• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2020

Noksan is a green area in the form of a hill located inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, unrecognized as a cultural heritage space. This study analyzed the literature and the actual site to derive its landscape meaning by examining the background for the formation of Noksan and how it changed. As a result, the identity of Noksan was related to the geomagnetic vein, pine forest, and deers, and the following are its landscape meaning. First, several ancient maps, including the 「Map of Gyeongbokgung Palace」 depicted the mountain range continuing from Baegaksan(Bugaksan) Mountain to areas inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Noksan is a forest located on the geomantic vein, which continues to Gangnyeongjeon Hall and Munsojeon Hall. On Bukgwoldo(Map of Gyeongbokgung Palace), Noksan is depicted with Yugujeong Pavilion, Namyeogo Storage, office for the manager of Noksan, the brook on north and south, and the wall. It can be understood as a prototypical landscape composed of minimal facilities and the forest. Second, the northern palace walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace were constructed in King Sejong's reign. The area behind Yeonjo(king's resting place) up to Sinmumun Gate(north gate of the palace) was regarded as the rear garden when Gyeongbokgung Palace was constructed. However, a new rear garden was built outside the Sinmumun Gate when the palace was rebuilt. Only Noksan maintained the geomantic vein under the circumstance. However, the geographical features changed enormously during the Japanese colonial era when they constructed a huge official residence in the rear garden outside the Sinmumun Gate and the residence of the governor-general and road in the site of the Blue House. Moreover, Noksan was severed from the foothill of Baegaksan Mountain when 'Cheongwadae-ro(road)' was constructed between the Blue House and Noksan in 1967. Third, the significant characteristics and conditions of the forest, which became the origin of Noksan, were identified based on the fact that the geomatic state of the northeastern side of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the naecheongnyong area in geomantic terms(the innermost 'dragon vein' among the veins that stretched out from the central mountain toward the left side), and they planted pine trees to reinforce the 'ground vein' and the fact that it was expressed as the 'Pine Field' before the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. The pine forest, mixed with oaks, cherries, elms, and chestnuts, identified through the excavation investigation, can be understood as the original vegetation landscape. Noksan's topography changed; a brook disappeared due to mounding, and foreign species such as acacia and ornamental juniper were planted. Currently, pine trees' ratio decreased while the forest is composed of oaks, mixed deciduous trees, some ailanthus, and willow. Fourth, the fact the name, 'Noksan,' came from the deer, which symbolized spirit, longevity, eternal life, and royal authority, was confirmed through an article of The Korea Daily News titled 'One of the seven deers in Nokwon(deer garden) in Gyeongbokgung Palace starved to death.'

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.77 no.3
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• pp.303-314
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• 1988

Tong-ri beach has not enough vegetation to be enjoyed by the sea bathers and to be satisfied with preventing the disaster-damages, but mixed forest near the beach can work its funtions and the old forest of Pirus thunbergii $P_{ARL}$. near the beach do a Little. Therefore it is very urgent to plant more trees near the beach for bathers and disaster-damage prevention. This study was carried out for planning an afforestation, with reporting upon the crown amounts and soil properties of disaster-damage prevention forests of P. thunbergii $P_{ARL}$. planted on the coast sand dunes in 1970 and 1976, and with reporting upon the valuation on soil properties of the lands near the beach in order to set the afforestation site. The results are as follows : 1. In disaster-damage prevention forests, crown surface area and crown volume became increasingly greater in proportion to the height. To D.B.H., crown volume also became increasingly greater in proportion, but crown surface area was directly proportional. 2. In comparison to sail characteristics of sand dune, those of the forests were in large quantity in OM, T-N and avail. $SiO_2$, and almost in the same in avail. $P_2O_5$, but in small quantity in exchangeable canons : K, Ca, Mg and Na. 3. EC, Cl and pH were in small value in the forest soils, but CEC was in large value in those soils. 4. Above facts showed that the forests fulfill their functions for preventing disaster-damages and improve their soil properties. 5. The forests have naturally been thinned up to 34% in 17 years and 39% in 11 years, and one can easily pass through the forest(planted in 1970), because of its sufficient clear-length(2.71m) and its space to pass. 6. A plan for afforestation was oracle nut after judging several sites by the evaluation on the soil properties and considering the best relaxation and the prevention of the various disaster-damages upon which were reported in the last issue. 7. Afforestation should be kept for maintaining its appropriate density for best relaxation and disaster-damage prevention.