Buyeo Hyanggyo (Confucian School)

About this place

Hyanggyo were educational institutions established by the state to honor Confucius and other sages through rites, and to educate and enlighten the local population. The exact founding date of Buyeo Hyanggyo is unknown, but it is believed to have been established in the early Joseon period. Originally built on the western slope of Gugyori in Buyeo-eup, it was relocated to its current site in the mid-18th century and has been repaired several times. The overall layout follows the jeonhak humyo arrangement: the Myeongnyundang lecture hall is at the front and the Daeseongjeon shrine is at the rear. The Myeongnyundang is five bays wide and two bays deep with a hipped-gable (paljak) roof. The Daeseongjeon is three bays wide and three bays deep with an exposed rafter ceiling. Inside are the spirit tablets of Confucius, Chinese sages, and Korean sages. After the Gabo Reform of 1894, the educational function ceased, and today spring and autumn rites are held, with incense offerings on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month.