| Korea's 9 Greatest Seowon Historic Joseon-Dynasty Neo-Confucian Academies with Shrines sacred sites associated with famous mountains and rivers Now, in 2019, UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites !!! |
Seowon are privately-run Neo-Confucian Academies with a Shrine for a Sage-teacher. "Toegye" Yi
Hwang originated these important institutions, building the Sosu-seowon (the first one in Korea) to
honor An Hyang (who brought Neo-Confucianism to Korea in the early 1300s) in the early 1500s.
After that seowon were usually established by the Yangban aristocratic clans to honor a sage of
their clan, and maintained by the subsequent generations of disciples (teachers & students) who
served there. They would regularly hold memorial-ceremonies for the principal enshrined sage, and
other masters of his and their lineage(s). There were hundreds of seowon by the early 1800s, but
then most of them were suppressed / destroyed around 1870 by Daewon-gun. Some of the best have
been rebuilt, or survived and have been refurbished as tourist-sites and focuses of local pride. They
are national-historic sacred sites of Neo-Confucian culture, associated with famous mountains and rivers.
Hwang originated these important institutions, building the Sosu-seowon (the first one in Korea) to
honor An Hyang (who brought Neo-Confucianism to Korea in the early 1300s) in the early 1500s.
After that seowon were usually established by the Yangban aristocratic clans to honor a sage of
their clan, and maintained by the subsequent generations of disciples (teachers & students) who
served there. They would regularly hold memorial-ceremonies for the principal enshrined sage, and
other masters of his and their lineage(s). There were hundreds of seowon by the early 1800s, but
then most of them were suppressed / destroyed around 1870 by Daewon-gun. Some of the best have
been rebuilt, or survived and have been refurbished as tourist-sites and focuses of local pride. They
are national-historic sacred sites of Neo-Confucian culture, associated with famous mountains and rivers.
| Dosan-seowon of Andong Chengnyang-san |
Location Mountain / River Name
Andong City near Bonghwa Cheongryang-san Dosan Seowon
Nakdong-gang River
Yeongju City Punggi Town Sobaek-san Sosu Seowon
Jukgye-cheon Stream
Gyeongju City Angang District Dodeok-san Oksan Seowon
Hyeongsan-gang River
Andong City Hahoe Village Hakka-san Hwasan-bong Byeongsan Seowon
Nakdong-gang River
Chilbo-san-myeon of Jeongeup County Near Naejang-san Museong Seowon
North Jeolla Province Dongjin-gang River
Northern Hamyang County North of Jiri-san Namgye Seowon
South Gyeongsang Province
Jangseong County of South Jeolla Province Piram Seowon
Dalseong-gun of Daegu City Dodong Seowon
Nonsan City of South Chungcheong Province Donam Seowon
The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) accomplished getting these nine seowon
registered as a group on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, in June 2019.
Andong City near Bonghwa Cheongryang-san Dosan Seowon
Nakdong-gang River
Yeongju City Punggi Town Sobaek-san Sosu Seowon
Jukgye-cheon Stream
Gyeongju City Angang District Dodeok-san Oksan Seowon
Hyeongsan-gang River
Andong City Hahoe Village Hakka-san Hwasan-bong Byeongsan Seowon
Nakdong-gang River
Chilbo-san-myeon of Jeongeup County Near Naejang-san Museong Seowon
North Jeolla Province Dongjin-gang River
Northern Hamyang County North of Jiri-san Namgye Seowon
South Gyeongsang Province
Jangseong County of South Jeolla Province Piram Seowon
Dalseong-gun of Daegu City Dodong Seowon
Nonsan City of South Chungcheong Province Donam Seowon
The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) accomplished getting these nine seowon
registered as a group on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, in June 2019.
| The Nine Greatest Seowon remaining in Korea today: (in rough order of significance; five are located in North Gyeongsang Province) |
| the Sosu Seowon of Yeongju Sobaek-san |