While living in Andong in northeastern Korea, I enjoyed the profound riches of the so-called capital of spiritual (moral) culture. Every track I have walked is filled with the traces of various histories. I really appreciate the faithful and constant preservation of inveterate history of Andong since the prehistoric era around 40,000 years B.C.
As I leave Andong due to recent personnel changes, I have a gracious memory of atmospheric and picturesque mountain paths. Among them, I remember the tracks from Dosan Seowon (Confucian Academy) to the Korea Seonbi Culture Training Center.
“Seonbi” in Korean means moral and spiritual scholar. Seonbi Culture Training Center is dedicated to teaching Confucian values, history and the scholarly mindset (the spirit of Seonbi) of the Joseon Dynasty.
Located near the Seonbi Culture Training Center is the Toegye Ancestral House, where the descendants of Toegye take turns maintaining the house. Among the descendants, the 16th is Lee Geun-pil, who founded the training center on the hopes it might inspire as many people as possible to realize moral restoration.
Emphasizing the importance of creating blessings rather than trying to receive them, he wrote the message, “Let’s create blessings!” on a piece paper and distributed it to those visiting the center and the ancestral house. Even now, an envelope with printed paper is given for free.
