• Weed & Turfgrass Science
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.40-54
• /
• 2017

The mound grave of Korean traditional funeral culture is a unique habitat which is a Zoysiagrass lawn being sustainable in proper management. We phytosociologically described an unusual Zoysiagrass vegetation with Gueldenstaedtia verna by the Zürich-Montpellier School's method and analyzed eco-floristic characteristics. A new association, Gueldenstaedtio-Zoysietum japonicae ass. nov. hoc loco, was identified and subdivided into festucetosum ovinae, typicum, and trifolietosum repensae. The subassociations were distinguished by the difference in species composition resulting from site accessibility and lawn management method. The association was assigned as not only a regional but also a locally-limited vegetation type, which distributes on a particular microhabitat with strong continentality in the Daegu regional subdistrict of Bioclimatological division. The Zoysiagrass vegetation of Korea was considered as a continental type apparently different from the oceanic type of Zoysion japonicae (Miscanthetea sinensis, Caricetalia nervatae). Mound graves in Korea should be acknowledged as a meaningful habitat for the in-situ conservation of biodiversity and phytocoenosen, despite being a secondary grassland of Gueldenstaedtio-Zoysietum japonicae.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.113-150
• /
• 2016

Chobun refers to a temporary grave covered with straw thatch that contains a corpse until its flesh is gone. When all the flesh has rotted away, the straw grave is disassembled and only the bones are retrieved. Therefore, Chobun is an example of a secondary burial custom (German : Doppel Bestattung) that is composed of a first temporary funeral for processing the corpse's flesh, and a second permanent burial of the final remains (bones or ashes). The duration of the temporary burial is determined by the time needed for decomposing the flesh of the deceased. Building a Chobun progresses putrefaction and reduction to bone. In the literature of alchemy, putrefaction and new life occur simultaneously. The purpose of rotting is to make the flesh disappear, leaving only its essence. It is making the physical body enter a spiritual state, so that the dead can enter into a different world. One must endure the unstable rotting process until the smell of flesh has faded. The rotting process is the attitude of accepting the terrible, polluted aspect of the corpse, while maintaining a helpless, passive posture, in order to allow new possibilities. When we try to approach an archetypal aspect of the unconscious, it is often experienced in threatening, aggressive ways. In the individuation process, the unconscious offers us the blessing of a new spiritual awakening and renewed sense of life, only when we have the courage to see this terrifying and contaminated side of our psyche. This is exactly what putrefaction means. Bone and skeleton symbolize the indestructible, imperishable, and essential elements of life. Bone is the minimum unit and foundation for regeneration, where new life can grow. Reduction to bone is moving back to the origin of life, to the womb. Psychologically, it means discarding one's ego-centeredness and allowing the Self to lead the entire process of individuation. Going through the painful process of reduction to a skeleton for the purpose of further development is a declaration of the death of the ego, aiming at the liberation from perishable flesh and acquisition of the spiritual, regenerative, and immortal elements of life. Chobun also denotes the yearly decay and revival of life, especially of vegetal life. In Chobun, this symbolic meaning of the vegetal cycle of life is emphasized to represent the part of life that survives even after death. Vegetation related to Chobun deals with the continuity of life and psychologically with the Self. Images of vegetation are closely related to the existence of life beyond death, which is the existence of the Self, the source of energy that constantly renews and rejuvenates the consciousness.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.69-80
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this paper was to study the issues related to converting the graveyards within forests into spaces intended for tree burials by means of planting, given the situation that the graveyards have encroached on land and damaged the environment. For the reason, a field survey was performed to determine the width, length, and distance to the nearest tree of 205 graveyards in the capital area. Through this, it was determined that the domestic lands damaged by graveyards amounted to $862km^2$, including the areas that were deforested to manage the graves. This only confirms that land encroachment by graveyards is a serious issue. The methods for making tree burial sites were examined from the perspective of how to meet public demands given the graveyard's spatial distinctiveness. As a result, this study suggested different methods to establish tree burial sites according to the degree of transformation and the term of its formation. This study also classified the graveyards into three types, and identified the planting methods that harmonized the safe growth of trees and the scenic beauty of memorial places based on the standard. This is in order to plant trees that are shade-tolerant and suitable to the forest line, along with which other tree line was and also, to plant aesthetic trees around the empty space. Through applying the developed methods, this study established and monitored two exemplary sites in Yongin and Boryeng. Aesthetic trees were planted in Yongin site which was located in an open area, aod the shade-tolerant trees were planted in Boryeong, which was located in a forest area. As a result, the image of a garden appeared at Yongin site and the image of a tree colony harmonized with the near forest emerged at Boryeong site. Therefore, it is confirmed that the method of planting according to the distribution status of neighboring trees was effective. As a result of monitoring, mulching wood chips were suitable for sites that were small or easy to approach. This is because the weeds were controlled in Yongin site by mulching. Furthermore, by monitoring the growth of 11 species of vegetation, this study confirmed that low and cover-type vegetations were suitable for tree burial sites. In Boryeong site, the wild cherry trees, which were planted as adult trees, all died, and the tilling of snake's beard, which were planted as cover vegetation, was slow. Therefore, this study found that seedlings were more suitable to plant in forest graveyards than adult trees, which were large and difficult to approach, and it was effective to use the remaining lawn and form a low vegetation after the crown of trees had expanded to such places.