Soksu Seowon

About this place

Soksu Seowon is a Confucian academy that enshrines five sages: Sin U, Son Jung-don, Kim U-goeng, Jo Jeong, and Jo Ik. The history of Soksu Seowon can be examined through the Soksu Seowon monument erected within the academy grounds. It originated from a saengsadang (a shrine that the people set up to honor a governor or magistrate's good governance while he was still alive) built in Guseodang Village in 1509 (the 4th year of King Jungjong). The saengsadang was built by the villagers who could not forget the good governance shown by Son Jung-don during his tenure as Magistrate of Sangju. The "Collected Works of Master Gagyu" and the "Invocation for the Additional Enshrinement at Soksu Seowon" record that he was enshrined and a shrine built because his virtue, loyalty and filial piety, and Confucian edification were worthy of serving as a model. Destroyed by fire during the Japanese invasions of 1592 (the 25th year of King Seonjo), it was rebuilt in 1656 (the 7th year of King Hyojong) and renamed Gyeonghyeonsa. From that time, Sin U was enshrined together with Son Jung-don. In 1703 (the 29th year of King Sukjong), it was relocated to its present site and renamed Soksu Seowon. In 1730, Kim U-goeng and Jo Jeong were additionally enshrined, and in 1826, Jo Ik was additionally enshrined. When the academy was abolished by the edict abolishing Confucian academies in 1868, only the maepanso (printing-block storehouse) remained; in 1972, descendants of the three clans, led by Jo Seong-hak, Sin Gi-seong, and Kim Yeong-hae, built the Myeongnyundang in front of the maepanso. From the spring of 1983, danso rites were held and a monument was erected. In 1988, Gyeonghyeonsa was restored and the five sages are enshrined there.