Boinjae is the hanging wooden plaque of an annexe to Gokcheon Seosil, a study hall founded by Yi Jonghyu (1761-1832, pen name Ha-am) and his brother Yi Jong-yu (1749-1811, pen name Jeam) in Dongbu-dong, Andong. These two scholars spent their later years pursuing philosophical studies in Gokcheon Seosil Study Hall, whose name refers to clear spring water under the mountain. It was their great-grandson Yi Jeon (1832-1886, pen name Pyeongdam) that built a separate building next to the study hall in 1885 (22nd year of King Gojong). The term ‘Boin’ was taken from a passage in “Yan Yuan” of the Analects of Confucius, in which the philosopher Zeng said, “The superior man on grounds of culture meets with his friends, and by friendship help (Bo) his virtue (In). [君子 以文會友 以友輔仁]”
The calligraphy of this plaque is assumed to be Choi Jong-eung’s (1873-1943, pen name Geumjeon) handwriting in the square script. The rhythmic movement of long brush bristles brings a refined finish to thick strokes in ‘報’. Meanwhile, the brushwork delivers a sharp contrast between thin, light strokes and thick, heavy strokes in ‘仁’, whose effect is not so much to divide as to harmonize just like what friendship does when sharing each other’s learning.