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Yeongsan Hyanggyo - 영산향교 (靈山鄕校) (16th century or earlier)

Hyanggyos were state-supported educational facilities where students traditionally prepared themselves for civil service examinations. The curriculum emphasized not just book learning, but also a reverence for Confucius, Mencius, and local Korean sages whose memorial tablets were enshrined in dedicated buildings.

The layout of Yeongsan Hyanggyo is indicative of this dual purpose. A compact courtyard on the south end of the property comprises a lecture hall (Myeongryundang) and east and west student dormitories (the dongjae and seojae, respectively). Several hundred meters to the north and uphill stands a separate courtyard comprising the primary shrine (the Daeseongjeon) along with east and west subsidiary shrines (the dongmyo and seomyo) which enshrined various memorial tablets of scholars whose lives the students strove to emulate.

Yeongsan Hyanggyo's layout is somewhat atypical in that the two courtyards are spaced so widely apart. Ordinarily they are connected and often share a common boundary wall.

The specific date of the hyanggyo's founding is not known for certain, but records show that it was renovated during the reign of King Jungjong (r. 1506-1544).

Address: 경남 창녕군 영산면 교리 52. (Gyeongnam-do, Changnyeong-gun, Yeongsan-myeon, Gyo-ri 52).

Location

The approximate location of the house is 35.461776' N, 128.535047' E (WGS 84 map datum).