Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analyze the awareness of the governing classes of Mo-Jeong and its architectural characteristics in the Joseon Dynasty by means of a review of literature and paintings. Mo-Jeong is a sort of open-air pavilion with a roof made of thatch and constructed with one or two spans. In previous times, Mo-Jeong was considered as the representative architecture of the Jeon-Nam Province, where it was used in farming communities. However, a review of ancient literature and paintings depicting Mo-Jeong reveals that it was not used only for one specific class, but rather was used by a variety of groups ranging from ordinary people to the members of the ruling class. Moreover, there are several examples in literature and paintings which show that Mo-Jeong was used in palaces and for the governing classes' gardens. The results of this study are as follows: In the Joseon Dynasty, the governing classes used Mo-Jeong not only for official areas in palaces but also as a leisure space near their rear garden and in the sarangchae (the men's part of a house), due to its simple structure and ready supply of materials. Furthermore, Mo-Jeong was embodied in the governing classes' philosophies and ideas such as Neo-Confucianism, Daoist hermit ideology, and the thought of Lao-tzu because its material represents its simplicity and natural beauty.
