Gumanseowon

About this place

Guman Seowon was established by the local Confucian community (sarim) in 1676. It is a Confucian academy built to honor the learning and virtuous conduct of four worthies: Geum In, Nam Mong-o, Bak Seon-jang, and Gwon Ho-sin. Its shrine was originally called Giyeongsa (耆英祠); after being elevated to Guman Seowon in 1766, it was abolished in 1868 under the abolition decree of Heungseon Daewongun, and was restored in 1967 by local Confucian scholars. In the overall layout, the shrine Sanghyeonsa and the lecture hall are arranged to the left and right; the site is enclosed by a square rammed-earth wall, with a four-pillar gate (sajumun) at the front and a single-post gate (ilgakmun) between the two spaces. Within the precinct are Sanghyeonsa, the lecture hall Heunggyodang, the entrance gate Sinmun, and the caretaker's quarters (juso) used as the manager's residence. Sanghyeonsa, where the spirit tablets of the four worthies are enshrined, is a gable-roofed tiled building measuring three kan (bays) at the front and two kan at the side. Heunggyodang is a hip-and-gable-roofed tiled building of four kan at the front and two kan at the side, with one room on each side of the central wooden floor.