Dosanseowon
Dosanseowon in Andong, the Mecca of Confucianism in the Yeongnam region
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This is the Golden Era Route listing for Dosanseowon. The full page lives under the Korean Confucian Academy Route.
Planning the visit
Dosanseowon is stop 6 of 8 on the Golden Era Route.
The stamp is not at the site itself but at the Cultural commentator booth at the tourist information center, so check the opening hours of that building rather than the site.
Admission is charged: Adults KRW 1,500 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 700 / Children KRW 600.
The two closest stamp points are Bongjeongsa Temple, 19 km away, and Sosuseowon at 32 km. All three fit into one day.
This stamp counts for the Korean Confucian Academy Route too, but one stamping only fills one passport page. Stamp it twice if you want both.
Details
- Address
- 154, Dosanseowon-gil, Dosan-myeon, Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
- Stamp zone
- Cultural commentator booth at the tourist information center
- Hours
- March~October: 09:00~18:00 (Last admission: 17:30) November~February: 09:00~17:00 (Last admission: 16:30)
- Admission
- Adults KRW 1,500 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 700 / Children KRW 600
- Phone
- 054-856-1073
- Website
- www.dosanseowon.com
- Coordinates
- 36.73564, 128.84751
What the campaign says about it
Among the long list of renowned Confucian scholars from the Andong region, Yi Hwang (pen name: Toegye) was one of the most important figures in Neo-Confucianism - he played a key role in organizing the Neo-Confucianism school of Confucianism in Joseon. He served four kings (King Jungjong, Inseong, Myeongjong, and Seonjo) after passing the national exam for court officials at the age of 34. He built Dosan Seodang in 1561 CE (16th year of King Myeongjong) to promote academic research and train a new generation of Confucian scholars. Later, when he passed away, writers and Confucian scholars converted Dosan Seodang into today’s Dosanseowon to commemorate Yi Hwang’s academic achievements. Andong Dosanseowon is divided into Dosan Seodang and Dosanseowon in terms of its architectural configuration. Dosan Seodang is the oldest building inside the Dosanseowon, and was designed and built by Yi Hwang himself. It is said that he lived in Dosan Seodang and spent much of his time teaching his disciples. Nongunjeongsa adjacent to Dosan Seodang was also designed by Yi Hwang. The building, which is a dormitory for students, has a rare layout that is in the shape of the character “Gong (工).” It reflects Yi Hwang's hope that his students could really apply themselves to their studies. Meanwhile, Dosanseowon, which was built in 1576 CE, six years after Yi Hwang’s death, has several other structures. Structures that could be worth paying particular attention to are Sangdeoksa (enshrined the ancestral tablet of Yi Hwang), Sammun (main gate of Dosanseowon), and Jeongyodang (treasure, the main lecture hall of Dosanseowon). Dongjae and Seojae (student dormitories), Gwangmyeongsil (library), and Jangpangak (printing office) are also interesting places in their own right. Sangdeoksa Shrine and Main Gate of Dosanseowon - Sangdeoksa Shrine, located at the rear of Dosanseowon, a private educational institution built during the Joseon Dynasty, is a shrine dedicated to Yi Hwang (1501~1570 CE), a renowned scholar in the mid-Joseon Dynasty period, who served the royal court in various capacities and devoted his life to academic research as well as teaching future generations. Although originally built in 1574 CE (7th year of King Seonjo), the Dosanseowon that remains today was repaired in 1969. Jeongyodang Lecture Hall of Dosanseowon - Jeongyodang was an auditorium where students could study. To either side of Jeongyodang is Dongjae and Seojae, both student dormitories.
Quoted from the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign.
Getting there
Get off at the KTX Andong station → Take bus no. 11 at the Andong Terminal bus stop → Get off at Kyobo Life Insurance bus stop, then transfer to bus no. 1 → Get off at Dosanseowon bus stop → Walk for 25 minutes
Photographs
Photographs supplied by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.