The Old House of Ildu in Hamyang is the birthplace of Jeong Yeo-chang (1450-1504, pen-name: Ildu), a great Neo-Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty. It is situated at the center of Gaepyeong Village, where many members of the Hadong Jeong clan and the Pungcheon Roh clan settled, in Jigok-myeon, Hamyang. The house is considered an invaluable historic material for studies on the architectural style of the 17th to 18th centuries and the history of the Joseon Dynasty.
The house covers a total area of 9,917m2 and consists of the haengrangchae (servants’ quarters), sarangchae (a detached building used as a reception room for male guests), jungmunganchae (middle gate building), anchae (the inner house), araechae (outhouse near the gate), gobang (storeroom), shrine, gotganchae (warehouse), and a tall gate. Upon entering the house, visitors will notice an earthen wall that divides the sarangchae, which is built on a high foundation, from the other spaces so as to prevent visitors from looking inside the women’s spaces and shrine. The house’s most distinguished feature is the sarangchae, whose role and size were expanded, unlike other hanok houses at that time. The sarangchae was built in a “ㄱ”-shaped layout and is connected to the “ㅡ”-shaped jungmunganchae. Notably, the sarangchae’s numaru (attic, upper floor) is a well-designed library that attests to the scholarly spirit of Jeong. After entering via the Ilgagmun Gate (front gate with two posts and a roof), a middle gate comes into view. After passing this gate, there is the “ㅁ”-shaped anchae, or women’s quarters, with a courtyard. Then, after passing a room of the anchae, there is the gotganchae flanked by the shrine and the an-sarangchae.
Currently, the house provides a variety of accommodation including four rooms in the haengnangchae, two rooms in the an-sarangchae, and three rooms in the sarangchae. The latter two are equipped with outside toilets. In particular, the sarangchae, as the core space of the house, offers an open view of Seokgasan Mountain from the numaru (upper floor) of the Takcheongjae Building. Although the house is designed and decorated with antique household objects, furniture and interior items, the toilets and bathrooms are modernized for guests’ convenience.
As the Old House of Ildu has been designated as National Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 186, it is maintained by the local administrative office. However, Jeong Ui-gyun, an 18th-generation descendant of Jeong Yeo-chang, lives in a house in the orchard opposite the Old House of Ildu, and comes and goes constantly. Although cooking is not possible at the house, Jeong allows guests to have a garden party or cook in his large garden next to the detached building.
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