• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.36
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• pp.227-266
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• 2020

The purpose of this paper is to review the representative Buddhist policies enforced during the reign of Gwanghaegun (光海君), the 15th king of the Joseon Dynasty, and the aspects of the Buddhist community affected by them. Through this, the influence and dynamism of Buddhism during the reign of Gwanghaegun will be revealed. Some of the findings will run contrary to what is popularly known about Joseon Buddhism and the policy of Sungyueokbul (崇儒抑佛), 'Revering Confucianism and Supressing Buddhism.' During the Joseon Dynasty, Neo-Confucianism was taken as an ideological background, and consequently, Buddhism was ostracized by the ruling class who advocated the exclusion of heretical views. This also characterized King Gwanghaegun's reign during the Mid-Joseon Dynasty. In reality though, the ruling class held mixed opinions about Buddhism, and this influenced the Buddhist community in the Gwanghaegun Period. The military might of Japan demonstrated during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, led the ruling class to recognize Buddhism, and as a result, the status of Buddhism rose to a certain extent. Based on its elevated status and the aftermath of the Japanese Invasion of Korea, the Buddhist community engaged in social welfare activities inspired by the notion of requiting favors, and the Buddhist community gained recognition for providing relief services. As a result, the number of monks increased, and the economic situation improved as land ownership was granted to temples and monks. This is the means by which the Japanese Invasion of Korea influenced the Buddhist policies of the Gwanghaegun Period and changed the religious topography of Buddhism. During the reign of King Gwanghaegun, the ruling class regarded Buddhism as heretical, but offered posthumous titles to monks who engaged in meritorious services during the Japanese invasions of 1592~1598. Favorable and/or preferential treatment was also granted to some Buddhist monks. In addition, monks began to perform labor projects that demanded organizational and physical strength, such as those which related to national defense and architecture. However, throughout the Gwanghaegun Period, the monks were paid a certain amount of compensation for their labor, and the monks' responsibility for labor increased. This can be understood as a partial reconciliation with Buddhism or an acceptance of Buddhism rather than the suppression of Buddhism often presented by historians. As for policies which affected Buddhism, the Buddhist community showed signs of cooperation with the ruling class, the creation and reconstruction of temples, and the production of Buddhist art. Through close ties with the ruling class, Buddhism during the Gwanghaegun Period saw the Buddhist community actively responded policies that impacted Buddhism, and this allowed their religious orders to be maintained. In this way, it was also confirmed that the monk, Buhyu Seonsu (浮休 善修) and his disciple Byeogam Gakseong (碧巖 覺性), took up leadership roles in their Buddhist community. The Buddhist-aimed policies of Gwanghaegun were implemented against the backdrop of the Buddhist community, wherein the ruling class held mixed opinions regarding Buddhism. As such, both improvements and set backs for Buddhism could be observed during that time period. The ruling class actively utilized the organizational power of Buddhism for national defense and civil engineering after the Japanese invasions of 1592~1598. Out of gratitude, they implemented appropriate compensation for the Buddhists involved. The Buddhist community also responded to policies that affected them through exchanges with the ruling class. They succeeded in securing funds and support to repair and produce Buddhist temples and artworks. A thoughtful inspection of the policies towards and responses to Buddhism during the Gwanghaegun Period, shows that Buddhism actually enjoyed considerable organizational power and influence. This flies in the face of the general description of Joseon Buddhism as "Sungyueokbul (revering Confucianism and supressing Buddhism)."

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.147-155
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• 2019

The implementation of Daedongbeop of Gyeonggido after throne of Gwanghaegun, the Daedongbeop of Gangwondo afterthrone of Injo, and the Daedongbeop of Chongcheongdo and Chollado after throne of Hyojong were in expectation of new kings the greatest Governing Administrator who tried to improve the hard life of the people, It was possible because there was a great effort. However, after throne of these three kings, the enactment of the Daedongbeop is a major crisis. The difference of the crisis related to enforcement was that the enforcement of the Daedongbeop of the Gwanghaegun and the Injo was carried out immediately after the enforcement decision was made but soon it was put into a crisis of abolishment and the Chungcheongdo and Chollado provincial Daedongbeop encountered extreme opposition before the enforcement and it has been carried on continuously since the end of the abolition crisis. In this study, we examined the efforts of the Governing Administrator who succeeded in the enactment of the Daedongbeop for the peaceful life of the people, with the throne of these three kings and the expectation of the new king. In the case of at the time of Gwanghaegun, Hanbekgyeom, LeeWonik, and Hwangshin, Joeik and LeeWonik at the time of Injo, and Kimyuk at the time of Hyojong were common people who have tried to improve the troubles of the people. They did not focus only on the theoretical interpretation of Neo-Confucianism, but on the basis of the interpretation, they demonstrated the power of the Governing Administrator practicing the right politics for the people in reality. The result is policy formulation and enforcement for the implementation of the Daedongbeop.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.767-777
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• 2012

This study analyzed the system and arguments on the light-pink official uniforms and investigated the backgrounds and principles on the changes of the Sibok system. A study on light-pink danryeong in the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty is a de facto study on Sibok since the name of the light-pink official uniforms (implemented at the time of King Seonjo) changed from Sangbok to Sibok. Sangbok is discussed to explain the name change from Sangbok to Sibok and distinguish their usages; in addition, Gongbok is examined to understand the characteristics of the Sibok system. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty (books written by scholars) and related laws are used as research materials. The research results are as follows. The name of the light-pink uniforms (a custom before the Japanese invasion in 1592) changed from Sangbok to Sibok at the time of King Gwanghaegun and the light-pink uniform was used as a relatively light formal uniform compared to Sangbok. Sibok was added to the law Sok-dae-jeon at the time of King Yeongjo (because the king respected the custom) and its color rank system was denoted from light-pink and red. Sibok was revised to light-pink, blue, and green under the law Dae-jeon-tong-pyeon that was promulgated at time of King Jeongjo. In the development of the Sibok system in the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, the color rank system of Gongbok was reflected. The sovereign ideas in the official uniforms in the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty (revealed in the study of the system and arguments on the light-pink official uniforms) were the thoughts that respected the custom and the principles that distinguish ranks to establish a Confucian based hierarchy.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.12-20
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the backgrounds and spatial characteristics of the sericulture in the rear garden of the palace in Joseon Dynasty. Joseon Dynasty made the various efforts not only to enhance the promotion of agriculture but also sericulture since the main industry of Joseon Dynasty was farming. At the very beginning, Joseon Dynasty planted mulberry trees and built a silkworm-raising room(蠶室) around the Donggung(東宮). Then, King Sungjong(成宗) made Chaesangdan(採桑壇) in Changgyeong Palace and performed Chinzamryae(親蠶禮). The location of Chaesangdan varied as time goes on until the king Gwanghaegun(光海君). Lastly, King Yeongjo(英祖) made Chaesangdan and Junghaechinzambi(丁亥親蠶碑) in Gyeongbok Palace. Yeongjo(英祖) showed a strong attachment to Gyeongbok Palace and actively encouraged the sericulture. Chaesangdan was built in the east side of the palace which was appropriate for planting mulberry trees. Furthermore, a silkworm-raising room was located in this place at the era of King Sejong(世宗).

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.35-44
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• 2022

Although Changgyeong-gung was devastgated by Japanease invasion in 1592, it was restored during the reign of Gwanghaegun, had remembered of early Joseon danasty's architecturural order. It was destroyed several times by fire after that but was rebuilt immedieately. There are Donggol-do and Donggol-dohyeong, so we can fine the change of architectures in Changgyeong-gung. Jibbokheon(集福軒) and Yeongchunheon(迎春軒) are marked in another location and architectures in Donggon-do and Donggon-dohyeong. The reason has been known that it was rebuilt after the fire in 1830. As a result of reviewing the record of birth of crown prince Sado and movement of coffin of King Jeong-jo in funeral ceremony, it was confirmed that notation of Jibbokheon and Yeongchunhyeon was misprinted. In particular, Yeongchunheon confirmed the possibility that the existing building was built by extending it while applying the asymmetrical building with four-purlins structure method during the reign of King Jeongjo, and that it was reconstructed by moving Yeonyeonghap when it was destroyed by fire 1830. And although now Jibbokheon and Yeongchunhyeon(延英閤) are connected, nothern part of Jibbokheon did not burn in the fire, so it was judged that original architectural plan were maintained until now. The current building north of Jibbokheon was built before 1695 (21st year of King Sukjong), which was first identified in the Gunggeolji(宮闕志), and there is a possibility that it may have been a part of Janggyeongmun(長慶門) inner corridor built before 1633. The present building north of Jibbokheon has great architectural significance in that it maintains the structural method of the early Joseon Dynasty which was often applied to buildings with a small scale of inner palace.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2022

This aimed to species identification and tree-ring dating of wooden elements used in the Myeongjeong-gate of the Changgyeong-palace, Seoul, Korea. Of the 79 wooden elements evaluated, 78 were confirmed to be hard pines and one belonged to Abies spp.. Cores of the wooden elements were collected using a drill for tree-ring dating, and ring-width plots of individual samples were constructed using the TSAP software. The tree-ring dating results for the outermost ring of 58 hard pine wooden elements revealed the following felling dates: early spring of 1604-late fall of 1615, late fall of 1706-early spring of 1707, and late fall of 1828-late fall of 1834. The obtained felling dates of the 1600s and 1800s were found to be consistent with those in the construction and repair records of the Annals of Joseon Dynasty, Gwanghaegun's Diary and Changgyeonggung Yeonggeondogam Uigwe. However, the obtained felling dates of the 1700s were not consistent with those in the construction and repair records. Therefore, additional confirmation of repairs that were not included in the records was possible using tree-ring dating.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.22-36
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• 2019

This research identified landscape characteristics of Chilitan(칠리탄) area, which had been managed by Son Giyang(1559~1617, p. Ohhan), in order to understand the political viewpoint and ideal landscapes, sought after by Confucian scholars in the 16~17th century. As the research method for the interpretation of each scene's spatial strucutres and meanings, paintings and poems in Chiltanjungsipyukgyeongdo(the Paintings of the 16 Scenes of Chiltanjung Area) were analyzed, which were followed by the on-site survey. Son lived hermit life with the nature after he decided to retire into the country for the chaotic political environment in the 4^th year of Gwanghaegun's reign. Admiring Eum Jareung(B.C. 39-41, p. Eumgwang)'s hermit life, he named a headstream to Chilitan, erected pavilion and made place for angling by the stream, as Eum did in the hermitage. However he worried the king and royal politics in spite of his hermit life, which showed his political viewpoint of Confucianism. In addition, every column of buildings in the garden was named in order to imply both thoughts of Neo-Confucianism and Idleness Naturalism, which highlight a moral training and being comfortable amid poverty and taking pleasure in and honest life style. The present landscape of wonlim could be back to 1936, where Unganru, Byeokripjae and Chiltanjung are surrounding Eupcheondang. Chines character, such as Jimamsuseok, Giam, Ohhansonsunseongjanggujiso and Jogi, are inscribed on the rocks in the landscape garden, from which placeness could be inferred. According to the record of the construction, pine, fir, paulownia, ginkgo, peach trees, bamboo and lotus were planted, and ginkgo, bamboo, crape myrtle, pine and chestnut tress are still living in the garden, which mean plants had been planted in the light of their practical values as well as symbolic meanings. The method for describing 16 scenes of Chiltanjung could be characterized to the structure of 「Place+Scene(a particural activity, event, or action), and these placeness could be analyzed by categorizing the scene to near, middle and far views. Each scene symbolically presents a hermit, noble man, Taoist ideology, homeland, or peacetime, which were adpoted to depict landscapes of Chiltanjung area as the Confucian utopia.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.26-42
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine and understand the area and the original outer boundaries of Hamchunwon(含春苑), which was the outer royal garden of Gyeonghuigung Palace, which existed before the site of the Russian legation. The results of the study are as follows. First, examining the 3 types of drawings prepared for securing the Russian legation's site and constructing a new building, it was confirmed that two low peaks, which appear to be the original terrain of Hamchunwon, existed in the north and south directions inside the site. According to the initial plan of the of the legation's site, it appears that the entrance of the legation building is connected to the Saemunan-ro in the northwest. However, according to the report made at the time when the Russian temporary minister Veber purchased the legation's site, it was recorded that the site already had a narrow entrance and a dirt road in place, and hence, it was connected to Saemunan-ro. This fact makes it possible to learn that the line of movement for officials and the original gate were located to the northwest of the site planned as the entrance of the legation building towards Hamchunwon. Second, the site was created by cutting the top of the high hill at the time of the construction of the legation building, and as a result, a two tiered staircase typed terrace was built. The ground on which the main building and the secretary's building, etc., were erected was made by cutting the highest peak and solidifying it flat, and a large quantity of soil was used for grading. In the case of the northern area of the main building, the traces of leveling the terrain by cutting the mountains are apparent, and an observation typed garden with a walking path and pavilion was formed by utilizing the physical environment equipped with an easy view. This may be considered as a use which is consistent with the topographical conditions of creating an outer royal garden to block the civilian views on a high terrain overlooking the palace. Third, Hamchunwon's fences were partially exposed in the photos from the 1880s through the 1890s, which demonstrate the spatial changes made around the US, UK, and the Russian legations. As a result of the photo analysis performed, Hamchunwon occupies the northern area of the Russian legation's site, and it is estimated that the north, west, and east walls of the legation resembled those of Hamchunwon. The area to the south of the Russian legation was originally a place made available for civilian houses, and it was possible to examine the circumstances of purchasing dozens of civilian houses and farmlands according to various materials. Fourth, Hamchunwon, which was formed as the outer royal garden of Gyeongdeokgung Palace of Lord Gwanghaegun, lost its sense of place as an outer royal garden when the entire building of Gyeonghuigung Palace was torn down and used as a construction members during the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace, and faded away as the site was sold to Russia around 1885. The area where Hamchunwon used to be located transformed into a core space of the Russian legation where the main building and garden were located after the construction of the new building. Hence, Hamchunwon, which was limited to the northern area of the Russian legation, does not carry the temporal and spatial context with Gyeongungung Palace and Seonwonjeon which were constructed after 1897, and it is determined that the view of Seonwonjeon as Baehoorim or Baegyeongrim is not valid.