• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2012

This is a study on the flower pattern artwork of the west wall of the Jagyeongjeon in Gyeongbokgung to find out the type of plants and flowers represented and their symbolism. The research was conducted from July 2010 to March 2011 and the artwork classified on the basis of its horticultural traits. A number was assigned to each pattern for analysis: No. 1 is Prunus mume, No. 2 is Prunus persica, No. 3 is Paeonia suffruticosa, No. 4 is Punica granatum, No. 5 and 6 is Dendranthema grandiflora, No. 7 is Rhododendron mucronu and No. 8 is Phyllostachys bambusoides. These 8 flower patterns symbolize longevity and fecundity and their presense around the Jagyeongjeon helped to bestow good fortune on the royal family so that they might live long lives and bear many children. 4 artworks symbolize longevity, 2 artworks symbolize integrity and 1 artwork symbolizes wealth and happiness. There is also symbolism of the need to have constancy in a royal household even during secular change. Out of the 8 artworks, the imagery of a bird and a moon is represented only once, but the image of a butterfly is represented five times in the surrounding elements. The bird and butterfly symbolise freedom and happiness from free love. Women in the palace are like a butterfly wanted to be like love as a freedom and have a free and open relationship like a butterfly. But a harmonious relationship between the royal family wanted to have a symbolic meaning that could be seen of the symbolistic. Based on the "Yangwhasorok"only plants with the highest values, from the 1st and 2nd grades, were used in the artwork of the west wall of the Jagyeongjeon.