• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.22
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• pp.345-385
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• 2014

The object of this thesis is to consider the meaning of sincerity(誠), reverence(敬) and faith(信) through Cha gyungseok's historical record. Cha gyungseok(車京石, 1880-1936) is a key disciple of Kang Jeungsan Sangjenim(姜甑山, 1871~1909) to whom Cha kyungseok has begun to follow since 1907, completing his wandering around Yeonghak-gye(英學契), Iljin-hoe(一進會) and Cheondo-gyo(天道敎) after the loss of his father[Cha Jikoo(車致九), 1851-1894] in Tonghak peasants revolution. To examine the meaning of sincerity, reverence and faith as cardinal points in Daesoonjinrihoe(大巡眞理會) creed, this research has taken note of Cha kyungseok's sincerity, reverence and faith who is said to be thought of himself as a head of Reconstruction Work for the Tonghak spitit's resolution of grievances, despite the Sangjenim's intention of using him for different usage due to his sincerity, reverence and faith. Especially, emphasis was given to the illumination of Cha gyungseok's change of sincerity, reverence and faith through closely reviewing his life prior to the encounter with Sangjenim, the process of following Sangjenim and his whereabouts after the ascension of Sangjenim. In addition, through Jeonkyeong(典經), this research also examines Cha kyeong seok's sincerity, reverence and faith along with his ambition contained in that sincerity, reverence and faith. Up to his ascension, Sangjenim has never saved his advice on Cha gyungseok's ambition. Leaving Sangjenim's advice behind, Cha gyungseok moves on to become a head of the Reconstruction Work for the Tonghak spitit's resolution of grievances without deserting the dream of being the Son of Heaven. Although, he showed his prowess as a religious sect leader called Bocheon-gyo boasting its 6 million believers and as a provisional emperor of the country named Sikuk, he ends his life as a head for the Resolution of grievances of kings, princes, generals and premiers due to the change of faith on Sangjenim and interruption of Japanese Imperial Government, without accomplishing his dream. The feature of past disciples suggests the direction of cultivation for our cultivators. Through Cha gyungseok's sincerity, reverence and faith, we could look back upon the meaning of sincerity, reverence and faith and conclude that a real sincerity, reverence and faith is the heart-mind trying to participate in Reconstruction Work of Heaven and Earth with a pure mind, contrary to the one coming out of greed.

• Archives of design research
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• v.18 no.3 s.61
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• pp.117-128
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• 2005

The French Belle Epoque is a period where the literary and artistic movement was very activated. The birth of the cubism reflects this atmosphere of the times and the change of paradigm in all fields. The Bergsonism is often designated as one of the important backgrounds of cubism. The problem consists in knowing if Bergsonian ideas gave real influence on the cubist movement and up to what point. Our analysis will show that it is not homogenous and very variable according to painters. In the case of Picasso and Braques it seems be a simple inspiration of Zeitgeist. But the influence upon Metzinger and Gleizes is explicit. The text of 1912, Du cubism, prove their attachment to his thought. The key concept of cubist theory, influenced by Bergsonian philosophy, is the concept of simultaneity. Cubist simultaneity is in one hand a reflection of an artist's psychological experience and the other hand a synthesis of multiple views for grasping the object in itself by the way of conceptual representation. The temporal simultaneity could be identified with the notion of memory, which is a temporal continuity connecting the past to dynamic present. The spatial simultaneity is a juxtaposition of multiple views obtained by the movement around the object. But the dose reading of Bergson's text shows that there is a divergence between the notion of cubist simultaneity and his ideas. The biased interpretation is often, as well as the strict understanding, like the history shows us well, a great source of inspiration and creativity. The cubist mouvement is not far from this case.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.66
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• pp.331-362
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• 2017

The paintings of the Eight Drunken Immortals refer to the paintings based on an influential poem called "The Song of the Eight Drunken Immortals" by Du Fu, a Chinese poet from the Tang Dynasty. This poem is about the eccentricity of the Eight Immortals known for their love of drinking. The Eight Drunken Immortals have been widely appreciated among East Asian intellectuals, and their stories have also been translated into paintings. Greatly influenced by Li Gonglin's Painting of the Eight Drunken Immortals, people in China have the tendency to create similar scroll paintings, using contour drawing tools. Meanwhile, in Korea, the paintings of the Eight Drunken Immortals have been widely appreciated both as a type of visual art embodying the Drunken Immortals' taste for the arts and as a meaningful object conveying the people's wish for longevity and eternal friendship. According to historical records, the paintings of the Eight Drunken Immortals from the Ming Dynasty were drawn on eight-fold folding screens using a sophisticated ink wash painting technique. In the meantime, the Painting of the Eight Drunken Immortals appreciated by King Jeongjo from the Joseon Dynasty was a colored landscape painting with small human figures on an eight-fold folding screen. Since the recent discovery of Yi Han-cheol's Painting of the Eight Drunken Immortals on an eight-fold folding screen, it has now become possible to imagine how renowned artists such as Kim Hong-do and Kim Yang-gi would have made the narrative figure paintings. In particular, the story of Li Bai, one of the Eight Immortals, was the most famous one often told in the paintings. After the 19th century, there was even an entire panel of narrative folding screen made about Li Bai. As painting manuals and outline drawings were pervasively used, the narrative paintings on Li Bai were mass-produced among commoners. As you can see from this, the Eight Drunken Immortals have been visually represented as thirsty souls who are not disconnected from the world, as honest men of refined taste for the arts, and as protagonists of an object that conveys the people's wish for longevity and eternal friendship. In other words, the paintings of the Eight Drunken Immortals embody multiple undertones: as paintings based on Du Fu's poems and as narrative paintings on the Eight Immortals.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.39
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• pp.215-247
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• 2021

In Buddhism, there are specific terms related to miracles and miraculous acts such as the Sanskrit term, abhijñā, which was translated as into Chinese characters as shintong (神通). This term implies the six supranormal powers. It originally meant 'direct knowledge,' 'high knowledge,' or 'knowledge beyond the common senses,' which was understood as a superhuman and transcendental ability possessed by Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and noblemen. However, this took on different meanings and morphed into different terms later in India and China. This article analyzes the subject, object, type, and purpose of these shintong, focusing on the Sutra for the Householder Kaivarti (堅固經, Gyeonggo-gyeong, Kaivarti-sūtra) from the Longer Discourses (長阿含經, Jang-Ahamgyeong, Dīrghâgama) and exemplary Buddhist texts such as the Sanskrit, In Praise of the Acts of the Buddha (佛所行讚, Bulsohaengchan, Buddhacaritam) and the Chinese Records of Eminent Monks (高僧傳, goseungjeon) and Continued Records of Eminent Monks (續高僧傳, Sok-goseungjeon). The historical evolution and changes to the meaning of Shintong in Indian and Chinese contexts can be observed through these texts. In the Sutra for the Householder Kaivarti, the Buddha said that there are three kinds of Shintong: supranormal footedness (神足, shinjok, ṛddhi-pāda), mindreading (觀察他心, gwanchaltashim, anya-mano-jñāna), and education (敎誡, gyogye, anuśāsana). Among them, supranormal footedness (multiplying one's body, teleportation, flying, walking on water, etc.) and mindreading were denied because, at that time, claims of this nature were used to appeal to people's emotions and inspire sincerity, but this was of no use in conveying the Buddha's teaching. On the other hand, education, acquired only with through enlightenment, was sanctioned as a shintong unique to Buddhism. However, in In Praise of the Acts of the Buddha, supranormal footedness and mindreading were described as important ways to lead people to enlightenment, while education pertained to the whole of spiritual work. In China, Buddhism was a foreign religion at first, and it urgently sought to be accepted. After the increase of its religious influence, introspection on discipline and practice was meant to firmly deepen its roots. In line with this, shintong and miracles were transformed and expanded to suit the Chinese cultural context. Such changes in Buddhist history are well illustrated by the shini (神異, miraculous powers) described in Records of Eminent Monks and the gamtong (感通, penetration of sensitivity) detailed in Continued Records of Eminent Monks. In Records of Eminent Monks, the subject of shini was that of eminent monks and its objects were those who did not know of Buddhism or believe in it. In Continued Records of Eminent Monks, however, the monks themselves could be objects of shini. The change of object suggests that the purpose had shifted from edification to awareness and self-reflection. Shini focused on edification, whereas gamtong re-emphasized the importance of the pure discipline and practice of monks during the 6^th and 7^th centuries when China became predominantly Buddhist.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.170-203
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• 2018

From the period of Japanese colonialism up to the present, the researchers of archaeology and ancient history in Korea and Japan have paid much attention to the Honam area. Recently the ruins and relics of Wae lineage are often discovered at archaeological excavation sites in this region. In particular, at least 17 keyhole-shaped mounds were confirmed. The fact that three mounds were built on one site was newly revealed. Haniwa, a representative earthenware object of the Kofun period in Japan, was discovered as well. Therefore, the study of a historical meaning of archaeological materials about Wae lineage in the Honam area thus far must be reexamined. The ruins and relics of Wae lineage in the Honam area have been studied by selecting only specific cases. I identified all the ruins and relics of Wae lineage in the Honam area and analyzed the process of their change in this paper. I reviewed the relationship between Wae and Mahan, and the purpose of their negotiation based on archaeological characteristics, changing processes, and historical records on a quarterly basis. The ruins and relics of Wae lineage have increased and widely spread since the early period of the 5th century in the Honam area. This tendency continued until the late period of the 6th century. Weapons of Wae lineage were introduced and tombs in the style of Wae were built from the late 4th century to the early period of the 5th century (TG232~TK216 period). Sueki was introduced from the middle to late period of the 5th century (TK208~TK23 period). Keyhole-shaped mounds and tombs in the style of Wae were built from the late period of the 5th century to the early period of the 6th century (TK47~MT15 period). Japanese weapons were introduced from the middle to late period of the 6th century (TK10~TK209 period). In other words, the archaeological appearance is different in each quarterly period. There was an intensive diplomatic relationship between Baekje and Wae in the TG232~TK216 period. The military might be included in a mission of Wae. The materials of Wae lineage of this period are likely to be related to this. Sueki spread to the inland part of the Honam area in the TK208~TK23 period. This Sueki tends to be excavated on advantageous sites for the accumulation and distribution of supplies. The main characters of the keyhole-shaped mounds are presumed to be a group of traders which were under the control of a certain influence in the north of Kyushu. The keyhole-shaped mounds were abruptly built at some distance from mounds of the leaders in the Honam area. Additionally, there was no special influence base to which the characters of the keyhole-shaped mounds belonged in the surroundings. However, it might have been impossible for the group of traders to build the keyhole-shaped mounds without the support from the residents at all because there was a big difference in the building technology of the keyhole-shaped mounds between Japan and the Honam area. The time of building some keyhole-shaped mounds is the same or almost the same with that of the mounds built for the regional leaders. This proves a close relationship with the residents as well. What do the archaeological materials of Wae lineage which have been used and buried mean over 200 years in the Honam area? Geumgwan Gaya, which had exported iron resources to Japan, perished in the early period of the 5th century. Instead of Gaya, the Honam area might have played an important role to supply the necessary resources to Japan. We assume that the Japanese (Wae) actively worked to acquire various resources focusing on the underground resources in the Honam area.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.11-31
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• 2019

Taking the painting, 「Landscape of the Jiuqu River in the Wuyi Mountain」 as the study object, which was produced in the middle of Qing Dinasty and collected by the British Library, this paper analyzes the scenery names recorded in the painting, and describes the landscape of the mountain, port and ships, architectural elements, civil elements, character, stone inscription and other scenery in the painting. The investigation results of the cultural landscape properties of each Gok are as follows: According to statistics, there are 28 architectural elements in the painting, including 7 pavilions (25%), 4 temples (14.3%), 3 Colleges and Taoist temple (10.7%), 2 Dowon(道院) and villages (7.1%); 29 civil elements, including 9 holes (31%), 6 Historical Sites (20.7%), 3 Stations(臺) (10.3%), 2 Ferries, 2 Bridges, and 2 Ponds (6.9%), 1 Garden, 1 Gate, 1 Mine(坑), 1 Well and 1 Remains(3.4%). These physical factors and civil factors are the important relics reflected the cultural landscape attributes of Wuyi-Gugok in the middle of the 18th century. Among the shape element in each Gok, the 1^st Gok have 12 shape elements(21.1%), the 5^th Gok 11(19.3%), the 4^th Gok 9(15.8%), the 9^th Gok 8(14%), the 3^rd Gok 7(12.3%), the 6^th Gok 4(7%), the 2^nd Gok 3(5.3%), the 7^th Gok 2(3.5%), and the 8^th Gok 1(2%). Through collation, it is found that the 1^st Gok, 5^th Gok and 4^th Gok have more prominent cultural landscape characteristics. In addition, according to the description of scenic spot types in 『Muisanji(武夷山志)』, there are 38 types of scenery description in the painting, of which, the three scenery of big rock, peak, small rock occupy the vast majority. This reflects the Danxia(丹霞) landform characteristics of Wuyi-Gugok. The cultural connotation of Wuyi Mountain expressed and contained in the painting is analyzed and interpreted, and it is found that the Jiuqu(九曲) River in the Wuyi Mountain has Neo-confucianism culture, Taoism culture, Buddhism culture, Tea culture and so on. In addition, among the 171 scenery names shown in the painting, there are altogether 7 stone inscriptions that are consistent with or have the same meaning as the rock inscriptions site, including 3 for inscriptions praising the landscape, 3 for philosophical inscription and 1 for auspicious language inscription, which is considered as the important basis for the mutual textuality between the pictures and the stone inscriptions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.30
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• pp.261-274
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• 1996

In the present age dominate by both cer-taingty of 1% and uncertainty of 99% 'Fuzzy thinking' of Bart Kosko that is the way to solve the problems by the scientific way through a worldview of Buddhism or Taoism greatly prevails around the world over 'Lateral greatly prevails around the world over 'Lateral thinking' and the authenticity or the right and-wrong of the uncertainty which is the thinking way to find the answer of the problems of illogical way of Edward de Beno against the western vertical thinking were Concurrently fashion designers over the world also adopt the oriental elements. But there exist differences of thoughts between the orient and the occident. And they have dif-ferent thinking way of aestheticism and references of the value on the beauty. Not only beauty but the view through the mind as intuitional thought in which not only the rec-ognition of sense but also the rationalism and the naturalness play key role. The aesthetic sense in the orient contains both the truth and virtue. 2) The beauty of the mean It's from the thought of neutralization of Confucius. The mean or moderation state which in harmony with ethical virtue and aes-thetic beauty is the ideal and is the ultimate. Therefore the thought of Confucian is the creativity in which the balance and the har-mony is most important. Fashion design is also one of the representation of the mean because the spirit of the designer is harmonized for-mlessly with the object of the model of the fashion design. 2) The beauty of skillfulness It indicates the Taoism of Lao-tzu and Chuangtzu. It takes a super-artistic declar-ation that human can feel and recognize the color of colorlessness the sound of sound-lessness and the taste of tastelessness. The thought of arts affected by Taoism is 'ad-vanced age' called the beauty of skillfulness. The view of arts of lao-tzu takes the beauty of cosmos and the nature as a standard. Es-pecially the beauty of inactivity is recognized by the linkage between the beauty and the ugliness. And these things appear in fashion design as a design element such as humor or exaggeration. 3) The beauty of non-dualism It is thought of Buddhism that all evil passions of worry occur form the opposition in dualism. Finally this thought leads to that everything is consistent and truth is only one from the point of view that virtue and vice has on linkage that is 'no virtues no vices' and 'one with two, two, with one, one is not two' A big tendency like this became the root forma-tion of the thought of the oriental arts. 3. Characteristics of the oriental aesthetic sense on the present fashion design 1) The formation of the fashion design on the oriental elements In the picture-incantation which was a representation of an era when the thought of 'cosmic dual forces' dominated the basic polygons of 'a circle square triangle' means both 'one two three' and 'the negative positive mean' of cosmic elements. From this point of view the was of planner cutting in the Orient is dif-ferent from that of the Occidental which is in three-dimensional. The planner polygon type of the cut-pieces comes to have the meaning of the three-dimension when they consist of a suit that has the combination of each cut-piece. This shows the consistency with the principle of cosmos creation of Taoism that one is two two is three and three is every-thing. 2) The coloring and the symbolic represen-tation of the fashion design on the orien-tal elements The sense on the colors in the Orient from the thought of 'the cosmic dual forces and the five elements' is not the experi-enced from the knowledge but contains the consideration of philosophy Five-primary-color representing compass directions Blue(East) Red(South) Yellow(Center) White (West) and Black (North) is called ' the posi-tive' for this five-primary-color secondary-color which comes from the compound of the primary colors is called 'the negative' The thought of 'the cosmic dual forces and the five elements' is also an theory containing the natural order of the cos-mos and this shows the perceptional differ-ence that they are not conceptual but to be recognized and fell directly. A thought of Buddhism which is 'Colors are colorlessness and Clolorlessness are color's proves that. 3) The pattern and symbolic representation of the fashion design on the oriental elements The pattern as a visual style is a figure of symbolic representation which adopt the mental and physical world of human and are the compo-sition of artistic revelation of the human nature and the religous thought of incantation. Es-pecially the symbolic representation of the oriental thought of Confusion. Buddhism and Taoism There are patterns such as plants aminals the oriental four gods and geometry. From the above it's the time toward the 21'th century when the world is constructing one global area and one historical zone. And the exotic mood of the Orient represented in the fashion which doesn't make the common feeling in general does not cease to develop only to express the visual modeling but also adopts the thought religion and the art which are the root of the Orientail and contains inherent willing of modeling.

• Journal of Science of Art and Design
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• v.10
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• pp.161-181
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• 2006

The words which appeared in my theoretical study and work are image transformation to digital painting, simulation, heterologie and transfiguration, etc. Firstly, let's look into 'digital era' or 'new media era'. Nowadays, the image world including painting within the rapid social and cultural change, which is called as digital era, is having the dramatic change. Together with the development of scientific technology, large number of events which was deemed to be impossible is happening as real in image world Moreover, these changes in image world is greatly influencing to our life. The word which compresses this change of image world and shows is 'digital'. Digit, which means fingers in Latin, indicates separately changing signal, and to be more narrow, it indicates the continual signal of '0' and ' 1' in computer. The opposite word is 'analogue'. As analogue is the word meaning 'infer' or 'similarity', it indicates the signal or form which continuously changes along the series of time when it is compared to digital. Instead of analogue, digital is embossed as a major ruler along the whole area of our current culture. In whole culture and art area, and in whole generalscience, digital is appearing as it has the modernism and importance. The prefix, 'digital', e.g. digital media, digital culture, digital design, digital philosophy, etc, is treated as the synonym of modernism and something new. This advent of digital results the innovative change to the image world, creates the new beauty experience which we could not experience before, and forecasts the formation of advanced art and expansion of creative area. Various intellectual activities using computer is developing the whole world with making the infrastructure. Computer in painting work immediately accomplishes the idea of painters, takes part in simulation work, contingency such as abrupt reversal, extraction, twisting, shaking, obscureness, overlapping, etc, and timing to stimulate the creativity of painters, and provides digital formative language which enables new visual experience to the audience. When the change of digital era, the image appeared in my work is shown in 'transfiguration' like drawing. The word, 'transfiguration' does not indicate the completed and fixed real substance but indicate endlessly moving and floating shape. Thus, this concept is opposite to the substantial consideration, so that various concepts which is able to replace this in accordance with the similar cases are also exist such as change, deterioration, mutation, deformity of appearance and morphing which is frequently used in computer as a technical word. These concepts are not clearly classified, and variably and complicatedly related. Transfiguration basically means the denial of "objectivity' and '(continual) stagnation' or deviation from those. This phenomenon is appeared through the all art schools of art ever since the realism is denied in the 19th century. It is called as 'deformation' in case of expressionism, futurism, cubism, etc, in the beginning of the century, which its former indication is mostly preserved within the process of structural deviation and which has the realistic limit which should be preserved. On the contrary, dramatic transfiguration which has been showing in the modern era through surrealism is different in the point that dramatic transfiguration tends to show the deterioration and deviation rather than the preservation of indicated object. From this point, transfiguration coming out from morphing using computer deteriorates and hides the reality and furthermore, it replaces the 'reality'. Moreover, transfiguration is closely approached to the world of fake or 'imaginary' simulation world of Baudrillard. According to Baudrillard, the image hides and deteriorates the reality, and furthermore, expresses 'not existing' to 'imaginary' under the name of transfiguration. Certain reality, that is, image which is absent from the reality is created and overflowed, so that it finally replaces the reality. This is simulation as it is said by Baudrillard. In turn, Georges Bataille discusses about the image which is produced by digital technology in terms of heterologie. Image of heterologie is the visual signal which is established with the media. Image of media is to have the continuous characteristics of produce, extinction, and transformation, and its clear boundary between images becomes meaningless. The meaning of composition, excess, violation, etc of digital image is explained to heterological study or heteologie suggested as important meaning of Georges Bataille who is a heretic philosopher. As the form and image of mutation shows the shape in accordance with mechanical production, heterologie is introduced as very low materialism (or bas materialisme), in this theory. Heterologie as low materialism which is gradually changing is developing as a different concept and analysis because of the change of time in the late 20s century beside high or low meaning. Including my image, all images non-standardizes and transforms the code. However, reappearance and non-standardization of this code does not seem to be simple. The problem of transformation caused by transfiguration which appears in my digital drawing painting, simulation, heterologie, etc, are the continual problems. Moreover, the subject such as existence of human being, distance from the real life, politics and social problems are being extended to actual research and various expressing work. Especially, individual image world is established by digital painting transfiguration technique, and its change and review start to have the durability. The consciousness of observers who look at the image is changing the subject. Together with theoretical research, researchers are to establish the first step to approach to various image change of digital era painting through transfiguration technique using our realistic and historical image.

• Journal of Science of Art and Design
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• v.11
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• pp.201-220
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• 2007

From two viewpoints the writer investigated the beauty of space by overall arrangement and composition of a picture in Oriental painting. In particular, she examined the expanded representation and significance of space use which had not properly been recognized in the field of a colored picture contrary to a painting in India ink. She studied that the boundary for the representation and appreciation of space was unlimited to one field of painting by studying and analyzing it in connection with other fields of art which had something in common with it in techniques or languages of representation. The writer considered the aspects of similar forms and spirits as the methods of understanding and representing the essence of an object in creating a work. She generally considered the aspect of perfecting knowledge by studying the principle of an actual thing for the representation of revealed forms corresponding to the aspect of similar forms, and tried to reach the stage of 'materialization' united with the spirit of the subject of creation for the formless forms corresponding to the aspect of representing an artist's inner world as well as the external shapes of things. She tried to reach the stage of spiritual cultivation in pursuit of the boundary between 'mental vanity' and 'sitting quietly and attaining the state of perfect selflessness', which were presented by Chuang-tzu, to express the spirituality internal to it. She recognized that the projection of the cultivation on a work could convey internal essence as well as external forms to a picture. It was because the image of the form represented in a picture was based on the aesthetic experience got from realty. In the concept of space and a method of representing it, she explored and analyzed the basic concept of space, arranged the concept of space shown in Oriental ideas dividing it into the concepts of space in Confucianism, Taoism and the Zen sect. What she felt acutely through this study was that she should establish the identity of her work by succeeding to, changing and re-creating tradition based on the historical heritage left by successive excellent painters and theorists. Putting together all these things showed that establishing the identity in the world of work pursued and oriented by her required searching the direction in future works by mixing tradition with modern times in a creative way, which is just the purpose of study in this thesis.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.2
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• pp.27-48
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• 2004

Robert Rauschenberg's artistic career has often been regarded as having reached its culmination when the artist won the first prize at the 1964 Venice Biennale. With this victory, Rauschenberg triumphantly entered the pantheon of all-American artists and firmly secured his position in the history of American art. On the other hand, despite the artist's ongoing new experiments in his art, the seemingly precocious ripeness in his career has led the critical discourses on Rauschenberg's art to the artist's early works, most of which were done in the mid-1950s and the 1960s. The crux of Rauschenberg criticism lies not only in focusing on the artist's 50's and 60's works, but also in its large dismissal of the significance of the imagery that the artist employed in his works. As art historians Roger Cranshaw and Adrian Lewis point out, the critical discourse of Rauschenberg either focuses on the formalist concerns on the picture plane, or relies on the "culturalist" interpretation of Rauschenberg's imagery which emphasizes the artist's "Americanness." Recently, a group of art historians centered around October has applied Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotics as art historical methodology and illuminated the indexical aspects of Rauschenberg's work. The semantic inquiry into Rauschenberg's imagery has also been launched by some art historians who seek the clues in the artist's personal context. The first half of this essay will examine the previous criticism on Rauschenberg's art and the other half will discuss the artist's 1955 work Rebus, which I think intersects various critical concerns of Rauschenberg's work, and yet defies the closure of discourses in one direction. The categories of signs in the semiotics of Charles Sanders Peirce and the discourse of Jean-Francois Lyotard will be used in discussing the meanings of Rebus, not to search for the semantic readings of the work, hut to make an analogy in terms of the paradoxical structures of both the work and the theory. The definitions of rebus is as follows: Rebus 1. a representation or words or syllables by pictures of object or by symbols whose names resemble the intended words or syllables in sound; also: a riddle made up wholly or in part of such pictures or symbols. 2. a badge that suggests the name of the person to whom it belongs. Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged. Since its creation in 1955, Robert Rauschenberg's Rebus has been one of the most intriguing works in the artist's oeuvre. This monumental 'combine' painting($6feet{\times}10feet$ 10.5 inches) consists of three panels covered with fabric, paper, newspaper, and printed reproductions. On top of these, oil paints, pencil and crayon drawings connect each section into a whole. The layout of the images is overall horizontal. Starting from a torn election poster, which is partially read as "THAT REPRE," on the far left side of the painting. Rebus leads us to proceed from the left to the right, the typical direction of reading in a Western context. Along with its seemingly proper title. Rebus, the painting has triggered many art historians to seek some semantic readings of it. These art historians painstakingly reconstruct the iconography based on the artist's interviews, (auto)biography, and artistic context of his works. The interpretation of Rebus varies from a 'image-by-image' collation with a word to a more general commentary on Rauschenberg's work overall, such as a work that "bridges between art and life." Despite the title's allusion to the legitimate purpose of the painting as a decoding of the imagery into sound, Rebus, I argue, actually hinders a reading of it. By reading through Peirce to Rauschenberg, I will delve into the subtle anxiety between words and images in their works. And on this basis, I suggest Rauschenberg's strategy in playing Rebus is to hide the meaning of the imagery rather than to disclose it.