Hyanggyo, or local Confucian schools, are secondary educational institutions founded by the national government in the Goryeo and Joseon periods to educate Confucianism. In the beginning, the Goryeo Dynasty sent experts and professors to different regions to educate talented individuals in an attempt to strengthen the centralization of power. In the Joseon period, the functions of the local Confucian schools have been reinforced, and they were installed in all counties and towns around the nation. The purpose was to foster talented individuals into government officials and educate and spread Confucianism as the central ideology of Joseon instead of Buddhism, which was the mainstream culture of Goryeo.

The Jeonjuhyanggyo Local Confucian School was founded in 1354, the 3rd year of King Gongmin's reign from Goryeo. After the foundation of Joseon, this school was relocated to Hwasan-dong by constructing the Gyeonggijeon Hall, a hall to seal the memorial portrait of King Taejo, in 1410 or the 10th year of King Taejong's reign. It is because people believed that the sound of students reading books out loud
made the deceased soul of King Taejo restless. After 139 years, the Jeonjuhyanggyo Local Confucian School was relocated again to the current location because it was far away from the city, had inconvenience in crossing the Jeonjucheon Stream, and violated the rule of placing the Confucian shrine on the left and Sajikdan Altar on the right side of the guesthouse.

The Jeonjuhyanggyo Local Confucian School was a large-sized Confucian school with buildings comprising 99 kans (a unit of measurement referring to the distance between two columns), including the Daeseongjeon Hall, Manhwaru Pavilion, Myeongnyundang Lecture Hall, Dongjae, Seojae, and Gyeseongsa Shrine. This school was also known as the Capital Confucian School because it resembled the look of the Seonggyungwan Academy in Seoul. Similar to the Najuhyanggyo Local Confucian School, this school has the front-shrine, rear-school arrangement with the Manhwaru Pavilion, Irwolmun Gate, Daeseongjeon Hall, and Myeongnyundang Lecture Hall forming the central axis. The Gyeseongsa Shrine is placed behind them to the northwest. As you enter the Manhwaru Pavilion at the entrance of the school, you pass by a tall gate called the Irwolmun Gate to reach the space for sacrificial rites.

The front yards of the Daeseongjeon Hall and Myeongnyundang Lecture Hall have two large ginkgo trees that are over 400 years old. Peculiarly, the ginkgo tree on the right side of the Daeseongjeon Hall is a hermaphrodite tree that turned from a male into a female to produce ginkgo nuts. These ginkgo nuts are gathered to perform rites. A legend says that people who pick a ginkgo nut from the 250-year-old ginkgo tree in front of the Irwolmun Gate and pray can pass the state examination. To this date, people who are about to take an examination keep a ginkgo nut like a charm. With longevity and strong resistance to harmful insects, ginkgo trees represent the spirit of classical scholars who are adamant to temptations. For this reason, all Confucian schools planted ginkgo trees in their yard.

The Jeonjuhyanggyo Local Confucian School used to play the role of an educational institution in the Goryeo and Joseon periods, but it lost its educational function with the implementation of theology after the Gabo Reform. The school once again became a cradle of education through the national liberation in 1948. There was no university in Jeonju until the liberation. Accordingly, the Jeonjuhyanggyo Local Confucian School led the efforts to form a foundation and establish Myeongnyun College in 1950. People had a great passion for learning, even during the Korean War. The facilities of the college were inferior, and students had to study with desks placed on muddy grounds, but the poor conditions could not suppress the desire of students to study. With the support of the Confucian school, Confucian scholars, and local leaders of Jeollabuk-do Province, the college was promoted into Jeonbuk National University in 1953. Jeonbuk National University relocated to the Deokjin Campus, which stood the test of time until today. The Jeonjuhyanggyo Local Confucian School was the forerunner of Jeonbuk National University.

In 1983, the Jeonjuhyanggyo Local Confucian School opened Korea’s only Sunday school in Myeongnyundang Lecture Hall to teach ethics, morals, Chinese characters, calligraphy, and courtesy. The school also runs the Children’s Courtesy School for children to learn courtesy at young ages.

This Confucian School opened its doors to the public to become a place for culture and art education. As the school operates various programs, take a moment to visit and experience the culture of classical scholars. The school will make your trip to Jeonju more worthwhile.