2018 CALENDAR Traditional Korean Gardens: An Aesthetics of Harmony and Balance
2018 CALENDAR
Traditional Korean Gardens: An Aesthetics of Harmony and Balance 조화와 균형의 미학, 한국의 전통 정원 Published by the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) KOCIS Director: Kim Tae-hoon Government Complex-Sejong, 14-1, 408 Galmae-ro, Sejong-si, Korea Tel: +82-44-203-3300 http://www.kocis.go.kr http://www.korea.net Produced by Socreative Producer: Seon Ha So Planning Director: Lee Mi-kyung Art Director: Jin Young Jang Designer: Ji On Lim Editorial Advisor: Yoo Jin Hong Consultant and Supervisor: Prof. Deuk Youm Cheon at School of Architecture, Chonnam National University Printed by Yeinart Photo Copyright: Getty Images Korea/ Topic Images/ Lee Eun Sook
Map of the
Soswaewon Garden 소쇄원도
Soswaewondo is a map showing the layout of the Soswaewon Garden, built between 1520 and 1530. It is a prime example of a traditional detached villa garden of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).
Korean Gardens Life, the Universe and Nature Symbolized by Classical Simplicity The Joseon-era poet Song Sun (1493-1583) wrote, “Half my room for the fresh breeze/ Half for the moon/ No place for mountains and streams/ I'll have to view them all around me.� Such is the aesthetics of simplicity, coupled with the wisdom of living a simple life. One of the greatest strengths of traditional Korean gardens is their power to reflect the aesthetic tastes and the attitudes to life of each person viewing them. Thus, they always seem capable of embodying the spirit of the times, at any given time. In the construction of such gardens, one can also clearly see the immense importance Koreans attached to living in harmony with nature. This value is a constant, in the gardens of kings, scholars, and even ordinary people.
Components of Traditional Korean Gardens Traditional Korean gardens are primarily classified as either court or private gardens. They are also sub-divided into villa gardens, landscape gardens, and fragrance gardens. What they all share in common is a carefully-considered arrangement of flowers, trees, water, valleys, and buildings.
Architecture
Ponds and Streams
Flowering Plants and Trees
Seokgasan
Pyeonaek
These gardens are distinguished by the type of pavilion: dae situated on elevated ground, nu with two stories and jeong with one. The pavilions are usually placed on a scenic site offering rest and relaxation.
Ponds and streams within traditional Korean gardens are positioned to give visitors the fullest possible view of the surrounding scenery. Such beauty was believed to promote the improvement of body and mind.
Joseon scholar-officials planted the “Four Gentlemen”—apricots, orchids, chrysanthemums and bamboo—as well as lotuses, willows, and empress trees in their gardens. This reflected the Confucian belief in anbinnakdo–being comfortable amidst a lowly but honest life.
Seokgasan refers to a mountain-shaped heap of stones to replicate and reflect the spirit of majestic, lofty mountains. The granite in them was highly prized for its ornamental value.
This term refers to framed signboards that were usually hung just under the roofs of buildings. They were made up of pictures or calligraphy drawn on board, paper, or silk.
January 2018 Hwallaejeong Pavilion, Seon-gyojang Residence
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선교장 활래정(活來亭)
Hwallaejeong Pavilion, Seon-gyojang Residence A Blessed Site Reflecting the Dignity of the Scholar-official Class Built by Lee Nae-beon (Mu-gyeong, 1703-1781), Seon-gyojang is an upper-class residence, and as large as a non-member of the royal family was allowed to have. Korean scholar-officials would gather at Hwallaejeong Pavilion to read poetry while delighting in the beautiful scenery of nearby Gyeongpo Lake. Even now, over 300 years later, Seon-gyojang is a stirring symbol of harmony with nature. Equally impressive is the fact that descendants of the original family still live here.
February 2018 Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, Gyeongbokgung Palace
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Closing Ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics
경복궁 향원정(香遠亭)
Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, Gyeongbokgung Palace The Harmonious Use of a Hexagonal Shape In the rear garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace, you will find Hyangwonji Pond, in which carp swim and lotuses bloom. If you cross the Chwihyanggyo Bridge, you will arrive at a hexagonal pavilion, Hyangwonjeong, in the middle of the pond. The Joseon people’s love of natural beauty is most dramatically shown in this pavilion.
Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics
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March 2018 Unjoru House
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Closing Ceremony of the PyeongChang Paralympic Winter Games
운조루(雲鳥樓)
Unjoru House A Bird Hidden in the Clouds Unjoru is the name of the residence built by Yu I-ju (1726-1797) in Omi-dong, Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do Province. He was a high-ranking Joseon official. The south-facing window on the second floor of the pavilion of the same name gives an uninterrupted view of rice paddies and the Seomjingang River, along with the majestic Baegunsan Mountain in the distance.
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A pri l 2018 House of Dasan
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다산초당(茶山草堂)
House of Dasan A House Filled with Ancient Books of Learning Daseonggak Pavilion is sandwiched between stately bamboo trees and groves of glowing camellia on a steep mountain trail. After he moved here, the exiled poet Jeong Yak-yong (Dasan, 1762-1836) also dug a pond and built a waterfall. This house, which has been immaculately preserved, is widely known as the birthplace of the Neo-Confucian academic movement called “the School of Practical Learning.”
May 2018 Seyeonjeong Pavilion, Bogildo Island
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보길도 세연지(洗然池)
Seyeonji Pond, Bogildo Island A Place Where Time Seems to Stop During the Qing invasion during the Joseon period, Yun Seondo (Gosan, 1587-1671) went in vain to Ganghwado Island to find a refuge for the king. Returning home, he became fascinated with nearby Bogildo Island and built a home and garden there complete with Seyeonji Pond and pavilions, including Seyeonjeong.
June 2018 Soswaewon Garden
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Soswaewon Garden A Garden Filled with the Sound of Wind and Water Soswaewon Garden is a traditional detached villa garden. It was built by a scholar named Yang San-bo (1503-1557) in the mid-Joseon period. The continuous sound of water flowing over the rocks and stones in the stream blends harmoniously with the soothing breeze through the bamboo forest at the back of the property. The atmosphere was so delightful that Kim In-hu (1510-1560), a leading Neo-Confucian scholar, wrote 48 Poems of Soswaewon.
July 2018 Myeong-okheon Garden Forest
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명옥헌 원림(鳴玉軒 苑林)
Myeong-okheon Garden Forest The Austere Loneliness of Joseon-era Scholars The name Myeong-okheon refers to the cool and clear sound of water that can be heard coming from the valley near the garden pavilion. Mosses on the tree stumps help us reflect both on the passage of time and on how some things never seem to change. The garden was built without a wall, and the pavilion within it still reflects the wise and simple lifestyles of Joseon people.
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August 2018 Gwanghallu Pavilion
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National Liberation Day
광한루(廣寒樓)
Gwanghallu Pavilion Eternity in a Garden This place is well known to Koreans as the setting of Chunhyangjeon, one of the country’s best-known classic love stories. It is almost as if you have entered into another world when you step into the Gwanghallu Pavilion. There are three islets set within a large, rectangular pond, and a host of statues of rabbits and soft-shelled turtles.
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September 2018 Mandaeru Pavilion, Byeongsan Seowon
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Mandaeru Pavilion, Byeongsan Seowon Dreams of Mountains and Rivers Byeongsan Seowon is a private Confucian academy enshrining Joseon scholar-official Ryu Seong-nyong (Seo-ae, 1542-1607). Mandaeru Pavilion, the most famous building in the complex, was once used as a lecture hall. From there, visitors can get an unobstructed view of Hahoe Village, and Hwasan Mountain.
O ctober 2018 Gwallamjeong Pavilion in the Rear Garden of Changdeokgung Palace
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Hangeul Day 9.1
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창덕궁 후원 관람정(觀纜亭)
Gwallamjeong Pavilion in the Rear Garden of Changdeokgung Palace A Floating Ship on a Red-colored Pond Gwallamji is one of the ponds in the rear garden of the magnificent Changdeokgung Palace. This renowned court garden is also the site of Gwallamjeong Pavilion. Its unique shape gives the impression that part of the pavilion is floating on the water. When the leaves change color in autumn, the yellows and reds are reflected in the pond, creating superb views in total harmony with the pavilion's graceful curves.
N ovember 2018 Cheong-amjeong Pavilion
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청암정(靑巖亭)
Cheong-amjeong Pavilion A Pavilion Reflecting the Beauty of Nature This small pavilion is located within a thick forest at the western end of Yugok Village, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Cheong-amjeong was built by Joseon cabinet minister Gwon Beol (Chungjae, 1478-1548). Its location on top of a huge rock in the middle of a pond is very unusual. Although separate halls like this one are generally built to the southeast of the main house, Cheong-amjeong is located in the west to take advantage of the picturesque scenery of the giant rock.
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D ecember 2018 Namganjeongsa Pavilion
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남간정사(南澗精舍)
Namganjeongsa Pavilion A High-water Mark in Korean Garden Architecture Namganjeongsa is a pavilion where Song Si-yeol (1607-1689), a leading Joseon Neo-Confucian scholar, taught Neo-Confucianism to his followers after he retired. Built with a valley at the foot of a low hill in the background, Namganjeongsa’s unique feature is that a stream flows underneath the main hall of the building into a lotus pond at the front, allowing the sound of flowing water to add to its beauty and charm.
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