Socheon Seowon

About this place

This seowon was built in 1701 (the 27th year of King Sukjong), enshrining the memorial tablet of Jeon Won-bal. It served a role in venerating past sages and in local education until it was demolished in 1869 (the 6th year of King Gojong) under the Seowon Abolition Order of Daewongun; it was rebuilt in 1918 and restored in 1968. The seowon is situated at the foot of a mountain by the Geumcheon Stream to the northwest of Socheon Village. The buildings—an outer three-gate, a lecture hall, an inner three-gate, and a shrine—are arranged along the same axis. The lecture hall, Jeongyodang, is a tiled-roof building with a hip-and-gable roof measuring four kan across the front and one and a half kan on the side, while the shrine, Sungdeoksa, is a tiled-roof building with a gable roof measuring three kan across the front and one and a half kan on the side. In addition, buildings related to Socheon Seowon, such as Socheonjae and Cheongwonjeong, are located nearby. Socheonjae appears to serve as a ritual house, and Cheongwonjeong is a pavilion building with an outstanding view.