Dosanseowon

Dosanseowon in Andong, the Mecca of Confucianism in the Yeongnam region

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Planning the visit

Dosanseowon is stop 4 of 9 on the Korean Confucian Academy 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 Golden Era 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 November~February 09:00~17:00
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

Yi Hwang (pen name: Toegye) who served four kings after passing the national exam for public officials at the age of 34, was a scholar from the Joseon Dynasty period who established the foundation for Neo-Confucianism in Korea. He built Dosan Seodang in 1561 CE to carry out academic research and teach future generations. Later, when he passed away, writers and Confucian scholars converted Dosan Seodang into today’s Dosanseowon to commemorate Yi Hwang’s academic achievements. Dosanseowon, completed in 1576 CE, features the Dosan Seodang and Nongunjeongsa, designed by Yi Hwang himself, Sangdeoksa Shrine (enshrines Yi Hwang’s ancestral tablet), the Main Gate of Dosanseowon, and Jeongyodang Lecture Hall (main auditorium). Sangdeoksa Shrine and Main Gate of Dosanseowon in Andong Sitting at the back of Dosanseowon is a shrine that enshrines the ancestral tablet of Yi Hwang. Meanwhile, the gates of Sangdeoksa Shine were built at the same time as Sangdeoksa itself. Most notably, the pillars at the front are taller than the other pillars because of the steps at different heights. eongyodang Lecture Hall at Dosanseowon in Andong Jeongyodang was built in 1574 CE (7th year of King Seonjo), then repaired in 1969 CE. It is the main lecture hall for Confucian students at Dosanseowon. It was typical for students to study and meditate inside Jeongyodang Hall. According to history, the signboard for Dosanseowon was bestowed to the Confucian Academy by King Seonjo himself. Moreover, the writing on the signboard is believed to have been written by the master calligrapher Han Seok-bong in the presence of King Seonjo.

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.