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Myung-ok Jeon, the grandfather of the author Jong-sil Jeon. I had 4 boys and 2 girls, but because of the loss of 3 boys and 1 daughter, I raised my grandson very much. Provided by the shareholders’ correspondent for Jeon Jong-sil

The family of General Jeon Jeon-sak, a medical officer during the Imjin War
Martial arts training with Admiral Yi Sun-sin of the same age
Waejeok was killed by bullets and built’Chunghyosa Temple’ to honor

Myung-ok Jeon (1879~1963), who raised a family by making and selling agricultural equipment, and my grandfather, was the 12th generation of the Joseon Dynasty General Eomo (1545~98). Born in Usan-ri, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, Jeon Jeon-sak was assigned to Mu-gwa and became a member of the training center’s irregular construction factory. When Admiral Yi Sun-shin married the daughter of Bang-jin, a well-known Boseong-gun leader, and learned martial arts from a craftsman, he was of the same age, so he became a friend. When the Imjin War broke out in 1592, he created a medical army to defeat the Japanese enemy, and was killed by the deadly bombs of the Japanese enemy in the battle of the Jukjeon field in Deungryang-myeon during Jeong Yu-jae-ran. Later, it was assumed to be General Eomo in the court. In order to support his father’s noble maintenance, Jeon Hong-rye, a training center judge, the firstborn son, moved the tomb to Yeongdeung-ri, Beolgyo-eup, Boseong-gun. The descendants have built Chunghyosa (忠孝祠) on the spot and have lived from generation to generation with mortuary tablets.

12 generation grandfather’Myeongokgong’ farm equipment production
The first grandson beyond the sixtieth birthday after losing 3 boys and 1 daughter out of 4 boys and 2 girls
‘Wolcheon Gongdeok’ with a bridge in a creek that can’t be crossed when it rains

Chunghyosa Temple in Yeongdeung-ri, Beolgyo-eup, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do. It is the shrine of General Jeon Jeon-sak, the ancestor of the writer, Imjin War. Provided by Chun Jong-sil’s shareholders’ correspondent

In the 1880s, it was a time of self-sufficiency. Farm equipment was purchased and used by a person with woodworking skills. Grandpa made and sold farm equipment. He mainly made plows, harrows, punggak, duju, clogs, and generals, and also built a house of his own. Thanks to him, even if he was not a big rich man, his life was not poor. When I was young, when other children wore black rubber shoes, they wore sneakers. It is ineffective to realize that such a strong life is due to my grandfather. The farmland in front of our village was originally sea, but the seawall was blocked and cultivated into rice fields. There is a stream that runs from the mountain here, and students can only go to school after crossing this stream. There were no bridges, so when it rained a lot, young students couldn’t cross. The grandfather, who took this regret, cut down a tree on the Soyuji mountain and made a bridge by hand. He gave the Wolcheon Gongdeok (越川功德) in Buddhism. So, the name of this bridge was called’Myeongwolgyo’ by putting the grandfather’s name in it. This bridge became a playground for naughty naughty locals. Grandpa had 4 boys and 2 girls. In those days alone, medical skills were insufficient, so before the sixtieth birthday, the three boys and one daughter had to suffer from the pain of passing the world first. Probably not in the longevity family. A male grandson was born in a family with precious hands, so it wasn’t a good idea to add to it. The grandson, born in 1942, was me. Therefore, I grew up with cuteness in the arms of my grandparents rather than my parents. They were the two who covered their seats to bury a dust. When I was 9 years old, I got typhoid. Aside from my parents, my grandfather and grandmother seemed like the sky was falling. I learned later, but in the midst of the Korean War, because it was a rural area, there was no means of transportation. How hard would your old grandfather have been? After three months of treatment, when he seemed to be energized, he said, “I saved our grandson,” and shouted so loudly that the sky collapsed. But, after lying down for three months at that time, I couldn’t even get up alone. So, I started walking by holding a string again. Grandfather continued to make medicines in pills for his gradually recovering grandson. I didn’t want to eat it, so I secretly put it in my pocket and went outside to give it to the local children. Knowing this, the grandfather was angry and scolded with the eyes he saw for the first time. When I think about it now, I was too immature. Still, I haven’t been hit by a whistle. Now, the words,’Abundance of shameful love’, a child’s father’s army’, and “Trees want to be quiet, but the wind does not stop, their children want to keep them, but the parents don’t wait.” Life seems to be living in regret after realizing the love received in this way.

A photo commemorating the sixtieth birthday of my father, Jeon Gil-soo (middle of the front row) in 1991. The photo of the red oval is the author, the eldest of 4 boys and 2 girls. Provided by Chun Jong-sil’s shareholders’ correspondent

Fortunately, his father (Jeon Gil-soo), the youngest son of his grandfather, lived a long time and met his sixtieth birthday. In 1991, the whole family gathered to celebrate the sixtieth birthday. Since I had 4 boys and 2 girls, I now have more grandchildren. They all have their own jobs and live a life that is not bad. Looking back, I didn’t know what it meant because it was a child, but my grandfather memorized and recited a very long sentence every morning. I think it was probably the content of wishing for the well-being of the family. Although it is small, I think that I have not received the grace that gave me merit now, so I count on my grandfather’s heart and respect him. Now, I pledge to live with the heart of giving merit, which is the lesson of my grandfather.
Boseong/Jeon Jong-sil Shareholder Correspondent