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A glimpse of China's first memorial hall for a foreigner

Updated: 2019-12-10

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Nearly 400 descendants of Choe Chiwon;s family gather at the memorial hall in Yangzhou to commemorate Choe, known as "the first person of China-South Korea exchange" on Oct 15. [Photo/Chinnews.com]

Tourists from South Korea come to visit the Memorial Hall of Choe Chiwon in Yangzhou every year.

It is the first memorial hall in China to be erected in honor of a foreigner.

Choe came into the spotlight again when Yangzhou, South Korea's Suncheon, and Japan's Kitakyushu were designated as Culture Cities of East Asia 2020 after cultural ministers from the three countries met in Incheon in August.

Choe (857–10th century) was a noted Korean Confucian official, philosopher, and poet of the late Unified Silla period (668-935). He studied for many years in China during the Tang Dynasty(618-907), passed the imperial examination, and rose to high office before returning to Korea.

Choe first set foot on China in 856, at the age of 12, and passed the imperial examinations after studying for 10 years.

While serving as an official in Yangzhou, Choe actively promoted friendly exchanges between China and Korea, garnering the praise of then Emperor Tang Xizong.

In 884, Choe retired from office and returned to Korea.

In his writing Gyeweon Pilgyeon (桂苑笔耕集), which is made up primarily of official letters composed during his time in China, Choe praised Yangzhou many times.

The Memorial Hall of Choe Chiwon was established in Yangzhou in 2007 to commemorate Choe for his contributions to cementing cultural ties between Korea and China.

October 15 has been designated "China-Korea Friendship Exchange Day" in Yangzhou.

This year, nearly 400 descendants of Choe;s family gathered at the memorial hall in Yangzhou to commemorate Choe, known as "the first person of China-South Korea exchange".


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