Myeoung Ryun Dang
 

KoreaMosaic Home
Photos Home
Country photos
Korea
Confucianism
The SungGyunGwan
Myeongryundag 2014
All photos on this page
© John Holstein
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Chinese characters say Myeoung Ryun Dang. This was the lecture hall for students who studied the Confucian classics to pass the state higher civil service exam. The sign on the door says, "Class in session," evidence of the living nature of Confucianism.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Many come to serene Myeoung Ryun Dang for a rest.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The building on the left housed students studying for the higher civil service exam. The photo was taken from a duplicate dormitory building. (The lecture hall is the main building, on the right.)
 
 
 
 
 
Over the years I've been fascinated by the color and the play of sunlight on the walls of the dormitories that flank the lecture hall. See more shots here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Not, it's not a canon. It appears to be a fire extinguisher. Or it might be a barley popper. It's been there ever since I arrived at Sungkyunkwan University, in 1982.
 
 
 
 
 
Another view of the main hall.
 
 
 
 
 
Familiarizing them with their Confucian heritage from their earliest years.
 
 
 
 
 
The Baekiljang, a resurrection of the poetry-writing contest from the Choson Dynasty (1398-1910). Now the Confucian organization Yurimhoe holds the contest for high school kids.
 
 
 
 
 
This is the ginkgo tree that was planted when the Seong Gyun Gwan was established, in 1398.
 
 
 
 
 
Visited again in 2006, and found that the lecture hall was getting rather shabby because of poor maintenance.
 
 
 
 
Around back of the main hall
 
 
 
Where they stored books.
 
 
 
 
 
This is also a storage room.
 
Back to Myeongryundang 2014
Back to Seoul Here 'n There 2014
Top