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Suwon Hyanggyo in South Korea is one of the Confucian temple and school to teach local students in the Choson Dynasty period (1392 - 1910). Originally located in Wau-ri, Bongdam-myeon, this hyanggyo or state-sponsored Confucian academy was relocated here and extended around 1795 during the reign of King Jeongjo (1776-1800) when the Suwon Fortress was being constructed. Suwon Hyanggyo is located at 43, Gyo-dong, Gwonsen-gu Suwon-si in Gyeonggi-do Province.
Features of Suwon Hyanggyo in South Korea
- Suwon Hyanggyo was originally built in the 22nd year of King Wonjong's rule during the Goryeo era (918-1392) by Hwaseonggun.
- The structure houses the memorial tables of Confucius, Mencius and 25 other eminent personalities from Korea.
- The layout of the facility with the Myeongnyundang Lecture Hall in the front and the Daeseongjeon shrine to the rear, are typical features prevalent in most of the hyanggyos during that time.
- The Daeseongjeon which houses the memorial tablets of Confucius and Mencius, has seven beams and a gabled roof.
- Each capital or column head is crowned with an ox-tongue shaped double-wing-like bracket.
- Extended parallel sloping beams are attached to the ends of the rafters of the curved eaves to facilitate lighting.
- The Dongmu and Seomu pavilions or east and west shrines house the memorial tablets of Korean scholars.
- The hipped-and-gabled Myeongnyundang has apparently undergone many reconstructions and repairs.
- This hyanggyo is not generally open to the public, but if you are willing to go inside, just knock on the door of the building to the right of the hyanggyo.
- The gatekeeper is there during the day and is ready to show you the area.
- A religious service is performed on the first day of February and August in the lunar year.
- You can take a bus from the Suwon Station and get off in front of the fire station after a 10-15 minutes' ride. Or, you can conveniently take a cab from the station for a 10 minutes' ride.
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