‘Baekseunggak’ is the hanging wooden plaque of the library of Gosan Seowon (Gosan Confucian Academy), which was built to commemorate the virtue and learning of Yi Sangjeong (1711-1781, pen name Daesan) in Gwangeum-ri, Namhu-myeon, Andong. The term ‘Baekseung’ means ‘succeeding for 100 years,’ taken from a passage in Zhu Xi’s writing regarding an archive’s name, which runs, “Holy saints succeeded to the Heaven’s will and understood the spirituality. By determining the reason of laws, they led us to enlightenment. Prized as it be forever, but not like pure gold in the treasure chest. We will learn and succeed (Seung) to its essentials for 100 years (Baek) to come. [於穆元聖, 繼天測靈. 出此謨訓, 惠我光明. 永言寶之, 匪金厥籯. 含英咀實, 百世其承]” The name reveals the wish for old books and records to be inherited for a long time. Gosan Seowon was built at the old site of Gosan Jeongsa (Gosan Study Hall) in 1789 (13th year of King Jeongjo) upon Confucian scholars’ suggestion. And yet, it was destroyed by the decree of Heungseon Daewongun ordering the demotion of Seowons in 1896 (5th year of King Gojong). Since then only simple memorial services were being held until the study hall and the pavilion were repaired in 1977, and the lecture hall and shrines were reconstructed from 1984 to 1985.
The calligraphy letters were written by an unknown hand in the square style. The brushwork puts its full pressure on the first stroke of ‘百’ and proceeds without hesitation to keep the stroke thick and heavy. At the end of the horizontal line, comes a momentary pause, which in turn motivates the strong stroke falling leftwards. The confident flow continues in the heavy vertical stroke on the right side. Wielding a brush with such great force involves increasingly heightened emotions, which are cleverly controlled by the next character ‘承.’