'' musicians at Munmyo Shrine with stone chimes and drums The Munmyo is based on
Confucian practices from China, where
Confucius and followers of his teachings were honored and venerated. Temples dedicated to
Confucius and other disciples called "temples of Confucius" became widespread during the
Tang dynasty. This idea was brought to
Korea where it was adopted. The buildings of Munmyo were first constructed in 1398, but they were destroyed in a fire in 1400, and rebuilt in 1407. The temple was again destroyed during
Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592–1598, and the Daeseongjeon was rebuilt in 1601, and Myeongnyundang in 1606 with funds raised by students of
Sŏnggyun'gwan. Repairs to the temple were conducted in 1869. Apart from Confucius, the
four closest associates of Confucius (
Yan Hui,
Zengzi,
Zisi,
Mencius), ten philosophers praised by Confucius, six Song dynasty
neo-Confucians are also honoured in the temple. Also enshrined in the temple are 18 notable Korean confucians called the "Eighteen Sages of Korea" or the "Eighteen Confucian Scholars of the East" (), or Canonised Sages (配享先生). They are, in the chronological order of enshrinement:
Ch'oe Ch'i-wŏn,
Seol Chong,
An Hyang,
Chŏng Mong-ju, Kim Koengp'il, Chŏng Yŏch'ang,
Cho Kwangjo,
Yi Ŏnjŏk,
Yi Hwang,
Cho Hŏn,
Yi I,
Sŏng Hon,
Kim Jang-saeng,
Song Si-yŏl,
Song Chun-gil, Pak Sech'ae, Kim Inhu, and
Kim Jip. ==Present==