An Hyang was a leading Confucian

Korean Confucianism

Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism developed in Korea. One of the most substantial influences in Korean intellectual history was the introduction of Confucian thought as part of the cultural influence from China...

 scholar born in Yeongju

Yeongju

Yeongju is a city in the far north region of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea, covering 668.84 km2 with a population of 113,930 people according to the 2008 census...

 in present-day South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

. He is considered the founder of Neo-Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism is an ethical and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty....

 in Korea, introducing Song Confucianism to the Goryeo

Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...

 kingdom. An Hyang visited China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, transcribing the Chu Tzu Shu and bringing his copy and portraits of Confucius

Confucius

Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....

 and Zhu Xi

Zhu Xi

Zhū​ Xī​ or Chu Hsi was a Song Dynasty Confucian scholar who became the leading figure of the School of Principle and the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China...

 to Korea to use in his revitalization of Confucianism. He strove to replace Buddhism with Confucianism. In 1304 he founded the Confucian shrine Munmyo

Munmyo

Munmyo is Korea's primary Confucian shrine...

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There is a portrait of him at the Sosu Seowon

Sosu Seowon

Sosu Seowon is the oldest seowon, private Neo-Confucian academy in Korea which was established during the Silla Kingdom period. It was found at the entrance of Suksusa Temple, in Yeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do South Korea...

, which was built as a memorial to the scholar. There is also a statue of him on Banya-san in Nonsan

Nonsan

Nonsan is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at . Nonsan is also called Nolmoi, meaning dusk or yellow mountain ; "Nonsan" means rice paddies + mountain.-History:...

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