Page 69 - 영문 이성필성지순례여행

66 Gyeonggi-do Gyeonggi-do 67

52 Choi Yongshin Memorial Hall
51 Suchon Church
64 Saemgolseo-gil, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si
674-1 Suchon-ri, Jangan-myeon, Hwaseong-si
https://www2.ansan.go.kr/choiyongshin

Choi Yongshin is known as the real person of Chae Youngshin, the main character
of Shim Hun's novel, “Sangnoksu (Evergreen Tree) ”. Choi Yongshin was born in Wonsan,
Hamgyeongnam-do in 1909 and she came to Samgol Village for a rural education
movement in October 1931, a year before graduating from Hyeopseong Seminary.
Professor Ryu Dal-young introduced Choi Yongshin in “The Life of Miss Choi Yongshin” as
a pioneer of the rural enlightenment. What was the driving force of Choi Yongshin’s rural
education movement?
If you look at “The Life of Miss Choi Yongshin”, you can easily get the answer. Choi
Yongshin was a person of early morning prayer. The background of her dedication to the
countryside lied in the faith she was longing for God's help at dawn. Nevertheless, she did
A thatched chapel not reveal herself to be a Christian. She was not a believer who praised God only with her
lips and shouted love only with her lips. If you visit the Choi Yongshin Memorial Hall, I
“103 years later, the Suchon Methodist Church recommend you to visit Samgol Church, which has a history of more than 100 years and
still love country, people, and hometown.” also her tomb near the memorial hall.

Suchon Church began in 1905 with the guidance of Kim Eung-tae and seven people
gathered at Chung Chang-ha’s house to worship. In 1907, 15 rooms were purchased and
“Inheriting the life and ideas of Choi
used as a chapel, but they were burned down when the Japanese police set the entire
Yongshin, an independence activist
village on fire due to the March 1st Movement in 1919. However, in April 1922, with the
and the crystallization of the rural
cooperation of many believers, including missionary Noble, a new 8-room thatched chapel
education movement.”
was built and the services were held there.
In January 1932, it moved to Suchon-ri where the current Suchon Church is located. The
thatched chapel on the left side of the main hall is less than half the size of the thatched
chapel, which was burned down during the arson incident, but it is enough to feel the
love of the country of the believers who drew the Taegeukgi while praying. Hwaseong-si
designated Suchon Church as Local Heritage No. 9. Choi Yongshin Memorial Hall

Memorial stone of
100th anniversary
of foundation
Suchon Church Teacher Choi Yongshin tomb of Choi Yongshin