A Research on the history of Baek-suk-jeong(白石亭) in Baek-suk-dongcheon(白石洞天)

Abstract

This article studies on the history of the bower of Baeksukjeong(白石亭) in Baeksukdongcheon(白石洞天) which is located in the northern valley of mountain Baekak(白岳), the east side of Tangchoondae(蕩春臺) near the mountain of Bookhansan(北漢山). The history of the bower of Baeksukjeong(白石亭) has been not known recently and the only ruins of the bower remains. The area of Tangchoondae(蕩春臺), the northern area of the North Gate(Changiumoon彰義門) of capital city had not been open to common people except royal retainer and ministers until 18th century in Jo-sun(朝鮮) dynasty when the mountain fortress wall of Bookhansansung(北漢山城) was built by King Sook-jong(肅宗). Since the structure of the mountain fortress wall - middle castle - city castle was constructed, this area became the place for excursion and association of literary group and noblemen. In 18th century, some literary group retired from political affairs and left out of practical politics, as group of Mam-in(南人), So-ron(少論), Sil-hak(實學), school of Gang-wha(江華學派) and literary men from middle class(委巷文人), enjoyed an outcoming to this area and get together to compose poems and some writings in Tangchoondae(蕩春臺), Samgye(三溪), Bookhansanseong(北漢山城) and temples in Bookhansan(北漢山). Among them, Heo-pill(許?) built some small cottage called by bower of Baeksukjeong(白石亭) or Ganjeongryo(看鼎寮) in Baeksukdongcheon(白石洞天) valley to live a lonely life of composing poems and drawings. There was a big rock in the opposite hill to the site of bower Baeksukjeong(白石亭), on which the letter ‘月巖(Wal-am)’ was carved very distinctly. Gang-sae-dong(姜世東) had his a small thatched cottage near this rock. Heo-pill(許?) and his friends, Kang se-whang(姜世晃), Yi Yong-Hue(李用休) and Yim Hee-seong(任希聖) were scholars of Ma-min(南人) or so-book(小北) group who left out of practical politics to enjoy lonely life and made some excursion in this area. But the bower of Baeksukjeong(白石亭) was collapsed and later history of the site was not well known. The famous scholar in 18-19th century, Kim Jeong-hee(金正喜) whose father was known that he had some villa in the site of Baeksukjeong(白石亭). Tangchoondae(蕩春臺), Bookhansan(北漢山) and Saegumjeong(洗劍亭) was famous for excursion site of contemporary men of power influence but Baeksukdongcheon(白石洞天) valley near those places was not well known because of the geographical condition and was just a place for specific group of retired literary men in 18th century.