Historic Site Related to Yu Gwan-sun, Cheonan

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.230

Category

유적지

Era

근현대

Designated year

1972

Location

천안시, 충청남도— 충남 천안시 동남구 병천면 탑원리 338-1번지

Coordinates

36.759188, 127.308444

Yu Gwan-sun was sentenced to death for her participation in the movement for the independence of Korea that began on March 1, 1919. Her monuments are her birthplace, a church, a stele, and a site where she made a signal fire. She was born into the Christian family of a classical scholar, and entered Ewha Girls’ School with the help of teachers who were missionaries from western countries. The following year, as the Korean Independence Movement built up, she took part in a demonstration in Seoul. Later, the school was closed down by order of the Japanese authorities and she returned to her hometown Cheonan, where she planned a demonstration for independence. Finally, on the first day of March by the lunar calendar, a market day, she led the anti-Japan demonstration. Nineteen people including her parents were killed, thirty were injured, and many more were arrested. She was put to torture and died for her country in October 1920. She was buried in a public cemetery in Itaewon village in Seoul, but her tomb was lost during construction for city development. In 1972, Cheonan City built her a shrine, enshrining her portrait there in honor of her patriotic spirit and memorializing the spirit of the Independence Movement. On the last day of February every year, the people of the city light fires to commemorate her and the day of her lighting the signal fire.

Location