Dosan Seowon

도산서원

Where the great Joseon Confucian scholar Toegye Yi Hwang lectured. The design on the back of Korea's 1,000-won banknote is taken from here. It is a spiritual center of Korean Confucianism and a World Heritage Site.

Dosan Seowon lies in Dosan Township, about 28 km north of Andong city, on the shore of Andong Lake on the upper reaches of the Nakdong River. It was built to honor Toegye Yi Hwang (1501–1570), one of the greatest Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty. In his later years, Yi Hwang personally built the Dosan Seodang here to lecture and train many disciples. After his death, in 1574, his students expanded the Seodang behind the original hall into a seowon (Confucian academy). The following year, King Seonjo granted it a plaque reading 'Dosan,' calligraphed by the renowned Han Seok-bong. The academy has two main sections. The front section includes Dosan Seodang, which Yi Hwang built himself, a modest three-bay hut reflecting the values of reverence (gyeong) and simplicity; Nongun Jeongsa; and Yeongnak Seojae. The rear section includes Jeongyo-dang, the lecture hall; Gwangmyeong-sil, which stores books and woodblocks; and Sangdeok-sa, a shrine honoring Yi Hwang. Across the water, on a small island, the Sisadan is a memorial pavilion marking the spot where King Jeongjo held a local civil service exam in 1792. The back of the current 1,000-won banknote depicts the scenery of Dosan Seowon. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2019. Admission is about 2,000 won. Getting there: take Bus 67 from Andong city center for about 50 minutes (service is infrequent), or drive for about 40 minutes. Nearby are the Toegye Jongtaek (Toegye family house) and the Yi Yuksa Literary Museum.

Dosan Seowon

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