Nakbongseowon

About this place

Nakbongseowon, located in Haepyeong-myeon, Gumi-si, is a regional educational institution of the Joseon period, established in 1646 (the 24th year of King Injo) by the will of the local Confucian scholars. It enshrined the memorial tablets of distinguished Confucian scholars, held memorial rites, and was responsible for the education and moral cultivation of local residents. It was promoted to a royally chartered academy (saaek seowon) in 1787 (the 11th year of King Jeongjo), but was demolished in 1868 (the 5th year of King Gojong) under the order of Heungseon Daewongun to abolish the Confucian academies. It was later restored in 1931 at the initiative of local Confucian scholars, after which memorial rites resumed; in 1977 the shrine was rebuilt and the tablets of Kim Suk-ja, Kim Chwi-seong, Bak Un, Kim Chwi-mun, and Go Eung-cheok were enshrined. Within the grounds are the Sangdeokmyo shrine, the Jibuidang lecture hall, the Sesimjae (eastern dormitory), the Jeonggyodang (western dormitory), as well as the Sinmun and Yangjeongmun gates. Among these, the Jibuidang is a space with a wooden-floored hall at its center and a single-kan room on each side, and it is also used for various events of the academy. The Geogyeongjae and Myeongseongjae, where scholars once lived and pursued their studies, are now used as spaces for preparing offerings during memorial rites, which are held on the second Jeong day of March each year.