Gugo Seowon

About this place

Gugo Seowon is a Confucian academy (seowon) of the Joseon period located in Sacheon-ri, Dansan-myeon, Yeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. As an academy that enshrined Seo Han-jeong (1407-1490), it offers insight into the rural community activities of the Dalseong Seo clan in the Yeongju area during the late Joseon period. Gugo Seowon began as Gugorisa, built in 1786 (10th year of King Jeongjo) by local Confucian scholars to commemorate Seo Han-jeong. Gugorisa was abolished in 1868 (5th year of King Gojong) under Heungseon Daewongun's decree to demolish seowon, but was later operated as Gugo Seodang after its signboard was changed. Originally built in Gugu-ri, Dansan-myeon, Yeongju-gun, it was relocated in 1974 to Saenae village in Sacheon-ri, Dansan-myeon, Yeongju-gun—where the head family house stands—because it was difficult to maintain and had fallen into serious disrepair, and it was elevated to Gugo Seowon. Gugo Seowon retains Sangjeolsa as well as a jeonsacheong (ritual preparation hall), a lecture hall, and a book room. Sangjeolsa is the shrine enshrining Seo Han-jeong's memorial tablet. Gugo Seowon has a hip-and-gable roof, and its plan features an open porch bay at the front. The lecture hall also has a hip-and-gable roof; its plan is of the jungdang-hyeopsil type, with a two-bay wooden-floored hall at the center flanked by ondol rooms. The jeonsacheong is currently used as a meeting place when holding memorial rites or the pre-rite assembly. It has modern cement walls covered by a slate roof. The book room is a warehouse-type building for storing woodblocks. The books and printing blocks once kept in the book room are now preserved at the Sosu Museum. Memorial rites are held on the jungjeong day of the third and ninth lunar months each year.