Dong-myo Shrine the Eastern Daoist-Military Shrine, thanking the Ming Dynasty for its aid at the southern tip of Seoul's Nak-san, the Inner-Eastern Guardian Mountain
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This Daoist shrine is located at the far eastern edge of Jongno-gu District, outside of the Dongdae-mun [Great East Gate] of old Hanyang (now downtown Seoul). A nearby Metro Train station on Line 1 and Line 6 is named after it, "Dongmyo-ap" [ap = 'across from']. It is usually closed, and few if any ceremonies are now held here. A busy "flea market" surrounds it on three sides these days.
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a faded dragon on the front gate's door
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The Dong-myo ["Eastern Shrine"] was built in honour of 3rd century Chinese military commander Guan Yu,
in order to thank the Ming Dynasty and its military for aiding Korea with a division of soldiers to repel the
1592-98 Imjin Invasion from Japan (ideologically, it thanks Guan Yu for his divine support).
The Joseon Dynasty government embarked on construction in 1599 and completed the work in 1601. Emperor
Ming Wanli provided funds for construction of shrine, along with a name-plaque written in his own calligraphy.
There was no such practice as worshipping Guan Yu as deity in Korea until Ming Dynasty military officers
brought the custom during those military campaigns against Japan. As Neo-Confucian fundamentalists, Korean
officers found it unacceptable to worship Guan Yu, but were unable to refuse Chinese request for enshrinement
after the war as an expression of gratitude and continuing loyalty. The construction was burden to exhausted
postwar Korea, and shrine was maintained only with concern for relationship with China.
Koreans remained indifferent toward these shrines for long time. During reign of King Yeongjo (1724-1776),
however, they were incorporated into state rituals for purpose of respecting the Ming and expressing hostility
toward and contempt for the "illegitimate" Manchu Qing Dynasty.
The shrine is surrounded by traditional walls of stone and mud, and covers 9,315 m² of ground. Following
the Chinese model, it is narrower in width than depth, and the walls are sumptuously decorated with bricks.
The main gate is on the southern side, and the compound is used as a kind of local leisure park.
Four such shrines -- this Dong-myo (east), the
Nam-myo (south, the Seo-myo (west) and the
Buk-myo (north) - were actually constructed in
1601. However, only the eastern and southern
shrines remain today; the southern one on the
northern face of Mt. Nam-san is called the
Jegal-myo (constructed by Ming military official
Zhen Yin) , and is privately operated, fully active.
The main icon-statue is this golden-face gold-robe Gwan Yu, with two attendants, in front of an
Ilwol-o-ak-do painting, the same type that sit behind Korean royal thrones -- this grants the Guan Yu
guardian-deity royal status. There is also a red-faced statue of the general that represents his fierce
& fearsome earthly countenance -- this golden one depicts his wise spirit. There are also four other
hard-to-see painted statues of his retainers and other famous Chinese deified generals.