General Gwon Yul's Ichi Battle Monument

General Gwon Yul's Ichi Battle Monument is a monument commemorating the Ichi Battle, which was led to victory by General Gwon Yul during the Imjin War (Japanese invasions of Korea). Ichi is the Chinese character name for Baetijae Pass, which was a strategic transportation hub connecting Geumsan and Wanju, North Jeolla Province, crossing the middle of Daeunsan Mountain. In 1592, when the Japanese army, which had swept through Gyeongsang and Chungcheong provinces during the Imjin War, attempted to cross this pass to advance into the Honam Plain for local food supply, General Gwon Yul led Dongbok Magistrate Hwang Jin and troops to defend Ichi and block the Japanese advance into Honam. This was the Ichi Battle, which was the first land victory of the Imjin War, preceding the Battle of Haengju and the Battle of Jinju. The Joseon army's victory in this battle caused the Japanese army to fail in their advance into Honam. In the 3rd year of King Gojong's reign (1866), the Ichi Battle Monument and Daecheopsa Shrine were built together in Sangga-ri, Geumseong-myeon to commemorate this achievement, but they were destroyed by the Japanese in June 1944. The current monument was re-erected in 1964 on a mountainside in Muksan-ri, Jinsan-myeon, overlooking Ichi, with the inscription rewritten by Song Byeong-seon (pen name Yeonjae) and calligraphed by Song Seong-yong. Since 1991, a sanctification plan has been established, and the shrine, monument pavilion, information boards, inner gate, outer gate, and walls have been maintained to the present day. In 2000, it was designated as Chungcheongnam-do Cultural Heritage Material.