Hyeondongsa Shrine

About this place

This is a shrine at the entrance of Hyeondong Village in Gisan-ri, Samgi-myeon, Iksan-si. The exact founding date is unknown. It is a family shrine (gamyo) of the Yeonan Yi clan, enshrining the spirit tablet of Yi Sung-won, the founding ancestor. At the time of its establishment, the complex included a bojomyo (a shrine built by royal command for persons who rendered great service to the state), an eoseogak (a building constructed to house writing given by the king), and a yeongdang (portrait hall), but today only the bojomyo survives as a three-bay-front shrine with a single-bay gate; the yeongdang is no longer standing, with only its site remaining. Regarding the eoseogak, very few remain nationwide, and in Jeollabuk-do only two exist: the eoseogak in Beonsam-myeon, Jangsu-gun and the eoseogak inside Hyeondongsa. Also known as the 'Yeonan Yi Clan Eoseogak,' this eoseogak has historically stored the portrait and royal writings gifted to Chunggan-gong Yi Sung-won by the monarch, and also his jianji (letter of appointment), choshinroken (meritorious subject compact register), royal seals and red passes (hongpae), gongsinjoegwon (meritorious subject compact), and gongsinhoemaenglog (meritorious subject covenant), among other historical artifacts. Of these, 18 royal documents (gyoji) and one choshinroken granted by King Seongjong, and one gongsinhoemaenglog are now designated National Treasures and have been transferred to the Chunggan-gong Treasure Museum, which stands right next to Hyeondongsa and can be visited together.