An Yu

An Yu

 or An Hyang

(born 1243—died 1306) Korean Neo-Confucian scholar and educator. In 1287 he accompanied King Chungnyol to the Mongol court in Beijing (Peking), where he encountered the texts of Zhu Xi. Returning to Korea, An Yu used Neo-Confucian thought as the basis for promoting education. He helped reconstitute the National Academy and established a state treasury for national education. Eventually he became director of the Munmyo, the Korean national shrine to culture. Known as an opponent of Son (Zen) Buddhism in Korea, he was the most famous Confucian scholar of his era. See also Neo-Confucianism.