KOREAN DREAMER: Dosanseowon

I read an article in the newspapers a few days ago regarding the three-day ceremony held recently at the Dosanseowon Confucian School in Andong City, North Gyeongsang Province in commemoration of Sir Toegye Lee Hwang, Korea's pre-eminent Confucian scholar from the Chosun Dynasty.

Confucian scholars dressed in traditional Korean attire were gathered at a shrine in a memorial hall located there for the ceremony. In a courtyard, spectators were allowed to participate in the religious service known as "hyangsare," which has been handed down from generation to generation and is only now open to the public for the first time since it began 430 years ago. However, some parts of the religious service such as the preparatory procedures still remain a guarded secret.

Dosanseowon opened its doors to female visitors only seven years ago. Many Koreans are hoping that opportunities to take part in such ceremonies will help to educate the younger generation about Korean history and culture.

So I thought today I’d like to tell you something about Dosanseowon.

Looking at how the buildings are all spread out on the plan above , Dosanseowon can actually be divided into two, Dosanseodang and Dosanseowon as a whole. Dosanseodang is the building where Sir. Toegye Yi Hwang used to lecture whereas Dosanseowon is a term for the place, which includes Dosanseodang, the academy and the shrine which were built after his demise.

Although the buildings of the academy were simple and frugal in design they are very beautiful as can be seen from the photographs which I sourced from the dosanseowon website.

The architectural style is of the typical Jeonhakhumyo style comprising of a layout in which the classroom is in front of the shrine or in other words " where an education facility, a lecture hall is at the front, and a ritual facility, a shrine stands behind it.”

Dosanseodang, where the master directly taught his followers, is the oldest building among the lecture halls. It was designed by Sir. Toegye himself.

The village school has three horizontally-aligned rooms that consist of a kitchen, an underfloor-heating (ondol) room, and wooden floor (maru). Additional roof was added, the wooden floor was expanded, and the rooms were named Wanrakjae which were used for teaching his followers through meditation and the wooden floor was named Amseohun which was used for relaxing.

Nongwoonjungsa, the followers' dormitory, is located in the west wing of the village school. Master Toaegye designed the basic layout himself and two Yongsusa Buddist monks, Boplyeon and Jungil, were appointed for its construction.

This dormitory consisted of two rooms; older followers used the eastern room, and younger followers stayed in the western room. There were windows on all four sides of the room, which made the room much brighter and airier.

Yeongnakseojae is located on the ground below the school level, and it is an independent space, surrounded by fences. This dormitory was contributed by the father of Jungsasung ( one of Sir. Toegye's followers.)

It is a simple building with three rooms on the front side and one room on the sideline, with the hanging signboard written by Sir. Toegye.

Hagojiksa was for the maintenance of Dosanseodang, the dormitory, the library and other facilities, and served as the servants quarters as well.

Jeongudang is a square pond, located in the east-southern area of the village school's front garden, filled with lotus flowers. In order to appreciate the shadow of the mountain reflected in the pond, the designer did not build a fence around the pond. The shadow of the mountain in the pond is one of the top eighteen sceneries of Dosanjabyoung. Sir. Toegye named scenic nature, stones and trees near the village school, and sang about the beauty of nature. Dosanjabyoung indicates the 18 places and nature.

Sukjunggamyeol, a square shaped stone water well provided the scholars with drinking water for a long time, and the water was pure and delicious. It was the scholars' water for purifying their spirit. .

As Seowon was built over Dosanseodang, a passageway was constructed between Dosanseodang and Nongwnjeongsa. Jindomun is a gate which divides the Seodang area from the Seowon area.

As a boundary gate, it has a symbolic meaning of "Yegyo" by hanging a signboard.

Donggwangmyungsil

The Library and the hanging signboard written by Sir. Toegye. Divided into east and west with Jindomun in the center, it was built using the tall building method to protect it from humid damage. Naesaserojeok of Kings of many generations and Sutaekbon that Sir. Toegye had read were kept here.

Seokwangmyungsil was newly extended in the modern period. It was modeled on the Seokwangmyungsil and as a two-story pattern it also acts as an observatory. There are all sorts of books published recently such as a collection of domestic Confucian scholars . From "Towgyeseocho" written by a Japanese Confucian scholar Sonsigyokusui, we can know that Toegyehak had a great influence on Japanese Confucianism.

It was the place for the students of Dosanseowon to lodge, and it’s also known as Dongjae due to its location. Along with a lecture hall, it, faces Seojae, and is the center of educational facilities. The students lodging at Dongjae are senior to the ones at Seojae.

Bakyak - Study widely and do politely.
The simple architectural structure of neat post and stylobate shows the dignity of this building.

A boarding house just like the Dongjae "Bakyakjae". From the lecture hall it is located to the right and in the west, also called Seojae. The students lodging at Dongjae are senior to the ones at Seojae, however both buildings are the same in size and decoration. Both are 3-unit houses having a narrow veranda in front.

Hongeui - A scholar should be broad-minded and strong-willed, and it's because his responsibility is heavy and the way to ethics is long.

It consists of a lecture hall and a principal room, with 4 front units, 2 side units and an octagonal roof. It has high stylobate to show dignity and has stairs both sides. It is unique to have even number structure which Sung Confucianism scholars avoid, and only 1 unit in the east is a ondol room showing asymmetry. The ondol room is used as the principal living room and we call it "Hanjonjae". There are no doors to the 3 front units in the hall, whereas there are a pair of sliding windows in each unit at the side and the back.

Jangpangak

As a publishing room situated in the east of Jeongyodang, it keeps engraving blocks. It has 3 units in front, 2 side units and an octagonal roof. Each wall is made of wood panels and the floor is checkered to prevent damage from moisture . There’s a space between the floor and the ground with a window for ventilation. Originally over 2790 woodcuts including his literary miscellany, autographs, memoirs, Dosansipyigok, Seonjoeopil, books on strategies were kept, but for a systematic classification and safe storage along with the books in Kwangmyungsil all materials were transferred to "Korean Studies Advancement Center" on April 2003.

Sammuhn

It is a SadangMun going into Sangdeoksa, and we also call it "Naesammun". As a 'Matbaejibung' with 3 units of front and 2 units of side, It was built at the same time period as Sangdeoksa. Because of the stairs there are differences in height, therefore the frontal post was erected one step lower and the post shows a unique feature. Pattern is an inverted-Taegeuk and painted colorfully (Dancheong).

It is located between Sadang and Gojiksa from which foods are delivered, and it can serve and store the things needed in the memorial service. Each 2-unit building is divided into the east and the west, where the former is Jucheong and the latter is used for Jegigo.

Jucheong consists of 1 ondol room and 1 floor. The ondol room is a space for Yusa to prepare the things needed in the service overnight, and the floor is the space to prepare and store the service table.
Jegigo is the place used to store the utensils used in the memorial service, and it is the west building in Jeonsacheong. Bongdang having floor with door and Jeondol was formed to ease the moving of the service things and utensils.

Okjingak

Various relics, including Sir. Toegye's pillow and seat that he used during his lifetime, are exhibited in Okjingak. Also, Sir. Toegye's efforts for studies and training his followers can be appreciated from his writing stationeries, including his apricot inkstone, okseojin, and his desk. An astrolabe, a cane, an apricot light are also displayed.