World Heritage ‘Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies’ A Phenomenal Approach to portraits of a person who was enshrined

A notable finding from this study is that only three out of the nine UNESCO World Heritage-listed Korean Neo-Confucian Academies (Seowon) currently enshrine portraits (yeongjeong) of their deified figures, despite the cultural and ritual significance attributed to these portraits. Specifically, Seosuwon houses portraits of An Hyang and Ju Se-bong, Namgwesewon that of Jeong Ye-chang, and Musongsewon that of Choi Chi-won. The research employs a phenomenological approach to analyze the presence and role of these portraits during enshrinement rituals, highlighting their integration with ancestral tablets (weipai) in ceremonies. The study also underscores the importance of maintaining this tradition across all Seowon sites, drawing from the precedent set by Seosuwon, which was the first to receive royal approval for its enshrinement practices.

Oh, S., & Kwon, H. (2023). World Heritage ‘Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies’ A Phenomenal Approach to portraits of a person who was enshrined. Won-Buddhist Thought & Religious Culture, 98, 301–340. https://doi.org/10.67287/wth.2023.12.98.301