Dasan Chodang (Jeong Yak-yong Historic Site), Gangjin

On the slopes of Mandeoksan in Gangjin, Dasan Chodang is where the late-Joseon scholar Jeong Yak-yong (1762–1836), known as Dasan, spent more than ten years of his exile writing works such as Mongmin simseo and Gyeongse yupyo. A forest path laced with tree roots leads up to a small hall, a pond and a rock inscription, and a pavilion looking out over Gangjin Bay rounds off a short but rewarding walk.

History: practical learning born in exile

A favourite of King Jeongjo, Jeong Yak-yong lost his protector when the king died in 1800, and in 1801 he was caught up in the Sinyu Persecution and exiled to Gangjin in Jeolla Province. He first lodged at a tavern in town, where the landlady took him in when everyone else shunned him; he named his room Saui-jae. After several moves, with help from his mother's family, the Haenam Yun clan, he settled from 1808 in this thatched house on Mandeoksan. Here he taught his disciples and produced a vast body of writing including Mongmin simseo, Gyeongse yupyo and Heumheum sinseo, turning eighteen years of exile into the period in which he brought the Silhak school of practical learning to maturity. The original house collapsed and the present building was erected in 1958; the site was designated a Historic Site in 1963.

What to see

• Dasan Chodang: a small, plain south-facing building with a signboard reading 'Dasan Chodang'. As the name chodang (grass hall) suggests, it was originally thatched.
• Dongam and Seoam: the east hall, where Jeong lived and wrote, and the west hall, where his students stayed and studied.
• Around the hall: the two characters Jeongseok said to have been carved by Jeong himself on the rock behind the hall, the flat dajo stone on which he brewed tea, the Yakcheon spring, and the Yeonji Seokgasan pond with its little stone island.
• Cheonilgak: a pavilion on the knoll beside the hall, built in 1975 on the spot where Jeong is said to have gazed over Gangjin Bay, missing his elder brother Jeong Yak-jeon, who was exiled to Heuksando.

Good to know

• A mountain path behind the hall leads over to the old temple of Baengnyeonsa. Jeong is said to have befriended the monks there and taken an interest in Buddhism.
• Jeong is also remembered for devising lifting machines such as the geojunggi crane used to build Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon.
• On the way up, exposed tree roots form natural steps, a reminder of how old the forest is.

Nearby

• Dasan Museum: about 650 m below the hall. Seeing Jeong's life and writings there first makes the visit to the hall far more vivid.
• Baengnyeonsa: an old temple about 800 m away by mountain path, an easy walk over the ridge.
• Saui-jae: Jeong's first lodging in Gangjin town, easy to add on a visit to the town centre.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: 09:00–18:00, open every day, free admission.
• Getting there: the address is 68-35 Dasanchodang-gil, Doam-myeon, Gangjin-gun. From the car park you climb on foot along dirt paths and stone steps.
• Footwear: the roots and rocks are slippery after rain, so wear trainers.
• Guided tours: groups of 10 or more can book a Korean-language guide at least 10 days ahead (061-430-3349).
• Time needed: allow 1 hour for the hall and Cheonilgak, or 2 to 3 hours if you walk over to Baengnyeonsa and back.