Dogye Seowon

About this place

Dogye Seowon, a Joseon-era academy that stood in Dochon-ri, Bonghwa-eup, Bonghwa-gun, was founded in 1610 (the 2nd year of Gwanghaegun) by the consensus of the local Confucian scholars to honor the virtuous conduct of the loyal Yi Su-hyeong, who kept his fidelity to King Danjong. Later, figures who served as exemplars of loyalty, such as Yi Yu, Yi Bo-heum, and Yi Yeo-bin, were additionally enshrined and honored with rites. Within the precinct there stood the shrine Gyeonilsa, the lecture hall Gonggeungnu, an eastern dormitory, a kitchen, and other structures; but while it was responsible for venerating past sages and for local education, it was demolished in 1868 (the 5th year of King Gojong) under the Seowon Abolition Order of Heungseon Daewongun and was never restored, so that only the ten-kan lecture hall Gonggeungnu remains. Gongbukheon, which stands beside Dogye Seowon, is a house that Dochon Yi Su-hyeong (1435–1527) built to withdraw to his hometown after leaving office when Prince Suyang seized the throne in the 3rd year of King Danjong of Joseon. It was built so that the veranda was walled up at length, allowing one to look out only toward the north when the door was opened; this is interpreted as an expression of loyalty to Danjong, since Yeongwol, where Danjong's tomb lies, is to the north.