Hwaseong City Receives Final Relic of Former Nanyang Prefecture

Hwaseong City announced on the 27th that it has received a donation of the Waryongnu (臥龍樓) plaque, the final relic from the former Nanyang Prefecture (南陽府) government office, from Punghwadang, a Confucian institution.

The Waryongnu plaque received this time hung on the south gate pavilion of the Nanyang Prefecture government office, an administrative institution from the Three Kingdoms period when it served as a communication route with China until 1914 when it was integrated into Suwon Prefecture.

According to historical records, the former Nanyang Prefecture, the old name for Hwaseong City, had buildings including the Eastern Hall (東軒), Guest House (客舍), Secretariat (書記廳), Patrol Hall (巡校廳), Auxiliary Patrol Hall (別巡校廳), and Service Hall (使傭廳), among which one was ‘Waryongnu,’ located in front of the Eastern Hall.

Based on the old document Yeoji Doseo, Nanyang, Pavilions section, which states “Waryongnu is located above the south gate of Nanyang Prefecture,” it is believed to have been a two-story pavilion on the south gate.

According to testimony from local historian Hong Seung-gil, when Nanyang County was integrated into Suwon County in 1914, most of the Nanyang Prefecture government office was destroyed by the Japanese colonial authorities.

At that time, Waryongnu was also demolished under the pretext of installing a siren stand to alert the time and urgent situations.

However, the Waryongnu plaque that hung on the pavilion was collected and preserved by Punghwadang, a Confucian institution, and has now been donated to Hwaseong City.

On the left side of the Waryongnu plaque donated this time is written ‘Written by Geumlnyung-ong (金陵翁) in mid-summer of the Sinyugyear (辛酉年)’.

However, when exactly Sinyugyear was and who Geumlnyung-ong was have not yet been clarified, so further historical research will be needed.

Mayor Chae In-seok, who received the donated relic, said, "As we enter the West Sea era, the importance of Dangseong fortress in the Three Kingdoms period is being highlighted, and we are approaching the 100th anniversary of Nanyang Prefecture's disappearance from the historical stage," and added, "It is very meaningful that the Waryongnu plaque, the final relic of the Nanyang Prefecture government office, was donated to Hwaseong City at this time."