• Journal of Science of Art and Design
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• v.8
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• pp.63-94
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• 2005

ChangSayng-Do in the late Chosun dynasty was a kind of traditional painting which sublimated the philosophy and emotion of everyday life into an aesthetic consciousness through a long history of Korean people . It would represent a human wish and desire to live a long and healthy life, which was implicated by way of Taoism. The major themes of ChangSayng-Do - mountains, the sun, cloud, water, rock, deer, tortoises, cranes, pine trees, bamboos, peaches, and herbs of eternal youth - were all symbols used. to wish for a long-life and immortality in real world. All or some of these items were represented in paintings, which resulted in the various kinds of ChangSayng-Do. The main concern of this thesis will be centered around the naturalistic subjects shown in ChangSayng-Do. This thesis consists of four chapters. The first chapter describes the purpose of and need for the research, and its method and scope. The second chapter deals with the origin and style of ChangSayng-Do, and the background of its formation. It is found out that the formative characteristic of ChangSayng-Do lies in the archetype, the unity of man and nature following the traditional view of nature. It is also found out that ChangSayng-Do implied the notions of Supernatural Being, Yin-Yang and Five Elements, Taoism, and Confucianism as well as Korean shamanism. Third chapter is largely about an analytic investigation into symbolic visualization of ChangSayng-Do. Firstly, the subject matters shown in ChangSayng-Do consist of items of wishful omen for long-life and good luck, and any motif in a picture implies a symbolism of eternal youth and long-life. Secondly, the view of colors shown in ChangSayng-Do is closely connected to Five Elements and Five Direction, a traditional oriental philosophy of universe, and these symbolic colors are based on shamanism and Yin/Yang-Five Elements. According to an iconological analysis, it is confirmed that these viewpoints are consistent with formative principles and expressive methods of ChangSayng-Do to some extent. The fourth chapter is one of the most important elements for visualization of ChangSayng-Do. The symbolic meaning of long life and good luck is the major source of its popularity inside the palace as well as among the people in general. The fact that ChangSayng-Do was used to ornament the palace was documented in $\lceil$UiGuey(documents about Chosun dynasty$\rfloor$. Also during the late period of Chosun dynasty, the appreciators of arts had begun to spread from high level class to lower level class, and many pictures represented in $\lceil$Hanyang-Ga$\rfloor$ were the ones produced and circulated for those increased consumers. As for the folk-artistic characteristics, the anonymity and arbitrary naturalness of ChangSayng-Do demonstrates that the folk-artistic elements were fully soaked into the life styles of people in general. ChangSayng-Do further shows that a human being is located in the center of the universe, and that all the natural phenomena and ecology are observed to happen around human beings, and that the results of those happenings are connected to man's course of life. It is discovered that the subject matters of ChangSayng-Do in the late Chosun dynasty imply another idea inside metaphors and symbols. With regard to the arrangement of time and space, the unity or oneness of oneself with the world is more highly regarded than one's individual subjectivity: there exist multiple times and spaces in a single picture This reveals a wholistic view of oneness which does not permit the division between phenomenon and substance. To conclude, this thesis inquired into ChangSayng-Do in the late Chosun dynasty focusing on the expression of archetype-symbols. And through the analysis and demonstration, this thesis re-established constructional principles and formative characteristics of ChangSayng-Do and then settled a new phase of ChangSayng-Do, with a deep under-standing of fundamental thoughts of Korean people underlying ChangSayng-Do.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.42
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• pp.419-449
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• 2016

The Russian icon and Korean tangwha (幀畵, altar portrait of Buddha) are based on the similarity of the divine Being. Each has the characteristic index that forms an existential connection with the object and at the same time, implies the symbolic meaning of the scriptures and doctrines of the Russian Orthodox and Buddhists. Russian icon and Korean tangwha with these attributes have origins in the Byzantine, India and China. Unlike most religious art, Russian icon and Korean tangwha clearly reveal profane orientation and mystical elements. This artistic phenomenon has evolved from the mystical religious culture in Russia and tantric rituals of the early Joseon period. Iconostasis, created from historical figures of the Old Testament, Jesus, the New Testament represent the principles of the macrocosm. Each icon of iconostasis has integrity, while each floor has another narrative and a meta-discourse on the entire composition. Three-Platforms of amrtakundalin can also have a huge epic that is directed from the Low-Platform to the High-Platform for the purpose of salvation. While the narrative of iconostasis has a time structure, from the beginning of the universe up to date in chronological time, amrtakundalin have pictorial transitions of time and space that rises from this life to a heavenly world. Despite the different world views of the Russian Orthodox and Buddhists, iconographical format and symbolism of heaven and hell in the Iconostasis, Last Judgment and amrtakundalin are similar. There is a constant antagonism between heaven and hell, light and darkness, water and flame. Iconographical contents include the water of life and nectar, the book of life and 'eoppu', and the scales and mirror of Karma that discriminate between the good and evil before judgment. The dualistic coordinate concept such as light and darkness, life and death, or heaven and hell that appears in the narrative structure of iconostasis, the Last Judgment and amrtakundalin leads the people to spiritual awakening.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.124-136
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• 2011

In landscape architecture, plants play an important role in realizing the intention of the architect and user- behavior as well as an ecology and appearance of the space for them. However, it is true that many researches have focused on ecological characteristics of plants, their cultivation environment and symbolic meanings in traditional terms, while relatively few for the analysis of the aspects of each period through plants. For this, cherry trees that we often see around are selected and their introduction, propagation, development and symbolism from the view of chronicle are studied and the results are followings; Firstly, three-year seedlings of 1,500 pieces of cherry tree from Osaka and Tokyo were planted for the first time in Oieseongdae, Namsan Park, Seoul. Since then, they had been widely planted at traditional sites, modern parks, newly-constructed roads for street trees, and for this, the Japanese Government-General of Chosun had actively supported by its direct cultivation and selling of cherry trees. The spread of cherry trees planted raised the question of whether or not Prunus yedoensis is originated from Jeju Island. Secondly, such massive and artificial planting of them had become attractions over the time and mass media at that time also had actively promoted it. And such trend made the day and night picnic under the cherry blossoms one of the most representative cultures of enjoying spring in Seoul. Thirdly, although general people enjoyed cherry blossoms, but they had dual view and attitude for cherry trees, which were well expressed in their use of them: for example, cherry blossoms, aeng and sakura were used altogether for same meaning, but night aeng or night picnic under cherry blossoms were especially used instead of yojakura when mentioning just pleasure, which meant some saw night enjoying cherry blossoms a low culture. Fourth, symbolic space of Chosun had been transformed into the space for enjoyment and consumption. Anyone who paid entrance fee could enjoy performance of revugirl, cinema and entertainment along with enjoying cherry blossoms. The still-existing strict differentiation of enjoyment culture by social status, class and ethnicity was dismantled from that trend and brought about a kind of disorder. From this, we could find that cherry blossoms had made a great contribution to the change of traditional enjoyment culture over the Japanese colonial period and become a popular spring enjoyment.

• MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
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• v.104
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• pp.40-69
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• 2023

This paper examines the relationship between celadon wine vessels and royal banquets by focusing on their unique forms. It explores the symbolism in their forms and designs and the changes that took place in the composition of these vessels. By examining the royal annals in Goryeosa (The History of the Goryeo Dynasty), the relation of celadon wine vessels and royal banquets is examined in terms of the number of banquets held in the respective reigns of the Goryeo kings, the number of banquets held by type, and the purpose of holding them. A royal banquet was a means of strengthening the royal authority by reinforcing the hierarchy and building bonds between the king and his vassals. It was also an act of ruling that demonstrated the king's authority and power through praise of his achievements and virtues. Royal banquets were held most often during the reigns of King Yejong (r. 1105-1122), King Uijong (r. 1146-1170), King Chungnyeol (r. 1274-1308), and King Gongmin (r. 1351-1374). Particular attention is paid here to the changes in the types and forms of celadon wine vessels that occurred starting in the reigns of King Yejong and King Chungnyeol, which is also the period in which the number of royal banquets increased and royal banquet culture evolved. The king and his subjects prayed for the king's longevity at royal banquets and celebrated peaceful reigns by drinking and performing various related acts. Thus, the visual symbolism of vessels for holding, pouring, or receiving alcohol were emphasized. Since the manner of drinking at a banquet was exchanges of pouring and receiving alcohol between the king and his subjects, the design of the ewers and cups had a significant visual impact on attendees. It can be seen, therefore, that decorating wine vessels with Daoist motifs such as the immortals, luan (a mythological bird), turtle dragons, fish dragons, and gourd bottles or with Confucian designs like hibiscus roots was intended as a visual manifestation of the purpose of royal banquets, which was to celebrate the king and to pray for both loyalty and immortality. In particular, the Peach Offering Dance (獻仙桃) and Music for Returning to the Royal Palace (還宮樂), which correspond to the form and design of celadon wine vessels, was examined. The lyrics of the banquet music embodied wishes for the king's longevity, immortality, and eternal youth as well as for the prosperity of the royal court and a peaceful reign. These words are reflected in wine vessels such as the Celadon Taoist Figure-shaped Pitcher housed in the National Museum of Korea and the Bird Shaped Ewer with Daoist Priest in the Art Institute of Chicago. It is important to note that only Goryeo celadon wine vessels reflect this facet of royal banquet culture in their shape and design. The composition of wine vessel sets changed depending on the theme of the banquet and the types of liquor. After Goryeo Korea was incorporated into the Mongol Empire, new alcoholic beverages were introduced, resulting in changes in banquet culture such as the uses and composition of wine vessel sets. From the reign of King Chungnyeol (r. 1274-1308), which was under the authority of the Yuan imperial court, royal banquets began to be co-hosted by kings and princesses, Mongolian-style banquets like boerzhayan (孛兒扎宴) were held, and attendees donned the tall headdress called gugu worn by Mongol women. During the reign of King Chungnyeol, the banquet culture changed 132 banquets were held. This implies that the court tried to strengthen its authority by royal marriage with the Yuan court, which augmented the number of banquets. At these banquets, new alcoholic drinks were introduced such as grape wine, dongnak (湩酪), and distilled liquor. New wine vessels included stem cups, pear-shaped bottles (yuhuchunping), yi (匜), and cups with a dragon head. The new celadon wine vessels were all modeled after metal wares that were used in the Yuan court or in the Khanates. The changes in the celadon wine vessels of the late Goryeo era were examined here in a more specific manner than in previous studies by expanding the samples for the study to the Eurasian khanates. With the influx of new types of wine vessels, it was natural for the sets and uses of Goryeo celadon wine vessels to change in response. The new styles of celadon wine vessels linked the Goryeo court with the distant Khanates of the Mongol Empire. This paper is the beginning of a new study that examines the uses of Goryeo celadon by illuminating the relations between royal banquets and these unique celadon wine vessels that are stylistically different from everyday vessels. It is to be hoped that more studies will be conducted from diverse perspectives exploring both the usage of Goryeo celadon vessels and their users.