Key points in the architecture of Korea II
From horizontal
to vertical dimension
pavilions and skyscrapers
pavilions and skyscrapers
Evolution of Korean architecture style
from Joseon period to nowadays
Korean art has its full development during Joseon period (1392 – 1910). Architecture flourishes too and lots of buildings were built in Korean style on Chinese models.
The first Korean royal palaces of Joseon kings are based on Chinese royal buildings made of
pavilions, courtyards and gardens. The construction of Gyeongbokgung (경복궁, “Palace of Shining Happiness”) begins in 1394, in the third year of first Joseon king Taejo; this is the most important and the bigger of the “Five Grand Palaces” built in Seoul by Joseon dynasty. Gyeongbokgung has got some of the characteristics of Ming Chinese royal palaces i. e. courtyards and small and big pavilions set in parallel and horizontal lines and divided by gardens and ponds. The Purple City of Beijing better known as the Forbidden City is certainly the most representative and famous example of this kind of imperial palaces.
Gyeongbokgung was the official palace of Korean kings and for this reason suffered splendour and misfortunes of Korea much than other buildings. Japanese army leaded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1592 and 1598 burned Gyeongbokgung in order to subdue Korean resistance. The palace was rebuilt and enlarged in 1867 by king Daewongun but during Japanese occupation (1919 – 1945) lots of its buildings were destroyed. Nowadays only few but very important buildings still remain and show the main features of Joseon Korean architecture.
Gwanghwamun (광화문) is the big three-arched southern gateway of the palace; the king only could get in the building through the middle arch. Big courtyards lead to Geunjeongjeon (근정전, “Throne hall”), the main pavilion of the palace. Lots of smaller
pavilions - more than 300 - extended in the rear of throne hall and they were used by courtiers and courtesans. The most significant of these pavilions are Gyeonghoeru (경회루, “Royal banquets hall”) - a wooden and stone building erected on an artificial island in the lotus pond - and famous Hyangwonjeong (향원정, “Pavilion of Far-Reaching Fragrance”) built in 1873 on an artificial island of Hyangwonji (향원지) lake and it is reachable through Chwihyanggyo (취향교, “Bridge Intoxicated with Fragrance”).
Orientation of Gyeongbokgung structures is horizontal more than vertical and buildings are set up in length and width more than in height. This characteristic is peculiar of Chinese and Far Eastern architecture. Pavilions' elongated and not elevated shape is due not only to aesthetic sense and style. Wood is the main building material of Far East architecture together with stone used for foundations and podium. Tree trunks used as pillars allow horizontal more than vertical extension of wooden structures.
Dancheong (단청) - Korean wooden structures decoration technique - develop in Gyeongbokgung buildings and roofs and pillars are patterned with floral and geometric motifs. Colours of dancheong are white, blue, red, yellow and black which in Far East symbolism respectively represent West, East, South, middle and North.
Purpose of dancheong is not only aesthetic but also practical; it shields wooden structures from rain and other bad weather and it covers up junctures and imperfections of wood. Foreigner diplomatic missions in Korea were very surprised and were full of admiration looking at colours' brightness and at decorations'
variety of dancheong. Gyeongbokgung compound shows us roofs' style during Joseon period. Slopes are wide and turned up as it is common in Far East architecture to shield wooden walls from heavy rain and summer noonday sun. Roof of gates and pavilions is quite always double as in Gwanghwamun and it is crowned with yongmaru (용마루), a top white roof ridge which symbolizes the dragon “yong” king's allegory.
Gyeongbokgung is the model of four Seoul royal palaces: Changgyeonggung (창경궁) built by king Sejong the Great (세종대왕, 世宗大王, 1418–1450), Deoksugung (덕수궁) built by prince Wolsan older brother of king Seongjong (1457-1494), Gyeonghuigung (경희궁, "Palace of Serene Harmony") and the well-known Changdeokgung (창덕궁, “Palace of Prospering Virtue”) or Donggwol (東闕, "East Palace") built by king Taejong (태종, 太宗, 1400–1418) and completed in 1412.
Changdeokgung - registered on Unesco's World Cultural Heritage List - suffered many sacks and recostructions. Its most important buildings are Injeongjeon (“Throne Hall”) and Huwon (“Rear garden”) also called Biwon (“Secret garden”). Injeongjeon harks back to Geunjeongjeon in its stone pedestal, in the wooden structure and the double-sloped roof. Buyongjeong “Floating Lotus Pavilion” was built in 1707 and it was used for end of study celebrations by real library scholars. This pavilion harks back to Gyeonghoeru though Buyongjeong is a very original building: two pillars are based on the pond and the pavilion itself looks floating just an inch from the water.
This kind of pavilion is influenced by Buddhist symbolism and it represents the lotus flower which grows up from the mud and blossoms. There are other pavilions like Buyongjeong in Korean architecture, like Songgwangsa (송광사) Zen temple gate and Hwallaejeong of Seongyojang (선교장) which completely lays in a lotus pond. A similar typology of architecture is “One Pillar Pagoda” (Chùa Một Cột, formally Diên Hựu tự 延祐寺 or Liên Hoa Đài 蓮花臺) of Hanoi in Vietnam which rests upon one pillar in a lotus pond.
Joseon tomb architecture fuses the model of contemporary Chinese Ming graves with Three Kingdoms period tumuli like the tomb of Sejong the Great built in 1450 at Yeoju, in Gyeonggi province. Middle tumulus is protected by big statues of animals and armed guardians like in the Spirit Way which leads to Ming tombs near Beijing.
Joseon period is the time of walls of gates and of fortresses built to face invasions and wars. Sungnyemun (숭례문, “Gate of Exalted Ceremonies”) – National Treasure 1 – better known as Namdeamun (남대문, “Great Southern Gate”), built from 1395 to 1398 by king Taejo has been one of the well-known Seoul symbols till its arson on 10th February 2008. Namdeamun is a stone gate with a wooden double-sloped roof and it acted as greeting hall for diplomatic missions which reached city and as bulwark against foreign armies and against Korean tigers coming from the near mountains. Arson completely destroyed the original wooden roof which was famous to be the oldest wooden structure in Seoul. At present only the stone basement with arch still remains; restoration of Namdeamun will be very expensive and will last more than three years. Heunginjimun (동대문, “Gate of Rising Benevolence”) better known as Dongdaemun (흥인지문, “Great East Gate”) was built in Seoul walls erected by king Taejo. It is very similar to Namdaemun and rebuilt and restored many times.
Hwaseong (화성, “Brilliant Fortress”) is the best example of military architecture. It was built from 1794 to 1796 at Suwon not far away from Seoul by architect Jeong Yak-yong for want of king Jeongjo (1776–1800) in honour of his father prince Sado. King Jeongjo thought to build Hwaseong as the fortress of new capital
Suwon. His project to move capital from Seoul to Suwon shattered after his death but Brilliant Fortress still remains nowadays. Architect Jeong Yak-yong was able to combine together Chinese and Japanese military architecture elements like the big blocks of lower part of walls and Korean elements like coloured wooden pavilions. Fusion between grey stone and colours of wood gives the impression of an harmonic contrast. Hwahongmun (화홍문) is the bridge-gate of fortress under which river Suwoncheon passes and it well symbolizes fusion between military efficiency and functionality and Korean art style. Massive stone arches of bridge-gate and red wooden roof typical of Joseon palaces are joined together. Difference between colours and materials is big though it is elegant and harmonic.
Neo-Confucianism promoted as official religion by kings stunts religious architecture in Joseon period. However in 1897 at the end of Joseon period Wongudan (원구단, “Altar of Heaven”) was built in Seoul by king Gojong (고종, 高宗, 1863–1907) to bring back to the fore the harvest propitiatory rite which had been abolished centuries before because of Korean submission to Chinese emperor. Nowadays Hwanggungu “Yellow Palace Shrine” an octagonal three-storied pavilion built in 1899 is the only remaining building of Wongudan compound and it is in the courtyard of Chosun Hotel. Hwanggungu’s model is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of Beijing’s Temple of Heaven but architecture style is whole Korean in materials in shape and in the decorations. Contrast between Hwanggungu and contemporary surrounding buildings or contrast between Namdaemun and close modern skyscrapers is typical of Far East capitals where old and new architecture, ancient and modern, past
and future cohabit often with no links between them.
Wongudan is the last Korean style building built in Korea. Japanese occupation destroyed some of the most important Korean historical buildings and built official buildings to symbolize Japan rule over Korea. The Japanese Government-General Building (조선총독부 청사) built in 1926 symbolically in front of Gyeongbokgung was demolished in 1996 to wipe out Korean recent painful events. The Seoul City Hall (서울특별시 청사) of 1926 is an eclectic style building the front of which resembles the National Diet Building of Tokyo (国会議事堂) built few years later. These buildings show a rough and confused style which is peculiar of Japanese architecture of beginning of XX century but preserve horizontal dimensions peculiar of Far East architecture instead of not much space and of different materials used. Architectonic symbols of new Korea are all vertical, high, very high like the N Seoul Tower (엔 서울타워) built in 1969 on Mount Namsan, 63 Building (63 빌딩) completed in 1985, Jongno Tower and other Seoul’s skyscrapers, all-beautiful and shining but different, very different from Korean style and very similar to other buildings all over the world. At Incheon the Songdo Incheon Twin Towers 613 meters high are under construction and they will complete New Songdo City (송도신도시) becoming tallest buildings of Far East. Does some traditional spirit still survive in Korean contemporary architecture? Gyeongju Tower (경주타워) is a very special building completed in 2008 because in its body there is the empty outline of 68 meters high nine-storied wooden pagoda of Hwangryongsa temple (황룡사 9층 목탑 모형) which was commissioned by Queen Seondeok of Silla (선덕여왕, 善德女王, 632-647). It was the largest pagoda ever built in Korea and it is nowadays destroyed. Modern and ancient are fused together in Gyeongju Tower.
Finally Cheonggyecheon (청계천) a compound which added traditional style to modern architecture. The drainage canal Gaecheon had been built in first decades of Joseon period in the heart of capital Seoul and it flowed into river
Han. In the course of time canal has been invaded by huts and refuse and for this reason it became the symbol of Seoul’s poverty and urban decay. In 1950s Gaecheon has been covered up and a high road and then a causeway has been built. From water of stream to asphalt of road. In 2003, former mayor of Seoul and President of South Korea Lee Myung-bak (이명박, 李明博) decided to restore ancient canal Gaecheon and to build a promenade in Seoul downtown. Cheonggyecheon was completed in 2005 after many criticisms and scepticisms. It is a stream lighted up by night which takes water from river Han and flows across stones and bridges in Seoul core. Two historical bridges Gwangtonggyo and Supyogyo have been excavated and restored and Cheonggyecheon imitates in a modern style the streams of Posekjeong (“Stone Abalone Pavilion”) and of Ongnyucheon (“Jade Torrent”) in Changdeokgung.
Modern architecture of Korea might get inspired by Cheonggyecheon style to regain ancient Korean spirit which is missing in nowadays high and featureless buildings.
The first Korean royal palaces of Joseon kings are based on Chinese royal buildings made of
pavilions, courtyards and gardens. The construction of Gyeongbokgung (경복궁, “Palace of Shining Happiness”) begins in 1394, in the third year of first Joseon king Taejo; this is the most important and the bigger of the “Five Grand Palaces” built in Seoul by Joseon dynasty. Gyeongbokgung has got some of the characteristics of Ming Chinese royal palaces i. e. courtyards and small and big pavilions set in parallel and horizontal lines and divided by gardens and ponds. The Purple City of Beijing better known as the Forbidden City is certainly the most representative and famous example of this kind of imperial palaces.Gyeongbokgung was the official palace of Korean kings and for this reason suffered splendour and misfortunes of Korea much than other buildings. Japanese army leaded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1592 and 1598 burned Gyeongbokgung in order to subdue Korean resistance. The palace was rebuilt and enlarged in 1867 by king Daewongun but during Japanese occupation (1919 – 1945) lots of its buildings were destroyed. Nowadays only few but very important buildings still remain and show the main features of Joseon Korean architecture.
Gwanghwamun (광화문) is the big three-arched southern gateway of the palace; the king only could get in the building through the middle arch. Big courtyards lead to Geunjeongjeon (근정전, “Throne hall”), the main pavilion of the palace. Lots of smaller
pavilions - more than 300 - extended in the rear of throne hall and they were used by courtiers and courtesans. The most significant of these pavilions are Gyeonghoeru (경회루, “Royal banquets hall”) - a wooden and stone building erected on an artificial island in the lotus pond - and famous Hyangwonjeong (향원정, “Pavilion of Far-Reaching Fragrance”) built in 1873 on an artificial island of Hyangwonji (향원지) lake and it is reachable through Chwihyanggyo (취향교, “Bridge Intoxicated with Fragrance”).Orientation of Gyeongbokgung structures is horizontal more than vertical and buildings are set up in length and width more than in height. This characteristic is peculiar of Chinese and Far Eastern architecture. Pavilions' elongated and not elevated shape is due not only to aesthetic sense and style. Wood is the main building material of Far East architecture together with stone used for foundations and podium. Tree trunks used as pillars allow horizontal more than vertical extension of wooden structures.
Dancheong (단청) - Korean wooden structures decoration technique - develop in Gyeongbokgung buildings and roofs and pillars are patterned with floral and geometric motifs. Colours of dancheong are white, blue, red, yellow and black which in Far East symbolism respectively represent West, East, South, middle and North.
Purpose of dancheong is not only aesthetic but also practical; it shields wooden structures from rain and other bad weather and it covers up junctures and imperfections of wood. Foreigner diplomatic missions in Korea were very surprised and were full of admiration looking at colours' brightness and at decorations'
variety of dancheong. Gyeongbokgung compound shows us roofs' style during Joseon period. Slopes are wide and turned up as it is common in Far East architecture to shield wooden walls from heavy rain and summer noonday sun. Roof of gates and pavilions is quite always double as in Gwanghwamun and it is crowned with yongmaru (용마루), a top white roof ridge which symbolizes the dragon “yong” king's allegory.Gyeongbokgung is the model of four Seoul royal palaces: Changgyeonggung (창경궁) built by king Sejong the Great (세종대왕, 世宗大王, 1418–1450), Deoksugung (덕수궁) built by prince Wolsan older brother of king Seongjong (1457-1494), Gyeonghuigung (경희궁, "Palace of Serene Harmony") and the well-known Changdeokgung (창덕궁, “Palace of Prospering Virtue”) or Donggwol (東闕, "East Palace") built by king Taejong (태종, 太宗, 1400–1418) and completed in 1412.
Changdeokgung - registered on Unesco's World Cultural Heritage List - suffered many sacks and recostructions. Its most important buildings are Injeongjeon (“Throne Hall”) and Huwon (“Rear garden”) also called Biwon (“Secret garden”). Injeongjeon harks back to Geunjeongjeon in its stone pedestal, in the wooden structure and the double-sloped roof. Buyongjeong “Floating Lotus Pavilion” was built in 1707 and it was used for end of study celebrations by real library scholars. This pavilion harks back to Gyeonghoeru though Buyongjeong is a very original building: two pillars are based on the pond and the pavilion itself looks floating just an inch from the water.
This kind of pavilion is influenced by Buddhist symbolism and it represents the lotus flower which grows up from the mud and blossoms. There are other pavilions like Buyongjeong in Korean architecture, like Songgwangsa (송광사) Zen temple gate and Hwallaejeong of Seongyojang (선교장) which completely lays in a lotus pond. A similar typology of architecture is “One Pillar Pagoda” (Chùa Một Cột, formally Diên Hựu tự 延祐寺 or Liên Hoa Đài 蓮花臺) of Hanoi in Vietnam which rests upon one pillar in a lotus pond.
Joseon tomb architecture fuses the model of contemporary Chinese Ming graves with Three Kingdoms period tumuli like the tomb of Sejong the Great built in 1450 at Yeoju, in Gyeonggi province. Middle tumulus is protected by big statues of animals and armed guardians like in the Spirit Way which leads to Ming tombs near Beijing.
Joseon period is the time of walls of gates and of fortresses built to face invasions and wars. Sungnyemun (숭례문, “Gate of Exalted Ceremonies”) – National Treasure 1 – better known as Namdeamun (남대문, “Great Southern Gate”), built from 1395 to 1398 by king Taejo has been one of the well-known Seoul symbols till its arson on 10th February 2008. Namdeamun is a stone gate with a wooden double-sloped roof and it acted as greeting hall for diplomatic missions which reached city and as bulwark against foreign armies and against Korean tigers coming from the near mountains. Arson completely destroyed the original wooden roof which was famous to be the oldest wooden structure in Seoul. At present only the stone basement with arch still remains; restoration of Namdeamun will be very expensive and will last more than three years. Heunginjimun (동대문, “Gate of Rising Benevolence”) better known as Dongdaemun (흥인지문, “Great East Gate”) was built in Seoul walls erected by king Taejo. It is very similar to Namdaemun and rebuilt and restored many times.
Hwaseong (화성, “Brilliant Fortress”) is the best example of military architecture. It was built from 1794 to 1796 at Suwon not far away from Seoul by architect Jeong Yak-yong for want of king Jeongjo (1776–1800) in honour of his father prince Sado. King Jeongjo thought to build Hwaseong as the fortress of new capital
Suwon. His project to move capital from Seoul to Suwon shattered after his death but Brilliant Fortress still remains nowadays. Architect Jeong Yak-yong was able to combine together Chinese and Japanese military architecture elements like the big blocks of lower part of walls and Korean elements like coloured wooden pavilions. Fusion between grey stone and colours of wood gives the impression of an harmonic contrast. Hwahongmun (화홍문) is the bridge-gate of fortress under which river Suwoncheon passes and it well symbolizes fusion between military efficiency and functionality and Korean art style. Massive stone arches of bridge-gate and red wooden roof typical of Joseon palaces are joined together. Difference between colours and materials is big though it is elegant and harmonic.Neo-Confucianism promoted as official religion by kings stunts religious architecture in Joseon period. However in 1897 at the end of Joseon period Wongudan (원구단, “Altar of Heaven”) was built in Seoul by king Gojong (고종, 高宗, 1863–1907) to bring back to the fore the harvest propitiatory rite which had been abolished centuries before because of Korean submission to Chinese emperor. Nowadays Hwanggungu “Yellow Palace Shrine” an octagonal three-storied pavilion built in 1899 is the only remaining building of Wongudan compound and it is in the courtyard of Chosun Hotel. Hwanggungu’s model is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of Beijing’s Temple of Heaven but architecture style is whole Korean in materials in shape and in the decorations. Contrast between Hwanggungu and contemporary surrounding buildings or contrast between Namdaemun and close modern skyscrapers is typical of Far East capitals where old and new architecture, ancient and modern, past
and future cohabit often with no links between them.Wongudan is the last Korean style building built in Korea. Japanese occupation destroyed some of the most important Korean historical buildings and built official buildings to symbolize Japan rule over Korea. The Japanese Government-General Building (조선총독부 청사) built in 1926 symbolically in front of Gyeongbokgung was demolished in 1996 to wipe out Korean recent painful events. The Seoul City Hall (서울특별시 청사) of 1926 is an eclectic style building the front of which resembles the National Diet Building of Tokyo (国会議事堂) built few years later. These buildings show a rough and confused style which is peculiar of Japanese architecture of beginning of XX century but preserve horizontal dimensions peculiar of Far East architecture instead of not much space and of different materials used. Architectonic symbols of new Korea are all vertical, high, very high like the N Seoul Tower (엔 서울타워) built in 1969 on Mount Namsan, 63 Building (63 빌딩) completed in 1985, Jongno Tower and other Seoul’s skyscrapers, all-beautiful and shining but different, very different from Korean style and very similar to other buildings all over the world. At Incheon the Songdo Incheon Twin Towers 613 meters high are under construction and they will complete New Songdo City (송도신도시) becoming tallest buildings of Far East. Does some traditional spirit still survive in Korean contemporary architecture? Gyeongju Tower (경주타워) is a very special building completed in 2008 because in its body there is the empty outline of 68 meters high nine-storied wooden pagoda of Hwangryongsa temple (황룡사 9층 목탑 모형) which was commissioned by Queen Seondeok of Silla (선덕여왕, 善德女王, 632-647). It was the largest pagoda ever built in Korea and it is nowadays destroyed. Modern and ancient are fused together in Gyeongju Tower.
Finally Cheonggyecheon (청계천) a compound which added traditional style to modern architecture. The drainage canal Gaecheon had been built in first decades of Joseon period in the heart of capital Seoul and it flowed into river
Han. In the course of time canal has been invaded by huts and refuse and for this reason it became the symbol of Seoul’s poverty and urban decay. In 1950s Gaecheon has been covered up and a high road and then a causeway has been built. From water of stream to asphalt of road. In 2003, former mayor of Seoul and President of South Korea Lee Myung-bak (이명박, 李明博) decided to restore ancient canal Gaecheon and to build a promenade in Seoul downtown. Cheonggyecheon was completed in 2005 after many criticisms and scepticisms. It is a stream lighted up by night which takes water from river Han and flows across stones and bridges in Seoul core. Two historical bridges Gwangtonggyo and Supyogyo have been excavated and restored and Cheonggyecheon imitates in a modern style the streams of Posekjeong (“Stone Abalone Pavilion”) and of Ongnyucheon (“Jade Torrent”) in Changdeokgung.
Modern architecture of Korea might get inspired by Cheonggyecheon style to regain ancient Korean spirit which is missing in nowadays high and featureless buildings.
Floriano Terrano
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