A Study on the Framework and Arrangement of Interior Column in Single-Story Buddhist Halls

단층 불전 내주의 결구 및 배열 방식에 관한 연구

This study aims to classify the framework and arrangement of interior columns (Naeju) which are used in single-story Buddhist halls into several types, and to develop a theory on the process of changes among those types. Since interior columns are building materials which hold up the roof structure and make partitions in the interior space of halls, their framework and arrangement is closely linked to the development of building technology and is expected to reflect new architectural needs. The kinds of interior columns classified by the shape of framework are goju, chaduju, oepyonju, naepyonju. The arrangement of interior columns can he classified by two methods: One which counts the number of the interior column arrangements in a hall, and the other whose classification relates with the side wall columns - Jeongchibup and yijubup. With the combination of these classifications, we can divide the framework and arrangement of interior columns into 8 types From the remains of Korean and Chinese Architecture, we can presume that before the late-Goryo period, jeongchibup had always been applied in the construction of Buddhist halls, and gamju(column reducing) had only been used in examples of small scale. After the founding of Choseon Kingdom, however, national policy had weakened the economic power of Buddhist temples. Because of that, large-scale outdoor Buddhist mass was replaced by small-scale indoor mass, and for this reason, though the scale of Buddhist halls became smaller, the need for a broad interior space became stronger. Thus in early-Choseon period, reduction of interior columns became widely spread. Those types of framework and arrangement of interior columns where yijubup was applied were developed because the rear interior columns arrangements, in order to expand the interior space, have moved backward. Among these types, yiju-goju and yiju-chaduju were developed for the Buddhist halls with paljak roof(hipped-gabled roof), where the load of their side eaves caused structural problems at the side walls. And oepyonju type was for the small-scale and middle-scale Buddhist halls which needed more interior space but didn't want the extension of roof structure. From the local and periodic distribution of each types, we can conclude that the types jeongchi-goju, jeongchi-chaduju and yiju-chaduju have been settled as typical technique of local carpenters. Oepyonju was developed later than the other types, but for its merit of low cost, it became a popular type across the nation.