Yeongmojeon

Yeongmojeon houses the portrait of King Danjong (reigned 1452–1455) and stands on a southern hill at the foot of Maebongsan Mountain, Yeongwol’s principal mountain. After Danjong, who had been exiled here, was killed, the local residents collected donations to commemorate him. In 1517 (the 12th year of King Jungjong’s reign), Yeongwol Magistrate Yi Yong-ha (李龍夏) built a shrine on the site of an existing village shrine to enshrine Danjong’s portrait and spirit tablet. Yi Yong-ha’s descendant, Yi Gye-jin, renovated the shrine and hung a plaque bearing the name “Yeongmojeon.” The portrait depicts Chui Ik-han (秋益漢) presenting wild grapes to Danjong, who is riding a white horse. Yeongmojeon measures three bays across the front and two bays along the sides, and is a building with a hipped-and-gabled roof, whose side profile resembles the Chinese character 八. A room for the portrait is located at the rear of the central bay on the front side; walls were installed along both sides and the rear, while paper doors were fitted across the front to make the interior bright. Wooden floors were laid in the remaining areas. All three bays at the front are open without doors, while lattice windows made by fitting wooden strips into the walls were installed on the rear and sides. Chui Ik-han was on his way to Yeongwol to present mountain grapes to Danjong when, upon reaching Yeonha-ri, he encountered Danjong dressed in a royal dragon robe and an ikseon crown, riding a white horse eastward. Chui Ik-han hurriedly bowed and knelt on the ground, asking, “Your Majesty, where are you going?” Danjong replied, “I am on my way to Taebaeksan Mountain. Take those to my residence,” and then suddenly disappeared. Thinking this strange, Chui Ik-han hurried to Danjong’s residence, only to find that Danjong had already passed away. Chui Ik-han believed that the person he had just met must have been Danjong’s spirit and is said to have taken his own life, following after him. Thus, there is a legend that he became a mountain spirit of Taebaeksan Mountain together with Danjong. This legend developed into a form of faith venerating Danjong, and in addition to Yeongmojeon, Danjong’s spirit tablet or portrait is also enshrined at Nokjeon Seonghwangdang, Jeongseongak, and Chilseonggak Pavilion at Bodeoksa Temple. Ever since, the local residents have continued to honor Danjong as if he were still alive, holding memorial rites every year during the Danjong Cultural Festival and on the 24th day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar, the day of Danjong’s death.