Baekhyeon Seowon

About this place

Baekhyeon Seowon was founded in 1668 (the 9th year of King Hyeonjong) to honor the civil official Gu Yeong and Im Yunseong of the mid-Joseon period, but was demolished in 1868 (the 5th year of King Gojong) under Heungseon Daewongun's order to abolish private academies. It was rebuilt in 1903. When Cheongok Seowon was established in Jongni, Hwasan-myeon, Wanju-gun, the descendants of the Jinju Im clan took Im Yunseong's memorial tablet there, so currently only the tablet of Gu Yeong remains. In 1961, the seowon was rebuilt with government subsidies. The shrine Baekhyeonsa is a gabled (맞배) three-bay-by-two-bay structure, and the lecture hall Jeonganjeong is a hip-and-gabled (팔작) five-bay-by-two-bay structure. The Neungseong Gu clan holds annual memorial rites at Baekhyeon Seowon on the auspicious jeongil (正日) day of the second lunar month.