Ha Jeong Yu Gwan, a famous scholar of the Joseon Dynasty, practiced a simple life and devoted himself to his neighbors and relatives. His only property was a two-room thatched house, and he had nothing in his hands other than the salary he received from the government. However, his philosophy and life left a deep resonance in later generations.
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[ Korean Today ] ‘ Umbrella Corner ‘ and Ha Jeong-yu’s related images ( Image provided by : Dongdaemun-gu Office ) ⓒ Reporter Park Chan -du |
Ha Jeong-yu Gwan-gong was of such a pure and upright character that he was far from corruption. He also did not covet wealth , so the only property he had was a two- room thatched house , and the only money he had was the salary he received from the government .
However, as he took care of his poor neighbors and relatives, he became frugal , and even those who came to him frequently to ask for help could not be treated kindly, so he gave them little by little , and so he could not avoid poverty .
If someone from another clan comes to us to build a shrine, we will help them, and if they ask for help to build a bridge or a school in the village ,
“ Education is a hundred-year plan. It is about nurturing talents who will become the pillars and cornerstone of the country. How can I, who call myself an educator, be stingy ?”
As we kept giving out money, our finances were always tight .
However, the teacher’s wife, who was known to be a kind person, also did not show it at all while living a frugal life .
It was a summer day when torrential rain kept pouring down . The roof of the old thatched house began to leak because of the torrential rain that poured down like poles .
Every year in the fall after the harvest, a new thatched roof was built by thatching with new straw , but that meant buying straw and paying wages to the workers who would work on the roof . As a frugal teacher, he thought that was a waste, and that was why he did not build a new roof the previous fall .
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[ Korean Today ] Mr. Yoo Gwan is seen talking to his wife while holding an umbrella and getting rained on ( Photo provided by : Gurumi ) ⓒ Reporter Park Chan-doo |
Rainwater fell from the ceilings of various rooms . At first, I placed washbasins in the places where the rainwater was falling and caught it , but as the monsoon rain continued for several days, rainwater fell from the ceilings here and there, so I was helpless .
“ Madam , go and get an umbrella . Let’s both use it to avoid the rain .”
As a wife, it was extremely upsetting, but there was nothing she could do . She did as the lord instructed and brought an umbrella, and the couple took shelter in the room to avoid the rain .
“ Madam , aren’t we lucky ? We have an umbrella to protect us from the rain .”
It was a bit awkward for her to hear those words , but she was the type of person who didn’t bother to respond .
“ But fortunately, we have umbrellas , but I’m worried about what will happen to people who don’t even have umbrellas in this monsoon rain and have their houses leaking .”
When the Duke said that, the wife also started complaining .
“ How can you say that it is fortunate to catch the rainwater with an umbrella in a leaky room ? Those who do not have umbrellas will have figured out other ways in advance, so Your Majesty, please rest assured .”
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[ Korean Today ] The signboard of Umbrella Pavilion ( Photo provided by : Gurumi ) ⓒ Reporter Park Chan-doo |
Jibong (芝峰) Lee Su-gwang (李睡光) , the grandson (6th generation descendant ) of Ha Jeong Yu-gwan and a pioneer of the Silhak school in the Joseon Dynasty, built a pavilion in his honor on the site of his old home and hung a signboard that read “ Biudang (庇雨堂)” to pass down Ha Jeong’s virtues and character to future generations . The area of Sinseoldong on the outskirts of Naksan was called “ Usan-gak Valley . “
The life of Ha Jeong-yu Gwan shows how the philosophy of integrity and sharing can influence not only the individual’s life but also future generations. His life, which prioritized the welfare of his neighbors and the community over his own comfort, resonates deeply with us living in the present day. ‘Biwoo-dang’ and ‘Usan-gak-gol’ are not only symbols that honor the spirit of the teacher, but also tell us that these are values that should be passed on to the present day.
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