Abstract
The study aimed to find the fundamental differences of aesthetics in Korea, China, and Japan by analyzing expressive features and structural meanings of the storage furniture from $17^{th}$ to $19^{th}$ century. The study was performed in four steps; analysis of expressive features, isotopic analysis, semantic structure analysis, and comprehensive interpretation. The results showed that three countries had linear shapes with curvilinear elements, closed forms with open spaces, natural material hues with change of tone or color, and symmetrical forms with asymmetrical patterns and structures in common. Korea comparatively accented on the natural material colors and wood grains. China stressed on the big and wide faces using three-dimensional carving. Japan accented on the linear elements with strong color contrast and decorative metal fixtures. These features were caused by the traditional thoughts and according aesthetic principles. Korea and China were affected by the Confucianism focused on establishing the order of rank. Meanwhile, Japan was more influenced by the Buddhism emphasized on the individuality and communication. Therefore, the differences of the expressive features in furniture among the three countries were inevitable consequences of the different ideologies.
