Dobong Seowon (Seoul)

Dobong Seowon is a royal charter seowon (a Confucian academy that received a plaque, books, land, and slaves from the king during the Joseon Dynasty, thereby gaining official recognition) that enshrines Jo Gwang-jo and Song Si-yeol, the most representative Neo-Confucian scholars of the early and late Joseon period. It is the most representative seowon in the Seoul area today, where famous poets and calligraphers such as Baeksa Yi Hang-bok left literary works. Although most of the site was destroyed in 1871 due to the seowon abolition decree, unlike other seowon in the Seoul area, the stylobate of the shrine and the carved stone group (gakseokgun) introduced as remains of Dobong Seowon in historical records remain largely intact in the valley in front of the seowon site, allowing the boundaries of the site to be relatively clearly identified. Moreover, apart from these remains, the site is also a scenic spot long praised for its beautiful landscapes in various literature and poems, thus holding great preservation value.

(Source: National Heritage Administration)