• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.9-22
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• 2010

This research is attempted to investigate Dongcheon-rock inscription- to understand symbolic meanings from inscribed texts and to find its construction purpose. For the investigation, 25 target areas were selected for field exploration and literature review regarding Dongcheon were also performed. Several design characteristics of Dongcheon are as follows: First, Dongcheon has four criteria according to creation purpose: residential type(家居地型), hermitage type(隱棲地型), nature excursion type(山水遊覽型), aesthetic scenery type(勝景型), moral training type(修身型) and spiritual discipline type(修道地型). This category shows that Dongcheon is constructed at residential area, shelters, and place for leisure, mortal training and spiritual discipline. Second, Dongcheon is also classified by its location: location on village entrance in a deep forest(深山同口型) and location on near stream(溪流隣接型); location on near stream has also two types(連繫型, 單一領域型): location on an independent territory and location horizontal ground(平地型). Through garden creators' managing their garden in forest, valley and scenic spots, they pursue utopia. Third, naming is a way to create new landscape places. By naming a certain natural landscape as Dongcheon, the landscape is symbolized as utopia, appearing fairyland. Designer's desire and thoughts are saturated in Dongcheon.