Heungdeok Hyanggyo | Attraction Guide | K-Travel Mate

Founded in 1621 (13th year of King Gwanghae's reign) and rebuilt in 1675 (1st year of King Sukjong's reign) by royal order at the petition of local Confucian scholars of Heungdeok-hyeon, the site follows a typical hyanggyo layout with Myeongnyundang, the lecture hall, at the front along the natural slope, and Daeseongjeon, the Confucian shrine space, at the rear in a front-study, rear-shrine arrangement. It enshrines Confucius alongside the Four Sages of China (Anja, Jeungja, Jasa, Maengja), the Four Virtuous Ones of the Song Dynasty China (Judoni, Ju Hui, Jeong Myeongdo, Jeong Icheon), and the Eighteen Korean Worthies (Seolchong, Anhyang, Kim Gongpil, Jo Gwangjo, Yi Hwang, Yi I, Kim Jangsaeng, Kim Jip, Song Jun-gil, Choi Chi-won, Jeong Mongju, Jeong Yeo-chang, Yi Eonjeok, Kim Inhu, Seong Hon, Jo Heon, Song Si-yeol, Park Se-chae). At the entrance to the hyanggyo stands the Heungdeok Dangganjiju, a pair of pillars for supporting a Buddhist banner, designated a Jeollabuk-do Tangible Cultural Property, with a nearby temple named Galkongsa historically existing until the Goryeo period.