Jeonju Hyanggyo

About this place

Hyanggyo were national educational institutions of the Goryeo and Joseon periods, established to enshrine the spirit tablets of great Confucian scholars, conduct memorial rites, and provide local people with education and moral instruction. Jeonju Hyanggyo contains several buildings including the Daeseongjeon (shrine hall for enshrining spirit tablets), the Dongmu and Seomu (east and west corridors), the Gyeseongsa, and the Myungyundang (lecture hall where students were taught). The Daeseongjeon was rebuilt in the 4th year of King Hyojong (1653), with a reconstruction record left by Yi Gi-bal. It was repaired again in the 1st year of Yunghui (1907) by County Magistrate Yi Jung-ik, and measures three bays in front and two on the side. The ginkgo trees in the Daeseongjeon courtyard—more than 400 years old—and numerous ginkgo trees throughout the grounds make autumn the most beautiful season here. It is also famous as the filming location of dramas and films such as 'Gurumigrindal' and 'Sungkyunkwan Scandal.' The traditional atmosphere against the stone walls makes it a popular spot for commemorative photographs.