• Journal of architectural history
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-37
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• 2020

The purpose of this paper is to reconstruct the original floor plan and wall design of Seokbulsa Grotto in Kyungju; commonly known as 'Seokguram'. The paper presents an array of dimensional studies of the existing Seokguram to examine its architectural form, and infers the original floor plan and wall design of Seokbulsa Grotto. Seokbulsa Grotto is designed as a system of 'coherent modules' and was constructed using the dry stone method, which interlocks large stone modules into a whole that becomes the load-bearing structure itself. The design principles governing Seokbulsa Grotto are the spatial axis of symmetry, modular coordination, and the layout grid of a quarter Tang-Ruler(TR: 唐尺). Dimensional studies were conducted with these governing principles in mind and concludes the following about the original floor plan design. In the main chamber, Ansang-stone's radius is 12 TR, and Flagstone's radius is 12¼ TR. In the front chamber, the width between the two Ansang-stones facing each other is 22 TR and the longitudinal space depth is 12 TR, while the width between the two Flagstones facing each other is 22½ TR and Flagstone's depth is 12 TR. In the passageway, the width between the two Ansang-stones facing each other is 11½ TR and longitudinal space depth is 9 TR, while the width between the two Flagstones facing each other is 12 TR and Flagstone's depth is 7¾ TR. The distance from the center to the entrance line of the main chamber is 10½ TR. Therefore, the total longitudinal length of the Grotto is 43½ TR at the level of the Ansang-stones, and 44 TR at the level of the Flagstones.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.91-104
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• 2010

Korea's stone buildings are varied in their types such as stone pagodas, stone lanterns, stone bridges, stoneworks, etc. These account for more than 30% over the entire cultural properties, but research achievements are lacking compared to wooden buildings. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the shape, role and transition of Tapgu, which had been used to set up boundary at a stone pagoda, one of the stone buildings. The 20th stone pagodas, which have relative accuracy in its forming year, have been studied around national treasure or treasure between 7th century and 9th century. There are a lot of different opinions about the role and meaning of Tapgu, and at this writer's option, Tapgu is defined as follows: First, each structure plays a different role. A structure to pass the load in the upper part to the ground can be seen as a stair or a pedestal, but a structure to form double foundations can be considered as Tapgu. Second, Tapgu can be used to divide areas with stones or stepping stones. As a result, the shape, role and transition of Tapgu is as follows: Firstly, when it comes to its shape, Tapgu includes flagstone type, belt type, double foundation type, compound type. Flagstone type had been used to set up boundary at stone pagodas by using foundation stone, belt type by keeping apart from stone pagodas, and double foundation stone by installing dual foundation stones. Secondly, Tapgu is considered to set up boundary in the case of flagstone and plate stone, and acts like a structure which can prevent surrounding area of stone pagoda from coming up while being stuck around stone pagodas. Belt type was installed only for the purpose of forming boundary. At the bottom, double foundation stone had been used to pass the load in the upper part to the ground in the same way as the foundation stone in the upper part, and the boundaries were set varying the size. Thirdly, when it comes to the transition of Tapgu, flagstone type of boundary stone had been installed in the 7th century, and belt type of boundary stone had been mainly installed in the 8th century. And double foundation stone had been installed in the 9th century. Comprehensively, flagstone type and belt type had been made around the 7th and 8th century when Tapgu was regarded important and stone pagoda started to be built. At the turn to the 9th century, the role of Tapgu had been increasingly losing in the construction of stone pagoda, and foundation stone started to appear.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.125-137
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• 2010

Jongmyo royal shrine, located in Seoul, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a cultural relic of national value and significance. Examination of its udobakseok(granitic flagstone; thin, flat and even stepping-stones for the King) has shown that parts are in damaged condition. In this study, GIS and GPS technologies were applied to determine the extent of damage and to find granitic flagstone for replacement and restoration of the damaged stones. 1,158 out of 2,361 stone pieces of the udobakseok were damaged at Jongmyo. Replacement granitic flagstones are available on Seokmo Island, in Ganghwa County, and estimates show that approximately 100,000 pieces of stone can be quarried. This research aided the systematic management of information about availability and location of granitic flagstones for restoration of the Jongmyo udobakseok. It also demonstrated that GIS and GPS technologies can apply a critical role in managing cultural properties. The wide use of GIS and GPS technologies can be expected for survey and management of other cultural properties in addition to Jongmyo.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.3 s.45
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• pp.139-153
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• 2006

For the characteristics of rock material and standardization, flagstones of the trifurcated path in Jongmyo Royal Shrine, registered as World Cultural Heritage, were studied on the basis of petrographic, petrochemical and magnetic properties. The flagstones are composed mainly of pale gray fine to medium grained hornblende biotite granite, pale gray fine to medium grained biotite granite, pale pink medium to coarse grained biotite granite, pink medium to coarse grained biotite granite and minor pegmatite and schist. Flagstone represents the average size of $65cm{\times}4cm$ (standard deviation $12cm{\times}7cm$) and suitable (34.7%), common (41.4%) and unsuitable (23%) in roughness. It is interpreted that pale pink and pink granite, pegmatite, schist and other flagstones with unsuitable state are not original rock materials and were exchanged during restoration, in the past. The number of these non-original rock materials is about 560 flagstones. We suggests that the standard flagstone of the trifurcated path is pale gray fine to medium grained biotite granite (${\pm}$hornblende in trace), 70wt.% in $SiO_2$, content, and ${\pm}0.1{\times}10^{-3}\;SI$ in magnetic susceptibility.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2023

In this study, the following conclusions were drawn by analyzing the size, proportion, shape, angle, distribution, etc. of stones in order to identify the principles of facade molding of stonework of the 5th to 7th centuries of the Silla Dynasty. First, the uniformity of the size of the stones of the stone foundations of the Silla Dynasty was low at -0.8 to 4.1. This means that stones of various sizes were used, from small stones to large stones. In addition, the distribution of large stones in stonework of the Silla Dynasty appeared evenly regardless of height. This was common in the stonework of the Silla Dynasty, regardless of structural classification such as wells and mountain fortresses. It is thought that the Silla people did not only pursue practicality and efficiency in stone construction, but also considered design elements. Second, the proportional deviation of the stones of the stone walls of the Silla Dynasty was high, ranging from 0.861 to 1.515. This means that the stonework of the Silla Dynasty did not use only long flagstone-shaped stones, but used a mixture of long and short stones. Third, the shape average of the stones of the stonework of the Silla Dynasty was low at 0.45, and the shape deviation was high at the maximum of 0.15. This means that the stones as a whole have irregular shapes, and each stone has a high difference in shape. Fourth, the angle deviation of the stones of the Silla Dynasty was 4.3 to 16.2, and the average angle was 2. This means that the angle of each stone on the stone axis of the Silla Dynasty is tilted to the left and right. Fifth, there was no correlation between stone size, slenderness ratio, shape, and angle in the stone axes of the Silla Dynasty. In the case of stone axes in the Joseon Dynasty, there was a positive correlation between stone size and slenderness, and a negative correlation between stone size and shape. It can be said that the stones of the Joseon Dynasty were relatively standardized, but the Silla Dynasty showed the beauty of moderation by keeping the nature of the material and becoming one with the material.