Munseonggong Shrine of Sosuseowon Confucian Academy, Yeongju

This shrine was established in 1542 to enshrine the spirit tablet of the scholar An Hyang (1243-1306), who is known for bringing neo-Confucianism from Song China to Korea during the Goryeo period (918-1392).

The shrine was established here because the area is the clan seat of the Sunheung An clan, to which An Hyang belonged. The shrine’s name means “shrine of the lord of literary achievement,” referring to An Hyang. Normally, the names of shrines end with the character sa (祠), however this shrine ends with the character myo (廟), which is normally reserved only for royal shrines (such as Jongmyo in Seoul). This shows that An Hyang was considered as an important figure in Korean history.

Later in 1544, the spirit tablets of civil official brothers An Chuk (1282-1348) and An Bo (1302-1357), also of the Sunheung An clan, were added to the shrine. In 1633, the spirit tablet of the founder of the academy Ju Se-bung (1495-1554), was also added.

A ritual honoring those commemorated here is held in the 3rd and 9th lunar months. During the ritual, a lyrical poem written by Ju Se-bung is sung as part of the ritual. This song is only performed here and symbolizes the introduction of neo-Confucian moral philosophy to Korea.

The building itself remains in good condition, having only undergone several repairs over the centuries, and is a valuable material in the study of architecture of the Joseon period (1392-1910).

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08