Obongseowon Confucian Academy

In 1556, the eleventh year of King Myeongjong of Joseon, Ham Heon, the magistrate of Gangneung, travelled to China as an envoy and brought back a portrait of Confucius painted by Wu Daozi. The academy was first founded in 1561, the sixteenth year of King Myeongjong, to enshrine it. Subsequently, Zhu Xi was enshrined together with Confucius in 1782, the sixth year of King Jeongjo, and Song Si-yeol in 1806, the sixth year of King Sunjo, and the academy came to be responsible both for offering rites to these sages and for providing local education. With Heungseon Daewongun's order to abolish seowon academies, the academy was closed, and the portrait and spirit tablets were moved to Gangneung Hyanggyo, the local state-run Confucian school. The present academy was newly built in 1903, when Confucian scholars of the Gangneung region erected a shrine building called Jipseongsa, and beside it a separate shrine called Chilbongsa. Jipseongsa, Chilbongsa, the gate, Obong Lecture Hall, the Myojeongbi Stele Pavilion and two Myojeongbi steles survive. Jipseongsa enshrines the spirit tablets of Confucius, Zhu Xi and Song Si-yeol, while Chilbongsa enshrines the spirit tablet of Ham Heon. The lecture hall consists of a wooden-floored room and an ondol-heated room, and is used both for holding various events and as a place where Confucian scholars gather to meet and discuss scholarship. A memorial rite is held every year on the second day of the ninth lunar month.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gangneung, Gangwon

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산