Seodang

Seodang were private village schools providing elementary education during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties of Korea.

Background

They were primarily occupied with providing initial training in the Chinese classics to boys of 7-16 years of age, but often served students into their twenties. Not regulated in any fashion, seodang could be freely opened and closed by anyone who wished to. Widespread during the Goryeo period, these flourished during Joseon times and were the dynasty's most common educational institution. It has been estimated that 16,000 existed at the end of the Joseon period.

The teacher or headmaster of the seodang was called the hunjang. The seodang were divided into various kinds depending on the hunjang's motivation and relation to the community: