 17th-century structure, but it is a well-preserved example of a Gyeonggi-region home.
• Head-family house: to the right of Gwangamdang, an L-shaped main wing built in 1917 and a gate wing from 1940 enclose a courtyard to form a square plan.
• Shrine and academy site: a shrine holding Yi Won-ik's portrait, and the site of Chunghyeon Seowon, the Confucian academy to which King Sukjong granted a name plaque in 1676.
• Tangeumam rock and juniper: in the garden of Gwangamdang is the rock where Yi Won-ik is said to have played the geomungo zither, and an oriental arborvitae about 400 years old.

Tripto tips

• Time needed: allow 60–90 minutes for the exhibition hall and the outdoor heritage buildings.
• Guided tours: free Korean-language tours by city culture guides start at 10:30, 13:30 and 15:30 (not on Sundays or Mondays). Groups of ten or more must book with Gwangmyeong City at least a week ahead.
• Hours and tickets: opening hours are 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00), and admission is KRW 10,000 for adults and KRW 5,000 for teenagers and soldiers. Published closing days vary between sources, so call the museum (02-898-0505) before you go.
• Getting there: the address is 5-6 Ori-ro 347beon-gil, Gwangmyeong. It is about 3 km north of Gwangmyeong Station (KTX and Seoul Subway Line 1), around 10 minutes by taxi, and there is free parking.
• Combine with: Gwangmyeong Cave, about 1.5 km away, makes a good pairing for a full day out.