Donggwanwangmyo

Shrine · Korea

Dongmyo · Seoul Shrine to Guan Yu

Protection & Safety

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In short

A shrine to Guan Yu raised after the Imjin War, the only one of Seoul’s four such shrines still standing.

The main hall of Dongmyo in Seoul, its long brick-floored front opening onto the courtyard. — Steve46814 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Quick facts

Address: 84 Nangye-ro 27-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

About this place

Donggwanwangmyo, in Jongno, Seoul, is a later-Joseon shrine enshrining a clay image of Guan Yu, the Shu general. It was built in 1601, the thirty-fourth year of King Seonjo, by people of the Ming. The Guandi cult was brought over by Ming troops sent during the Imjin War, and shrines were raised in the belief that Guandi’s unseen help had driven the invaders back. A south, a north and a west shrine followed in turn, but only the east one survives. It was designated a Treasure on 21 January 1963.

Origin and history

The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture describes Seoul’s Donggwanwangmyo as a later-Joseon shrine in Jongno enshrining a clay image of Guan Yu, general of Shu. It was built in 1601, the thirty-fourth year of King Seonjo, by people of the Ming.

A south shrine was built in Seoul in 1598, a north shrine in 1883 and a west shrine in 1902, but today only the east shrine remains.

The main hall is five bays across and six deep in the wing-bracket style, with a roof forming a T shape, and the floor is laid with brick. It was designated a Treasure on 21 January 1963.

What it is locally associated with

OriginProtection & Safety
Belief in help that drove the invaders back
The cult came with Ming troops sent during the Imjin War, and shrines were raised in the belief that Guandi’s unseen help had repelled the invasion.
folk tradition
Origin
One of four still standing
South, north and west shrines followed in turn, but today only the east shrine remains.
documented history
Power spot
Headquarters of Gwanseonggyo
The surviving east shrine became the headquarters of Gwanseonggyo, founded in 1920 by Park Gi-hong, Kim Yong-sik and others.
documented history

The encyclopedia records that the Guandi cult was carried over by Ming troops sent during the Imjin War, and that shrines were raised in the belief that Guandi’s unseen help had driven the invaders back. That is why this shrine exists: thanks for a war won, and a request to be guarded again.

What happened afterwards is what makes the place unusual. Of Seoul’s four Guan Yu shrines only the east one survived, and that surviving shrine became the headquarters of Gwanseonggyo, a religion founded in 1920 by Park Gi-hong, Kim Yong-sik and others. Its scriptures are the Gakse Jingyeong and the Myeongseonggyeong, and adherents recite the Proclamation of the Treasure Book of Lord Guan.

A shrine built by Ming men to a Chinese general became, four centuries later, the head office of a Korean religion.

Claims and evidence levels 4

Donggwanwangmyo in Jongno, Seoul, is a later-Joseon shrine enshrining a clay image of Guan Yu, built in 1601 by people of the Ming. documented history
The Guandi cult was brought over by Ming troops sent during the Imjin War, and shrines were raised in the belief that Guandi’s unseen help had driven the invaders back. folk tradition
A south shrine was built in 1598, a north shrine in 1883 and a west shrine in 1902, but only the east shrine survives. documented history
The surviving shrine became the headquarters of Gwanseonggyo, a religion founded in 1920 by Park Gi-hong and Kim Yong-sik; it was designated a Treasure on 21 January 1963. documented history