Guyang Seowon

About this place

Guyang Seowon began in 1914 with the construction of a shrine venerating Masters Baeksan Byeon Gyeong-hoe and Bongeun Byeon Geuk-tae, which was named Sedeoksa. In 1924, the descendants newly built a shrine, a lecture hall, a study, and other structures, and, in accordance with the wishes of the Confucian community, it was elevated to Guyang Isa. In 1984, when the descendant Byeon Gyo-u renovated it at his own expense, the scale was expanded and a shrine, a ritual-preparation hall, an eastern dormitory, a western dormitory, a three-gate, a gate tower, and other ancillary buildings were newly built. It was subsequently elevated to a seowon, taking Master Daeeun Byeon An-ryeol as the principal figure and enshrining Masters Byeon Gyeong-hoe and Byeon Geuk-tae, as it stands today. The buildings include the shrine Sungjeolsa, the main hall Yeomsudang, an eastern dormitory, a western dormitory, an inner three-gate, and an outer three-gate. Master Daeeun Byeon An-ryeol subdued the Red Turbans at the end of the Goryeo period; in 1380, as Grand Military Commissioner (dochechalsa), he won great merit by crushing Japanese pirates in areas such as Unbong and Inwol; later, at the end of Goryeo, he resisted the new dynasty and died in 1390 at his place of exile in Hanyang.