• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.1-17
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• 2016

The main aim of this study is to provide an overview of the characteristics the Oungak (五雲閣) area on the north of rear garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace which was constructed during the time of king Kojong. This study also consider the aspect of functional elements of Ocryucheon (玉流川) located in Changdeokgung Palace and how the Oungak area was used as a substitute for the Ocryucheon. The Oungak area is the private space of the king. It was built in a natural setting which used existing environment including spring water and the rock carved with inscriptions 'Cheonha-Jaeil-Bokji (天下第一福地). King Kojong tried to replace Ocryucheon with Oungak area which had played a important role of relaxation and leisure for royal family at the Ocryucheon to reconstructed Gyeongbokgung Palace. Despite being away from each other, Oungak area seems quite similar to Ocryucheon area. Oungak area and Ocryucheon have a common conditions of a location and structure of the building. Both constructed on the northernmost part of rear garden, composition of buildings and the design of waterway estimated to function as Curve-Stream Banquet. Oungak area was consisted of Ocryeonjeong (玉蓮亭) Pavilion, Oungak Building, Byeokhwasil (碧華室) Building and Cheonha-Jaeil-Bokji-Cheon (天下第一福地泉) Spring and Streams. Except Byeokhwasil Building, spatial compositions of Oungak area showed pattern that were similar to Ocryucheon area. The area was developed, moreover, to unconventional space that depended on the conditions of topography, slope, water system. First, The Ocryeonjeong Pavilion constructed to view the landscape of Seoul to Namsan Mountain. Second, the peculiar form of Cheonha-Jaeil-Bokji-Cheon Streams is estimated the shape imitated from Curve-Stream Banquet on Ocryuchon. Third, Oungak Building was constructed like a habitable house with Nongsanjeong Building in Ocryucheon. The Oungak area was constructed to improve Gyeongbokgung Palace, Consequently, the Oungak area specially characteristic of Joseon palaces's rear garden.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.95-104
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• 2018

This thesis aims to determine the size of the rear garden and its architectural dimension at Gyeongbok Palace constructed during King Gojong's reign by analyzing Bukgyeol dohyeong(Site plan of Gyeongbok Palace) and Bukgyeol huwon dohyeong(Site plan of Rear Garden of Gyeongbok Palace) applied of scale unit and made from 1905 untill 1909. The results of this study were as follows; With respect to its site, the maximum horizontal length is estimated to be around 448m, the maximum vertical length is around 544m, and the entire area is around $203,905m^2$. Concerning the architecture, the total number of the buildings made up of one or more gan(間) is 32 and the total number of its gan is 292.5, etc.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.26-34
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• 2023

This study conducted interviews with former and current managers of Cheongwadae landscape architecture to provide basic information necessary to preserve, manage, and utilize Gyeongbokgung Palace's back garden, and the main conclusions summarized are as follows. First, the topography changed a lot with the construction of the main building and the official residence under President Roh Tae-woo. The water system was connected to Gyeongbokgung Palace in the past, but is now disconnected. Second, in the case of planting, the most important principles were the president's security and protocol, and accordingly, trees were placed or managed. Trees were planted by introducing excellent trees in various regions, and wildflowers and ground cover plants were frequently replaced according to the season. Third, facilities and roads were arranged for the president's protocol, hobbies, and workers' rest, and fire-fighting facilities were installed to prevent disaster in the forest area of Baegaksan Mountain. Fourth, the biggest inflection point of Gyeongbokgung Palace's back garden during Cheongwadae period was the change in topography due to the new construction of the main building and official residence during President Roh Tae-woo, the removal of A and B barbed wire fences that separated space during President Roh Moo-hyun, and the extensive landscaping carried out for the G20 Summit under President Lee Myung-bak. The area of Gyeongbokgung Palace's back garden is expected to face another inflection point due to the opening of Cheongwadae on May 10, 2022, and the work of evaluating the historical, academic, and landscape values of Gyeongbokgung Palace's back garden should be carried out while preserving the status.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2022

This paper examined the history and development of Gyeongbokgung Palace's back garden based on historical materials and drawings such as Joseon Ilgi(Diaries of Joseon Dynasty), Joseon Wangjo Sillok(the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty), Doseongdaejido(the Great Map of Seoul), Bukgwoldohyeong(Drawing Plan of the Northern Palace), the Bukgung Palace Restoration Plan, Restoration Planning of Gyeongbokgung Palace and the following results were derived. First, it was confirmed that the Back Garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace was famous for its great location since the Goryeo Dynasty, and that it was named Namkyeong at that time and was a place where a shrine was built, and that castles and palaces were already built during the Goryeo Dynasty under the influence of Fengshui-Docham(風水圖讖) and Zhouli·Kaogongji(周禮考工記). Although the back garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace in the early Joseon Dynasty stayed out of the limelight as a back garden for the palace, it has a place value as a living space for the head of the state from King Gojong to the present. Second, in order to clearly identify the boundaries of back garden, through literature such as map of Doseongdo (Map of the Capital), La Coree, Gyeongmudae Area, Japanese Geography Custom Compendium, Korean Photo Album, JoseonGeonchukdoJip(The Illustration Book of Joseon Construction), Urban Planning Survey of Gyeongseong, it was confirmed that the current Blue House area outside Sinmumun Gate was built outside the precincts of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was found that the area devastated through the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, was used as a space where public corporations were combined through the process of reconstruction during the King Gojong period. In Japanese colonial era, the place value as a back garden of the primary palace was damaged, as the palace buildings of the back garden was relocated or destroyed, but after liberation, it was used as the presidential residence and restored the place value of the ruler. Third, in the back garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace, spatial changes proceeded through the Japanese Invasion and Japanese colonial era. The place with the greatest geographical change was Gyeongnongjae area, where the residence of the Japanese Government-General of Korea was built, and there were frequent changes in the use of the land. On the other hand, the current Gyeongmudae area, the forests next to the small garden, and the forests of Baekak were preserved in the form of traditional forests. To clarify this, 1:1200 floor plan of inner Gyeongmudae residence and satellite images were overlapped based on Sinmumun Gate, and as a result, it was confirmed that the water path originating from Baekak still exists today and the forest area did not change. Fourth, in the areas where the traditional forest landscape was inherited, the functional changes in the topography were little, and major old-age colonies are maintained. The old trees identified in this area were indicator tree species with historical value. Representatively, Pinus densiflora for. multicaulis Uyeki, located in Nokjiwon Garden, is presumed to have been preserved as one of Pinus densiflora for. multicaulis Uyeki planted next to Yongmundang, and has a historicality that has been used as a photo zone at dinners for heads of state and important guests. Lastly, in order to continuously preserve and manage the value of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Blue House, it is urgent to clarify the space value through excavation of historical materials in Japanese colonial era and establish a hierarchy of garden archaeology by era. In addition, the basis for preserving the historical landscape from the Joseon Dynasty to the modern era from Gyeongbokgung Palace should not damage the area of the old giant trees, which has been perpetuated since the past, and a follow-up study is needed to investigate all the forests in Blue House.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2020

Noksan is a green area in the form of a hill located inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, unrecognized as a cultural heritage space. This study analyzed the literature and the actual site to derive its landscape meaning by examining the background for the formation of Noksan and how it changed. As a result, the identity of Noksan was related to the geomagnetic vein, pine forest, and deers, and the following are its landscape meaning. First, several ancient maps, including the 「Map of Gyeongbokgung Palace」 depicted the mountain range continuing from Baegaksan(Bugaksan) Mountain to areas inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Noksan is a forest located on the geomantic vein, which continues to Gangnyeongjeon Hall and Munsojeon Hall. On Bukgwoldo(Map of Gyeongbokgung Palace), Noksan is depicted with Yugujeong Pavilion, Namyeogo Storage, office for the manager of Noksan, the brook on north and south, and the wall. It can be understood as a prototypical landscape composed of minimal facilities and the forest. Second, the northern palace walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace were constructed in King Sejong's reign. The area behind Yeonjo(king's resting place) up to Sinmumun Gate(north gate of the palace) was regarded as the rear garden when Gyeongbokgung Palace was constructed. However, a new rear garden was built outside the Sinmumun Gate when the palace was rebuilt. Only Noksan maintained the geomantic vein under the circumstance. However, the geographical features changed enormously during the Japanese colonial era when they constructed a huge official residence in the rear garden outside the Sinmumun Gate and the residence of the governor-general and road in the site of the Blue House. Moreover, Noksan was severed from the foothill of Baegaksan Mountain when 'Cheongwadae-ro(road)' was constructed between the Blue House and Noksan in 1967. Third, the significant characteristics and conditions of the forest, which became the origin of Noksan, were identified based on the fact that the geomatic state of the northeastern side of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the naecheongnyong area in geomantic terms(the innermost 'dragon vein' among the veins that stretched out from the central mountain toward the left side), and they planted pine trees to reinforce the 'ground vein' and the fact that it was expressed as the 'Pine Field' before the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. The pine forest, mixed with oaks, cherries, elms, and chestnuts, identified through the excavation investigation, can be understood as the original vegetation landscape. Noksan's topography changed; a brook disappeared due to mounding, and foreign species such as acacia and ornamental juniper were planted. Currently, pine trees' ratio decreased while the forest is composed of oaks, mixed deciduous trees, some ailanthus, and willow. Fourth, the fact the name, 'Noksan,' came from the deer, which symbolized spirit, longevity, eternal life, and royal authority, was confirmed through an article of The Korea Daily News titled 'One of the seven deers in Nokwon(deer garden) in Gyeongbokgung Palace starved to death.'

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.71-86
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• 2013

This study was carried out to find the changed contents and details of the ponds at Jondeokjeong area in the Changdeok Palace, where was modified during the reign of King Gojong(高宗, 1863~1907), and considered the internal context through the diachronic views about royal garden building in the Joseon Dynasty. The results were as belows. First, this study found that the transformed time of the ponds at Jondeokjeong area was the 21th year of King Gojong(1884) based on the pictures taken in the last half of the 19th century and the records of "Gojongsilrok(高宗實錄: Annals of the King Gojong)". Second, this study also found that the remodeled ponds at Jondeokjeong area by King Gojong were followed the landscape of Geoncheong Palace(乾淸宮) and Hiangwon-pond(香遠池) in Gyeongbok Palace because the remodeled ponds of Jondeokjeong area had the spatial organization similar to Hiangwon-pond. Third, the bridge of remodeled ponds at Jondeokjeong area was utilized as the expedient to expand the function of rear garden, which combines the areas of Yungyungdang(演慶堂) and Jondeokjeong. This was the same method that Konchunggung(乾淸宮) in Gyeongbok Palace had occupied the whole area through the Chui-hiang bridge(醉香橋) which connects to the Hiangwonjeong(香遠亭). Fourth, ponds at Jondeokjeong area and Hiangwonjeong that were created during the year of King Gojong promised the use of Yungyungdang and Konchung Palace, and reflected the statuses of the two building-blocks. Lastly, this study concluded the remodeled Jondeokjeong ponds were not only to create the necessary spaces of the landscape for King Gojong, but also to build the space on the context of Huwonjeongdang(後苑政堂: political structure in rear garden), which has been passed down from their ancestors.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.62-77
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• 2012

This study aimed to investigate the Confucian-oriented agriculture phase of the Joseon Dynasty, which was reflected at the palaces, by analyzing constructional aspects and spatial characteristics of farmlands at the palace rear gardens. The objective sites were the rear gardens of Gyeongbok Palace, Changkyung Palace, and the outside of Sinmoomoon(神武門) This study was based on literature reviews. The farmlands at the palace rear garden were constructed to self-estimate the year's harvest condition within the palaces. It was a part of the agriculture encouragement policy on governing the group of Joseon like publishing the Nongsajiksul(農事直說) and establishing the Chingyeongnye(親耕禮: king's own cultivation ceremony) and Kikokje(祈穀祭: the rite of praying for grain). In addition, farmlands of the rear garden were operated from the beginning of the state almost until the Japanese colonial era. The results were summarized as follows: First, Gyeongbok Palace rear garden's farmland which begin at the reign of Sejong(世宗) existed at the present Hyangwonji(香遠池) area. It was constructed in order to check the advanced agricultural technologies. The rear garden's farmland in Changkyung Palace, which was executed during the reign of Seongjong(成宗), was constructed right after the initial Chingyeongnye of the Joseon Dynasty. Therefore, it might be understood as the context of the king's own cultivation of the Jeokjeonchinkyung(籍田親耕). Injo(仁祖) dug for farmland in the ground of the Gyemgdeok Palace(慶德宮) though there was some stay palace, when his stay dragged out for too long. This bespeaks that those farmlands at the palace rear gardens were of great importance in the Joseon political history. The farmland near Gyeongnongjae(耕農齋), which was made during the reign of Gojong(高宗), inherited predecessor's walks of the promoting agriculture and exhibited spatial compositions such as the rear garden's farmland at Changkyung Palace. Secondly, irrigation, its water systems, the name of observatory to study farming[觀耕臺] and location requirements for farmland had something in common. It was assumed as universal forms of physiocracy-space in the Joseon Dynasty. In this study, by considering aspects of operating about vegetable garden managed by eunuchs and of the orchard in palace to cultivate fruits for national ceremonies, it could be assumed that landscape architecture of royal palace in the Joseon Dynasty did not only focus on solemnity, orderliness and fanciness but also on the practical and productive which was helpful in life. In addition, the diverse activities of productive landscape architecture led by the royal family in palaces, and the initiatively tested advanced agricultural technologies by the king were considered as an aspect of the Korean traditional specific royal palace landscape architecture. That is considered sole landscape not only to love of the people but also the 'agriculture-first' principle which were absent from other nations.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.56-71
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the construction background of multi-functional vacant grounds in the rear gardens of Kyeongbok Palace and Kyeongun Palace, by understanding the building history of multi-functional vacant ground during the Joseon Dynasty with a special reference to the places formed in the period of King Kojong. The multi-functional vacant grounds in the Palace were the important element from the political aspect of Joseon Dynasty, and became an infrastructure of a state - run organization. The vacant space between Kwangyeonlu(廣延樓) and Haeonjeong, the whole region of Yeolmujeong(閱武亭), Seochongdae(瑞蔥臺), and Chundangdae(春塘臺) were investigated as the multi-functional places, where the events were held for the royal family in the Changdeok Palace after the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty. Various events such as the archery competition, official examination and military training were held at the places. After the inauguration of King Kojong, Kyeongmudae(京武臺) was made in the process of the reconstruction of the Kyeongbok Palace. The Kyeonghee Palace was used as the off-palace rear garden after the year that King Kojong returned to the Kyeongun Palace. The characteristics of two spaces were to apply the space organization of the Changdeok Palace into the rear garden outside of Sinmumun(神武門), Kyeongmudae at Kyeongbok Palace and the pedestrian overpass was established to connect the spaces efficiently in Kyeonghee Palace. Especially, the multi-functional vacant ground in the rear garden during the period of King Kojong functioned as the place to show off the internal and external independence of a nation and to show the authority and dignity of King at the point of time that accelerated the plundering Joseon Dynasty by Japanese imperialism powers, beyond the meaning of national event space that had existed before, such as official examination or archery test. In addition, the fact that the multi-functional vacant ground used as training place for military exercise where many people were mobilized was considered to reflect the contemporary situation.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.131-146
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to understand the architectural space of Chimjeon (寢殿), the King's Bedroom, and Backyard, in the early Joseon Dynasty. The Royal palace can be divided into three parts, political space for King, living space for King and his family and government office. So first, we should to understand the characteristics of each space in the Royal Palace. Up to now we have looked at the architectural space of the King's Bedroom in the central area and Backyard in Gyeongbokgung (景福宮), one of the Royal Palace, the result of this study is as followings. Cheonchujeon (千秋殿) and Manchunjeon (萬春殿) were not both sides of Sajeongjeon (思政殿), were on the north side of Gangnyeongjeon (康寧殿) Gangnyeongjeon was not a bedroom for the King and Queen, only for King. Bedroom for Queen was located another space in the Royal palace. There was Hamwonjeon on the west side of Koytaejeon. Jamidang and Cheongyeonroo were on the right side of Koytaejeon The Backyard on the north side of Gyeongbokgung had a wide area for horseback archery and the practice of battle formation The arrangement of the King's bedroom in the central area was assumed like as the Fig 7. and Fig 8.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.12-20
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the backgrounds and spatial characteristics of the sericulture in the rear garden of the palace in Joseon Dynasty. Joseon Dynasty made the various efforts not only to enhance the promotion of agriculture but also sericulture since the main industry of Joseon Dynasty was farming. At the very beginning, Joseon Dynasty planted mulberry trees and built a silkworm-raising room(蠶室) around the Donggung(東宮). Then, King Sungjong(成宗) made Chaesangdan(採桑壇) in Changgyeong Palace and performed Chinzamryae(親蠶禮). The location of Chaesangdan varied as time goes on until the king Gwanghaegun(光海君). Lastly, King Yeongjo(英祖) made Chaesangdan and Junghaechinzambi(丁亥親蠶碑) in Gyeongbok Palace. Yeongjo(英祖) showed a strong attachment to Gyeongbok Palace and actively encouraged the sericulture. Chaesangdan was built in the east side of the palace which was appropriate for planting mulberry trees. Furthermore, a silkworm-raising room was located in this place at the era of King Sejong(世宗).