Muyangseowon Confucian Academy

This is a seowon, a Confucian academy, enshrining Choe Sa-jeon, titled Janggyeonggong, a court physician and distinguished official under King Injong of Goryeo (r. 1122–1146), together with four of his descendants: Choe Yun-deok (pen name Sonam), Choe Bu (pen name Geumnam), Yu Hui-chun (posthumous title Munjeolgong), and Na Deok-heon (posthumous title Chungnyeolgong). Choe Sa-jeon entered government service through medicine and, favoured by the king, rose to high office. Muyangseowon was built in 1927 by the Tamjin Choe clan with the support of Confucian scholars from across the country. The academy is said to take its name from an old place-name of Gwangju. Centred on Itaekdang, the lecture hall, the gates Habuimun and Habinmun stand to its left and right; passing through Habuimun, Seongjijae, the east dormitory, stands to the right and Nakhojae, the west dormitory, to the left. On higher ground, enclosed by its own wall, stands Muyangsa, the shrine, the wall being there so that no one may enter the shrine without due reason. A seowon traditionally combines a ritual function with an educational one, and the Tamjin Choe clan has kept the latter alive by founding Muyang Middle School in Ssangam-dong, Gwangsan-gu, in 1945, which continues to serve as the academy's educational institution to this day.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gwangsan-gu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료