Chuwonjae is the hanging wooden plaque of the namesake ritual house, which was built to enshrine the mortuary tablet of Kim Jasu (1351-1413, pen name Sangchon), a loyal official in the late Goyeo dynasty. This plaque, measuring 92.6cm by 27cm, is donated by Lord Chamui lineage, Kim clan from Kyeongju. The term ‘Chuwon’ means to revere (Chu) the memory of ancestors (Won). It was derived from the passage in “Xue Er” of the Analects of Confucius, in which Philosopher Zeng said, “Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with ceremonies to revere their memory; then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence. [愼終追遠 民德歸厚矣]”
The calligraphy letters are written in the clerical style by Yi Heesu (1836-1909, pen name Sonam). The script employs strong strokes all the way, and yet not without variations in width, shown, for instance, in the thin stroke like a slender twig in the middle of ‘追’. As the forceful brushwork renders some lines drier and some dots lighter, the spatial composition feels less tight. ‘齋’ is notable for its balance between the imposing upper half and the sturdy lower half. The calligraphy bears Yi Heesu’s authentic signature ‘少南’ at the bottom.