Deokgang Seowon

About this place

Yeongcheon Deokgang Seowon is a Confucian academy that enshrines Yang Hyo-ji, the founder of the Cheongju Yang clan's settlement in Yeongcheon. It was founded in 1621 (the 13th year of King Gwanghaegun) by the public consensus of the local Confucian scholars, and was demolished in 1871 (the 8th year of King Gojong) by the Regent Daewongun's order to abolish the seowon. In 1922, later scholars and the local Confucian community founded the Gyeongjeolsa shrine and reestablished Deokgang Seowon. In 1998 the descendants repaired it. The existing buildings include the outer three-gate, the eastern dormitory, the western dormitory, the lecture hall, and the shrine. It follows the layout style of 'lecture hall in front, shrine behind,' with the shrine located behind the lecture hall. The shrine, Gyeongjeolsa, is a gable-roofed building with double eaves, measuring three kan across the front and one kan on the side. The lecture hall is a hip-and-gable-roofed building with single eaves, measuring four kan across the front and two kan on the side, with a wooden floor in the central two kan of the building and rooms on either side. The eastern and western dormitories each stand in front of the lecture hall and are gable-roofed buildings measuring three kan across the front and one kan on the side.