• Journal of architectural history
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• v.13 no.1 s.37
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• pp.53-69
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• 2004

Located in a rear garden of Changdeok Palace, Yeonkyeong-Dang is valued as the most characteristic building of the houses of aristocrats of the later Joseon Dynasty. The time of the construction has been much debated, however, it is perceived through this research that the construction was completed in September 1827(the 27nd year of king Sunjo's reign). The shape of the buildings during this period resembles a letter ㄷ as shown in the picture of Dong-Kweol. We previously described that the purpose of Yeonkyeong-Dang was to carry the portrait of king Yikjong while keeping the shape of building when it was first established until the 8th year of king Heonjong (1842). In 1865 (the 2nd year of king Gojong's reign), it was reconstructed with very different outlook which has remained the present shape. The characteristic features of the residences of aristocrats were reflected in newly reconstructed Yeonkyeong-Dang. The structure was largely divided into two quarters that occupied by male and female residents respectively. The two quarters were bordered by fences and added with a study and a pavilion. The reconstruction was conducted by king Gojong's father, Daewon- Goon and its purpose was to prepare a separate house for the king and queen before the kings wedding that was about to come. During the 19th century, building an imitation of houses of aristocrats became quite a trend in the palace. Built in 1847, Nakseon-Jae was precedented and followed by Yeonkyeong-Dang. Also later Geoncheong Palace was built in Kyeongbok Palace in 1873. All of the three buildings imitated houses of aristocrats. Divided residences of male and female sections and splendid decorations were common features. Nakseon-Jae was the smallest in the structure of spaces, ornamentation of details and its sizes, Yeonkyeong-Dang was the second and Geoncheong Palace was the most distinguished building. The constructions of these three buildings created an innovative architectural wave in the 19th century palace. Yeonkyeong-Dang was the building that mediated the new flow of architectural structure in the 19th century palace.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1-19
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• 2013

This study tries to review 'Sakuteiki(作庭記)', the Book of Garden Making, compiled at the end of the 11th Century during the Heian Period of Japan, from the East-Asian perspective. 'Sakuteiki' is a Garden Theory Book, the oldest in the world as well as in Asia, and it contains the traditional knowledge of Japanese ancient garden culture, which originated from the continent(Korea and China). Traditional knowledge related to East-Asian garden culture reviewed in this paper is "Fungsu Theory"(風水, Asian traditional ecology: Fengshui in Chinese; Fusui in Japanese), stemmed from the culture to seek sound and blessed places to live in. Viewed from modern landscape architecture, the Fungsu Theory corresponds to ecology(science). The Fungsu Theory was established around the Han Dynasty of China together with the Yinyangwuxing(陰陽五行) Theory and widely used for making human residences including gardens. It was transmitted to Japan via Korea as well as through direct transaction between Japan and China. This study reinterprets garden design principles represented in Sakuteiki, which were selected in 5 key words according to the Fungsu Theory. The 5 key words for the Fungsu Theory are "the place in harmony of four guardian gods(四神相應地)", "planting trees in the four cardinal directions", "flow of Chi(氣)", "curved line and asymmetry", and "mountain is the king, water is the people". Garden design principles of "the place in harmony of four guardian gods(四神相應地)" and "planting trees in the four cardinal directions" are corresponding to "Myeongdang-ron(明堂論, Theory of propitious site)". The place in harmony of four guardian gods mentioned in Sakuteiki is a landform surrounded by the flow of water to the east, the great path to the west, the pond to the south, and the hill to the north. And the Theory originated from Zhaijing(宅經, Classic of dwelling Sites) of China. According to this principle, the city was planned and as a miniature model, the residence of the aristocrat during the Heian period was made. At the residence the location of the garden surrounded by the four gods(the flow of water, the great path, the pond, and the hill) is the Myeongdang(明堂, the propitious site: Mingtang in Chinese; Meido in Japanese). Sakuteiki explains how to substitute for the four gods by planting trees in the four cardinal directions when they were not given by nature. This way of planting originated from Zhaijing(宅經) and also goes back to Qiminyaoshu (齊民要術), compiled in the 6th Century of China. In this way of planting, the number of trees suggested in Sakuteiki is related to Hetu(河圖) and Luoshu(洛書), which are iconography of Yi(易), the philosophy of change, in ancient China. Such way of planting corresponds to that of Yongdoseo(龍圖墅, the villa based on the principle of Hetu) presented in Sanrimgyeongje (山林經濟), an encyclopedia on agriculture and living in the 17th Century of Korea. And garden design principles of "the flow of Chi(氣)", "curved line and asymmetry" is connected to "Saenggi Theory(生氣論, Theory of vitality)". Sakuteiki explains the right flow of Chi(氣) through the proper flow and the reverse flow of the garden stream and also suggests the curved line of the garden stream, asymmetric arrangement of bridges and stones in the garden, and indented shape of pond edges, which are ways of accumulating Chi(氣) and therefore lead to "Saenggi Theory" of the Fungsu Theory. The last design principle, "mountain is the king, water is the people", is related to "Hyeongguk Theory(形局論, Theory of form)" of the Fungsu Theory. Sakuteiki explains the meaning of garden through a metaphor, which views mountain as king, water as the people, and stones as king's retainers. It compares the situation in which the king governs the people with the help of his retainers to the ecological phenomena in which mountain(earth) controls water with the help of stones. This principle befits "Hyeongguk Theory(形局論, Theory of form)" of the Fungsu Theory which explains landform on the analogy of social systems, people, animals and things. As above, major garden design principles represented in Sakuteiki can be interpreted in the context of the Fungsu Theory, the traditional knowledge system in East Asia. Therefore, we can find the significance of Sakuteiki in that the wisdom of ancient garden culture in East-Asia was integrated in it, although it described the knowhow of a specific garden style in a specific period of Japan.