Yongsanseowon Confucian Academy

This academy (seowon) was built in 1699, the 25th year of King Sukjong of Joseon, by Yi Hyeong-sang, magistrate of Gyeongju, together with local scholars, to hold memorial rites for Choe Jin-rip (pen name Jeongmugong, 1568-1636), a military official of the mid-Joseon period. In 1711, the 37th year of King Sukjong, it received a name plaque reading "Sungnyeolsau" from the king, and was later elevated to the status of a seowon, a Confucian academy. It was demolished in 1870, the 7th year of Emperor Gojong, under the order abolishing seowon academies, and was rebuilt in 1924. A short distance southwest of Yongsanseowon stands a sindobigak, a shelter housing a memorial stele recording the achievements of the deceased. Choe Jin-rip's clan seat was Gyeongju; his courtesy name was Sa-geon and his pen name was Jamwa. He was born in what is now Hyeongok-myeon, Gyeongju. During the Japanese invasion of 1592 he raised a righteous army together with his younger brother Choe Gye-jong, and during the renewed invasion of 1597 he distinguished himself alongside Gwon Yul in the battle of Seosaengpo in Ulsan. For this he was named a second-class Righteous Subject on the Seonmu Wonjong merit roll honouring those who had fought the Japanese, and subsequently served as magistrate of the garrison prefecture of Gyeongwon and as a deputy minister of the Ministry of Works. During the Manchu invasion of 1636 he died fighting at Heomcheon in Yongin; he was posthumously granted the court rank of Jaheon-daebu and the post of Minister of War, and was recorded as a cheongbaekni, an official renowned for his integrity. The academy buildings are arranged with the lecture hall, Mingodang, at the front and the memorial shrine, Sungnyeolsau, at the rear, following the jeonhak-humyo layout typical of Confucian academies, with study space in front and shrine behind. The dedicatory record for Yongsanseowon was written in 1759, the 35th year of King Yeongjo, by Yi Ik (pen name Seongho), and the calligraphy of its name board was done by Yi Seo (pen name Okdong), Yi Ik's elder brother and a renowned calligrapher of the late Joseon period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물