Seodang, or Hall of Books, was the most fundamental private educational institution in the Confucian society. Students went to hyanggyo and seowon in the provinces and Sabu Hakdang in Seoul to prepare for the gwageo (examination for government service).
Some parents had teachers over to their houses to teach children at home. Otherwise, children were taught by a teacher at town in a seodang or relative's seodang. The curriculum began with the reading and writing of the One Thousand Character Classics and then went on to Four Books and Five Classics and composition.
