Hwasan Seowon Stele

About this place

Hwasan Seowon, the oldest Confucian academy in Jeolla-do, was established in the 11th year of King Seonjo of Joseon (1578) by local Confucian scholars of Jeonju and enshrined Yi Eon-jeok and Song In-su, who had served as Jeonju Prefect and Jeolla Provincial Governor during the reign of King Jungjong. Although it was the oldest seowon in Jeolla-do, it was demolished during Heungseon Daewongun's campaign to abolish seowon; a stele was erected at the former site to convey its traces to posterity. This stele, located at the site where Hwasan Seowon once stood, was erected to preserve the memory of the seowon. It was designated a local cultural heritage material of Jeolla-do on April 1, 1984. The stele features a tortoise-shaped base topped by the stele body and a capstone. The uniquely depicted flat tortoise faces to the side, and the capstone is beautifully decorated with cloud-and-dragon motifs. The inscription on the stele body was written by Song Si-yeol. The site also housed Jeonju Hyanggyo for 139 years before it was moved to Gyo-dong.