Yeonil Hyanggyo

About this place

Yeonil Hyanggyo is said to have first been built in the 7th year of King Taejo of Joseon (1398), but no records concerning its history survive. Having burned down completely during the Imjin War, it was reconstructed at Seongjwa-dong, Daesong-myeon during the reign of King Sukjong, and in the 8th year of King Gojong (1871) it was moved to its present site. Yeonil Hyanggyo places the Myeongnyundang, the educational space, at the front, and arranges the Daeseongjeon, the ritual space, behind it. The Daeseongjeon, where 25 sages of China and Korea are enshrined, is a building measuring 3 kan across the front and 2 kan on the side. When viewed from the side, the roof is a gable roof shaped like the character for 'person' (人), and the bracket sets made to support the roof eaves are in the column-head (jusimpo) style, placed only atop the pillars. During the Joseon period, the state provided land, servants, and books to teach students, but now the educational function has disappeared and only the ritual function remains. It is a building that gives a plain yet neat impression and well represents the architectural style of the late Joseon period. (Source: Korea Heritage Service)