ARCHITECTURE RE500

Korean
Korean
Korean
Korean
Korean
BURCE, EMMANUEL
contents
1 Lexicon (Definition of terms)

2 Background

3 Architectural Influences

4 Architectural Character

5 Proponents

6 Prominent Structures

7
6 Reference List and Resource
lexicon
SEMANTICS

SOKKURAM. a man made grotto built during the middle of

the eighth century.

JUSIMPO. a column-head bracketing where the capitals

and bearing blocks on top of the columns were reinforced
with a kind of cornice.

DAPO. a multi-cluster bracketing which there must be a

thick, sturdy architrave beam on the tie-beam to provide
space from intercolumnar brackets.

HANOK. a traditional korean house

background
KOREAN BEGINNINGS

Korean Architecture is vital to the development of

Japanese architecture due to its location Korea
served as the gateway for Chinese influences to
reach Japan. Korea has been a host to multicultural
exchange between China and Japan; thus, making
the Architecture of Korea highly resembling the
architecture character of its two neighboring
countries. Nonetheless, Korean vernacular
architecture, though minimal, has developed
throughout the centuries.

Historically, Korea was founded by three ruling

Kingdoms the Shilla kingdom, Koryo kingdom, and
the Choson kingdom. Each developed similar timber
and stone structures but with the succeeding
invasions from the Mongols in the north and
Japanese in the south many of Korea’s traditional
structures were destroyed. Thereafter a two-
hundred-year isolation from foreign contact followed.
And Korean architecture never regained its aesthetic
and artistic sensibility lost during these incursions
influence

GEOGRAPHICAL. Korea is a peninsular country located on

the northeast seaboard of the Asian Continent. It is bordered by
Manchuria and the Russia to the north, China to the west, and Japan
in the south and east. Because of its location Korea served an
important role in the evolution of Japan and China. It served as a
hub for cultural exchange to China by both land and sea routes.
When these routes were opened to the southern regions of Japan,
Korea served as a cultural channel between China and Japan.
influence

GEOLOGICAL. Ancient Korea had a mixture of coniferous

and temperate forests, of which a substantial portion was destroyed
by the “hwaijon” method of agriculture. Where existing wild
vegetation were burned for new areas to cultivate crops.
Nonetheless, historical architectural developments in Korea were
based upon timber-framed construction similar to those of China.
influence

CLIMATE. Two-thirds of Korea is of mountainous terrain and

primarily granitic. The southern region is alluvial which provides
fertile land for agriculture. The country experience temperate
climate, there are four seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and
Winter—with summer and winter being the longest. During winter
months monsoons are also experienced. Overall, there is a
considerable difference in temperature between the different
seasons.
influence

RELIGION.The origins of religion of ancient Korea are shrouded

by mystery but it is widely believed that similar forms of animistic
worship from Siberia was present. However, historically speaking, the
architecture of korea was influenced by Chinese beliefs such as
Confucianism, Daoism, yin and yang, the five elements, geomancy,
and astronomy. Buddhism was introduced during the late fourth
century and reach its peak during the Shilla period. Many Buddhist
architectural structures were created, however during the late
fourteenth century buddhism declined in influence and a confucian-
oriented system was favored.
influence

SOCIAL & POLITICAL. Koreans are descended from

several Mongolian tribes who immigrated from Manchuria during
prehistoric times. Anthropologically Koreans are generally
considered as part of the mongoloid race and their language stems
from the Altaic family of language. Because of the strategic location
of Korea it has been subjected to multiple invasions from foreign
powers. The Mongolian and Japanese invasions that occurred during
the thirteen and sixteenth centuries were most devastating; as a
result, most of the wooden architecture of Korea was destoryed and
never regained its aesthetic and artistic sensibility.
influence

HISTORICAL. Kija, leader of a group of Chinese refugees,

founded Korea during the twelfth century. Calling the country
Choson. Towards the end of this period Korea was incorporated in
the Han dynasty of China as a colony and was called Nangnang but
succumbed to invaders from the north, who founded the Koguryo
kingdom. At an earlier date, the kingdom of Shilla and Paekche
formed in the southeast and west of the country, respectively. Thus,
began the three kingdoms period. During the Tang Dynasty, Shilla
unified the country south of the river Taedon. Tang culture
flourished during this period. The sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries were considered as the golden age of Korea with cultural
and artistic developments.
 KOREAN ARCHITECTURAL
CHARACTERISTIC AND FORMS
character
Korean traditional architecture exists within
the Asian context of traditional architecture
alongside the architectural forms of China and
Japan. Despite being highly influenced by
traditional Chinese architecture Korean
Architecture developed according to its own
particular set of characteristics—its flexible
response to topography and surrounding
mountains, the organic layout of its buildings,
its reiteration and metastasis of space. Theses
architectural characteristics distinguish
Korean architecture from Chinese and
Japanese architecture.

Three Historical periods of Korean

Architceture:

Shilla Perios (688-935)

Koryo Period (918-1392)
Choson Period (1392-1910)
 SHILLA PERIOD

TIMBER BUILDINGS

No wooden construction survived the ravages of time and

invasions from the Mongols and Japanese from the Shilla period.
However, the remaining stone structures of this period imitate
wooden construction. The Samguk sagi (History of the Three
Kindoms) provide speculation on some aspects of construction.
character
The houses of the upper class had tiled roofs, the eaves of which
were decorated with end tiles, and each end of the ridge had an
ornamental tile shaped like a bird’s tail, while the ends of the hip-
ridges were finished with grotesque masks. Gables were
decorated with hanging ornaments that resembled fish, the eaves
were double tiered and supported by brackets on top of the
pillars, and the wooden part of the construction were painted
with silver ornaments. Most of the architecture during the Shilla
period was influenced by the Tang dynasty.

TIMBER BUILDINGS

The major stone edifice of Shilla construction was the Sokkuram

—a man made grotto built during the middle of the eighth
century. It comprises of a rectangular antechamber and an
arched rotunda, at the center of which is a seated Buddha. The
walls of stone structures were often covered with reliefs
depicting Buddhist imagery. During the Shilla Kingdom
experimentation of Pagodas can be observed. Most of which
were three-story being supported on a square pedestal with
pillars carved upon it. Each story had its own Roof carved from
stone. Stupas were octagonal in plan and was ornamented with
reliefs depicting lions, apsaras, and Buddhist guardian kings. The
stone roof was carved to stimulate tiled roof of a wooden
construction.
 KORYO PERIOD
character
TIMBER BUILDINGS

During the middle and late Koryo period, instead of continuing

the Shilla method of construction, new styles emerged from the
wave of Chinese influences. A southern Chinese Construction
style using brackets on top of columns with curved bracket arms
was introduced. In the fourteenth century a norther Chinese style
was also introduced with clusters of brackets on column heads
on the horizontal beams between them. Multi-cluster bracketing
was soon adopted widely. From these Chinese styles a Korean
style of column head was developed but was quite different from
its Chinese Models.

TIMBER BUILDINGS

The Pagoda style developed during the Shilla period continued

during the Koryo period. Polygonal plans were evident influences
of the Liao and Song Dynasty from China during this period. The
use of Decorative reliefs on walls continued. Stupas became
more elaborate in design with the rise of Buddhism. The
predominant type was octagonal, but bell-shaped stupas were
also constructed during the late period. Stupas were embellished
with ornament and the roof stone was reduced in size.
character
CHOSON PERIOD

TIMBER BUILDINGS

The Multi-cluster bracketing method continued to flourish

throughout the entire country during the Choson period.

TIMBER BUILDINGS

With suppression of Buddhism and favor of Confucianism the

quality of stone pagodas gradually declined. Rather than
developing their own style Choson artists continued the ancient
method of building pagodas. Bell-shaped Stupas continued to be
built during this period but lacked the embellishments of the
pervious Shilla and Koryo periods. Underground Ice stores were
also built during this period where ice from rivers in winter were
stored. Rectangular stone were used to form numerous arches,
between which weight-supporting stone were fitted to uphold
the cylindrical frame of the storage chambers.
character KOREAN ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS

PLANS

Temples were built with three sanctums arranged to the north, east,
and west with a central pagoda built with wood and an octagonal
plan. These characteristics indicate that the architectural character
was transmitted to Japan. Traditional houses in Korea, known as
Hanok, employed similar layouts to those of Japanese houses. The
Norther region used a square layout with the living space at the
center which prevent winds from entering the house, meanwhile the
southern region utilized a straight-line layout which optimized
airflow, and lastly an L-shaped layout was employed in the central
region of ancient Korea which combined the characteristics of the
Northern and Southern layouts. Houses were often designed to
separate occupants by class, gender, and age.
character

WALLS

Pagodas during the Shilla Kingdom used brick-like patterns in the

construction of Pagodas. Most pagodas consisted of stone cut into
shapes of bricks and was built using a brick laying technique. Walls
were embellished with sculptural reliefs that depict lions, dragons,
and Buddhist imagery such as the Buddha.
character

OPENINGS

Gates or doors of buildings were made with thick wooden boards

and were topped by a high roof. The main gates were used during
special occasions while smaller side gates were used regular days.
Windows, similar to Japan, were made of a wooden frame and lined
with paper made from wood pulp. Tis allowed natural air to
permeate into the house and allowed enough sunlight to enter the
structure.
character

ROOFS

The eaves of the Roofs were projected and used tiles. Korean houses
had their own tiled roofs called Giwa and were finished by an end
tile called Cheoma. Lengths of Cheoma can be manipulated to
control the amount of light that enters a house. Types of roofing
systems: Matbae (gable roof), Ujingak (hipped roof), and the Plajak
(hip-and-gable roof).
character

COLUMNS

Columns were often circular in plan and had a plain shaft topped
with brackets. Two forms of bracketing were introduced to Korea by
China. The first being the Jusimpo method or column-head
bracketing where the capitals and bearing blocks on top of the
columns were reinforced with a kind of cornice, the underside of the
bracket arms are cut in undulating waves. The second type is the
Dapo or multi-cluster bracketing which there must be a thick,
sturdy architrave beam on the tie-beam to provide space from
intercolumnar brackets. Bracket arms are usually finished in arcs
character

ORNAMENTS

Ornamentation on was heavily utilized during the Shilla and Koryo

kingdoms to embellish the walls and roofs of Buddhists pagodas and
stupas. Common wall reliefs included images of lions and Buddhist
guardian kings. However, due to the suppression of Buddhism in
favor of Confucianism during the Choson Kingdom the of these
ornate decorations fell out of practice.
proponents

Korea, just like Japan, has no written records or accounts of

any architects or artisans that helped shaped the architectural
character of Korea. Nonetheless, many of the influences that
affected Korean architecture came from China and Japan.
Thus, it can be deduced that these two neighboring countries
were the driving force behind the Korean way of construction.
structures

MIREUKSA
Mireuksa was the largest Buddhist temple in the ancient kingdom
of Baekje in the Korean Peninsula. The temple was established in 602
by King Mu and is located in modern Iksan, North Jeolla Province,
South Korea. The site was excavated in 1980, disclosing many hitherto
unknown facts about Baekje architecture. Mireuksaji Stone Pagoda is
one of two extant Baekje pagodas. It is also the largest as well as being
among the oldest of all Korean pagodas.
structures

CHANGDEOKGUNG PALACE
Changdeokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace, is set within a large park
in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five Grand Palaces"
built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. As it is located east
of Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeokgung—along with Changgyeonggung
—is also referred to as the "East Palace". Changdeokgung was the most
favored palace of many Joseon princes and retained many elements
dating from the Three Kingdoms of Korea period that were not
incorporated in the more contemporary Gyeongbokgung. One such
element is the fact that the buildings of Changdeokgung blend with the
natural topography of the site instead of imposing themselves upon it.
structures

JONGMYO SHRINE
Jongmyo is a Confucian shrine dedicated to the perpetuation of
memorial services for the deceased kings and queens of the
Korean Joseon Dynasty. The shrine is the oldest royal Confucian shrine
preserved and the ritual ceremonies continue a tradition established in
the 14th century. Jongmyo is adjacent
to Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung in the south. They used to
be connected in the Joseon period, but were separated by a road built
by Japanese colonialists.
references
Fletcher, Banister. A History of Architecture for the Student,
Craftsman, and Amateur: Being a Comparative View of the
Historical Styles from the Earliest Period. B.T. Batsford;--C.
Scribner's Sons, 1896.

"Mireuksa Temple Site". Baekje World Heritage Center.

Retrieved 27 July 2017.

Choi, Jong-deok (2006), Changdeokgung: the true palace of

Joseon, Seoul: Nulwa.

Hoon, Shin Young Hoon (2008). The Royal Palaces of Korea: Six
Centuries of Dynastic Grandeur (Hardback). Singapore: Stallion
Press.

Images sourced from Google Image search

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