On our second day at Jirye Art Village, we clamber into Mr Kim’s seven- seater SUV and head off towards a handsome Confucian Academy ( seowon). There are two seowons in the outlying area near Andong.
Dosan Seowon, about 28 km north of Andong is the more famous school as those who aspired to become high officials in the government would study here and the entrance exams for would-be civil servants were held here. It also happens to be a favourite location for outdoor scenes for TV dramas like Painter of the Wind.
However, today, we’re visiting the other seowon, Byeongsan Seowon, west of Andong and just beside the river. The elevated pavilion, Mandae-ru, that overlooks the broad river is quite large and has impressive beams and columns.
The spaces between the smooth columns look like some folding screen – each with a slightly different scene. How on earth did the ancient scholars manage to concentrate on their studies with so much distracting beauty outdoors?
The steps leading up to this study pavilion are carved out of single logs without benefit of handrails so visitors with unsteady legs or a poor sense of balance may need a helping hand.
Check out the Dalpaeng-i Duitgan(snail restroom) - It's traditional hwajangshil which is a curious snail shaped structure made of mud-stone walls with a curved entrance and passageway instead of the usual door. In other seowons, such restrooms were built from bamboo trees so luckily there's one at least made of longer-lasting stuff. It's also important enough to be ranked as historical monument No 206. Would enter to see what the end looks like but not sure if someone is using it at the moment.
http://www.tourandong.com/english/coding/main.asp
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=313046
