This building, estimated to have been constructed in 1945 or 1948, is a Western-style church built by American priests of the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society. Initially, it had a rectangular auditorium-type floor plan, but in 1991, the rear wall of the church was demolished, and the transept and altar apse were added, converting it into a cruciform shape. The structure is made of cement brick masonry finished with cement plaster, featuring a gable roof and an arched entrance hall at the front, with a bell tower positioned at the center.
구읍은 옥천의 옛 중심지로, 지금의 옥천읍 죽향리와 상계리, 하계리, 교동리, 문정리 일부를 가리키는 주민들 사이의 고유명사다. 그 가운데서도 구읍 벽화마을은 ‘향수’의 시인 정지용이 태어난 하계리에 자리한다. 마을 담벼락마다 시인의 작품을 형상화한 그림들이 그려져 있는데, 정겨운 시골 풍경을 아름다운 언어로 담아냈던 시인인 만큼 하나같이 눈과 마음을 편안하게 만들어준다. 누군가에겐 고향에 대한 그리움을, 누군가에겐 순수했던 어린 시절의 추억을 떠올리게 한다. ‘향수’를 연상하게 하는 실개천과 평화로운 마을 풍경도 걷는 내내 힐링과 여유를 선사한다. 마을 한가운데 정지용 생가와 문학관도 자리해 함께 둘러보기 좋다. 해마다 이곳 마을을 배경으로 ‘지용제’도 열린다.
This is the birthplace of Jeong Jiyong, the representative poet of modern Korean poetry known for his poem 'Hyangsu,' located right next to the Jeong Jiyong Literature Museum. Jeong Jiyong was born here on November 20, 1902, and spent his childhood in this house. Although the house was demolished in 1974, it was restored to its original form in July 1996. Jeong Jiyong was a poet who wrote pure poetry while lamenting the pain of the Korean people during the Japanese colonial period. This site is an important space to understand the life and literature of Jeong Jiyong. The house is a single-story traditional hanok with a thatched roof, consisting of three bays in the front and three bays on the side. The inner quarters include a kitchen and two rooms, while the sarangchae consists of two rooms and a wooden floor. Around the birthplace, there is a statue and a commemorative stone of Jeong Jiyong, as well as a small stream flowing nearby. The Jeong Jiyong Literature Museum exhibits the poet's belongings such as his vest, brush, ink, and books, along with materials related to his life, works, and connection to Okcheon. A literary commentator is present for detailed explanations. Nearby are Janggyegwan Tourist Site, Okcheon Hyangsu 100-ri Bicycle Path, and the Yook Youngsoo Birthplace not far away.
There are two temples named Daeseongsa in Okcheon-gun. This Daeseongsa, located in Okcheon-eup, is a temple that actively reaches out to the public, conveying the teachings of Buddha and advocating practical Buddhism. Daeseongsa houses the Okcheon Daeseongsa Stone Buddha Standing Statue, designated as a cultural heritage material of Chungcheongbuk-do. Cheongseong-myeon Dojang-ri, where Daeseongsa is located, is also called 'Buddangol (Buddha Hall Valley),' indicating it is a region related to Buddhism. Although the founding date is unknown, the Okcheon Yuk clan genealogy records that "there was a stone Buddha at Daeseongsa in the 22nd year of King Seongjong of the Joseon Dynasty (1491)." This statue is 360cm tall and shows signs of repairs with cement in the middle. It wears a round hat on its head, dons a monk's robe covering both shoulders in a tonggyeon style, and the feet are visible at the bottom. The groove in the middle of the left hand suggests it once held an object. The rounded crown style resembles other statues such as the Seoul Yaksa Temple Stone Buddha Standing Statue (1490). The construction method of assembling two stone pillars, as seen in the Yesan Sapgyo Stone Bodhisattva Standing Statue, reflects the tradition of Goryeo stone Buddhas. It holds great value as an important example illustrating the characteristics of early Joseon stone Buddhas and as a religious symbol for the local community.
Chinsu Theme Park is located next to a small stream in the old town of Okcheon-gun. The water flowing from Gyodong Reservoir passes through here and continues to the birthplace of poet Jeong Ji-yong. In the center, there is a pavilion for resting, and the surroundings are a park with low fences. The small stream flowing in front of the park blends with the rural scenery, bringing peace of mind. There are stairs leading down to the stream, allowing visitors to approach the water, and stepping stones to cross the stream, making it a pleasant place for a relaxed walk and contemplation.
Okcheon Hyanggyo is a national educational institution of the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties established to enshrine tablets of great Confucian scholars, conduct ancestral rites, and provide education and moral guidance to local people. It was destroyed during the Imjin War but was resolved to be rebuilt in 1954 and restored in 1961. Existing buildings include Daeseongjeon, Myeongnyundang, Dongjae, Seojae, Naesammun, and Oesammun. Daeseongjeon enshrines tablets of the Five Saints, Ten Wise Men, and Six Virtuous Men of the Song Dynasty; Dongmu and Seomu house tablets of eighteen Korean virtuous men. During the Joseon era, it received land, books, and slaves from the state, and one instructor taught thirty students, but after the Gabo Reform, educational functions ceased, retaining only rites in spring and autumn and incense offerings on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month. It is designated as a tangible cultural asset of Chungcheongbuk-do. Its collection includes 15 kinds of printed books (58 volumes) and 11 kinds of manuscripts (26 volumes), among which Yuwan, Cheonggeumrok, Cheonggeumsokrok, Seonan, Gyoan, and records of the hyanggyo reconstruction are valuable materials for studying late Joseon period hyanggyo and local history.
