Seoul Munmyo is a shrine dedicated to Confucius, his disciples, and other great scholars. In the past, it has also gone by the name Munseonwangmyo. During the Joseon Dynasty, the buildings were used as an educational institution.
Seoul Munmyo was first built in 1398 during the 7th year of the reign of King Taejo. Taejo was the first king of the Joseon Dynasty who ruled from 1392 to 1398.
The design of the shrine is plain and simple. Much of it was rebuilt in 1606. Over the years it has been rebuilt and repaired many times, with the last repairs occurring in 1869 during the reign of King Gojong.
The national ruling ideology during the Joseon Dynasty was Confucianism. The purpose of the shrine was to hold sacrifices to honor Confucius and his disciples. To this day, a ceremony known as Seokjeonje, is performed here every year in spring and autumn in honor of Confucius.
The shrine is split into two areas. Daeseongjeon houses the shrine and was used for ancestral sacrifices. The other section if for education. Myeongryundang are the classrooms. Dongjae and Seojae are the dormitories. Jongyeonggak is the library and Yanghyeongo is for supporting facilities.
Today, the shrine is located on the grounds of Sungkyunkwan University.
Seoul Munmyo Information
Admission
FreeHow to Get Here
Take Subway Line 4 to Hyehwa Station (Exit 4).
After exiting, continue for 10 minutes towards Sungkyunkwan University.
Map
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Last Updated on Dec 17, 2021