| Non Gae | |
|---|---|
portrait of Nongae from Jinju Nongae Shrine |
|
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 논개 |
| Hanja | 論介 |
| Revised Romanization | Non-gae |
| McCune–Reischauer | Non'gae |
Nongae (family name- Ju, died 1593) was a gisaeng of Jinju in the late 16th century. She was born in Jangsu, Jeolla province.
The fortress of Jinju was occupied by the Japanese during the Seven Year War, after a long battle in which Nongae's lover Choe Gyeong-hoe was slain. Nongae was called to entertain the victorious Japanese generals at the Chokseongnu Pavilion which overlooks the Nam River. She led the general Keyamura Rokusuke (毛谷村六助) to the cliff, embraced him and cast herself into the river, killing them both.
Today there is a shrine to the memory of Nongae near Chokseongnu, in central Jinju. The rock from which she leapt has come to be known as Uiam (의암, 義巖), "the rock of righteousness."