• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.171-182
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• 2017

In this study, the internal structure of a Heumgyeonggak-nu (欽敬閣漏) was designed, and the power transmission mechanism was analyzed. Heumgyeonggak-nu is an automated water clock from the Joseon Dynasty that was installed within Heumgyeonggak (欽敬閣), and it was manufactured in the $20^{th}$ year of the reign of King Sejong (1438). As descriptions of Heumgyeonggak-nu in ancient literature have mostly focused on its external shape, the study of its internal mechanism has been difficult. A detailed analysis of the literature record on Heumgyeonggak-nu (e.g., The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty) indicates that Heumgyeonggak-nu had a three-stage water clock, included a waterfall or tilting vessel (欹器) using the overflowed water, and displayed the time using a ball. In this study, the Cheonhyeong apparatus, water wheel, scoop, and various mechanism wheels were designed so that 16 fixed-type scoops could operate at a constant speed for the water wheel with a diameter of 100 cm. As the scoop can contain 1.25 l of water and the water wheel rotates 61 times a day, a total of 1,220 l of water is required. Also, the power gear wheel was designed as a 366-tooth gear, which supported the operation of the time signal gear wheel. To implement the movement of stars on the celestial sphere, the rotation ratio of the celestial gear wheel to the diurnal motion gear ring was set to 366:365. In addition, to operate the sun movement apparatus on the ecliptic, a gear device was installed on the South Pole axis. It is expected that the results of this study can be used for the manufacture and restoration of the operation model of Heumgyeonggak-nu.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.31-40
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• 2019

We study the internal structure under the artificial mountain of Heumkyeonggak-nu, a Korean water-powered clock in the early Joseon dynasty. All the puppets on the artificial mountain are driven by the rotational force generated by the water wheel at their designated time. We design a model that work with three parts of the artificial mountain. At the upper part of the artificial mountain to the east, west, north and south, there are four puppets called the Four Mystical Animal Divinity and four ladies called the Jade Lady respectively. The former rotates a quarter every double hour and the latter rings the bell every hour. In the middle part of this mountain is the timekeeping platform with four puppets; the Timekeeping Official (Hour Jack), the Bell-, Drum-, and Gong-Warriors. The Hour Jack controls time with three warriors each hitting his own bell, drum, and gong, respectively. In the plain there are 12 Jade Lady puppets (the lower ladies) combined with 12 Oriental Animal Deity puppets. In his own time a lady doll pops out of the hole and her animal doll gets up. Two hours later, the animal deity lies down and his lady hides in the artificial plain. These puppets are regularly moved by the signal such as iron balls, bumps, levers, and so on. We can use balls and bumps to explain the concept of the Jujeon system. Iron balls were used to manipulate puppets of the timekeeping mechanism in Borugak-nu, another Korean water-powered clock in Joseon dynasty, which was developed earlier than Heumgyeonggak-nu. According to the North Korea's previous study (Choi, 1974), it is obvious that bumps were used in the internal structure of Heumgyeonggak-nu. In 1669, The armillary clock made by Song, I-young was also utilized bumps. Finally we presented mock-ups of three timekeeping systems.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.79-91
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• 2011

Ongnu (Jade Clepsydra; also called Heumgyeonggaknu) is a water clock was made by Jang Yeong-sil in 1438. It is not only an automatic water clock that makes the sound at every hour on the hour by striking bell, drum and gong, but also an astronomical clock that shows the sun's movement over time. Ongnu's power mechanism used is a water-hammering method applied to automatic time-signal device. The appearance of Ongnu is modeled by Gasan (pasted-paper imitation mountain) and Binpungdo (landscape of farming work scene) is drawn at the foot of the mountain. The structure of Ongnu is divided into the top of the mountain, the foot of the mountain and the flatland. There located are sun-movement device, Ongnyeo (jade female immortal; I) and Four gods (shaped of animal-like immortals) at the top of the mountain, Sasin (jack hour) and Musa (warrior) at the foot of the mountain, and Twelve gods, Ongnyeo (II) and Gwanin on the flatland. In this study, we clearly and systematically understood the time-announcing mechanism of each puppet. Also, we showed the working mechanism of the sun-movement device. Finally, we completely established the 3D model of Ongnu based on this study.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.69.2-69.2
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• 2017

우리는 2016년 6월부터 세종시대 흠경각루 복원 프로젝트(사업명: 장영실 자동물시계 옥루의 전시융합콘텐츠 개발 및 활용 연구, 한국연구재단)를 진행하고 있다. 흠경각루는 세종대에 장영실이 제작한 보루각루의 제작(1434년)이후 4년여 만에 새롭게 제작(1438년)한 또 다른 자동물시계이다. 총 3년간의 연구를 통해 세종시대의 흠경각루('옥루'로도 부름)에 대한 상세 설계도면의 작성, 프로토타입(prototype) 제작, 전시융합콘텐츠와 과학교재 개발을 진행하게 된다. 현재 1차 년도 연구사업을 통해 내부구성에 따른 동력시스템에 대한 설계와 제작이 진행되었다. 물시계로부터 공급된 물이 수차를 움직이게 하고 회전 기륜을 작동시켜 각 층의 시보인형이 작동하는 동력을 발생시킨다. 가장 위층의 천륜은 혼천의를 구동시켜 태양의 일주운동 및 연주운동을 재현하여 보여주도록 했다. 향후 2차 년도의 연구를 통해 세부 시보인형에 대한 작동메커니즘을 실시설계하고, 흠경각루 외형에 해당되는 가산을 디자인하는 일들이 진행될 예정이다. 이 연구의 최종 단계에서는 흠경각루의 복원 모델을 제시하게 되며, 전시를 통한 체험 활동과 영상콘텐츠가 접목된 천문시계 전시물로 활용될 예정이다.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.65-78
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• 2021

Jagyeokru, an automatic striking water clock described in the Sejong Sillok (Veritable Records of King Sejong) is essentially composed of a water quantity control device and a time-signal device, with the former controlling the amount or the flow rate of water and the latter automatically informing the time based on the former. What connects these two parts is a signal generating device or a power transmission device called the 'Jujeon' system, which includes a copper rod on the float and ball-racked scheduled plates. The copper products excavated under Gongpyeong-dong in Seoul include a lot of broken plate pieces and cylinder-like devices. If some plate pieces are put together, a large square plate with circular holes located in a zigzag can be completed, and at the upper right of it is carved 'the first scheduled plate (一箭).' Cylinder-like devices generally 3.8 cm in diameter are able to release a ball, and have a ginkgo leaf-like screen fixed on the inner axis and a bird-shaped hook of which the leg fixes another axis and the beak attaches to the leaf side. The lateral view of this cylinder-like device appears like a trapezoid and mounts an iron ball. The function of releasing a ball agrees with the description of Borugak Pavilion, where Jagyeokru was installed, written by Kim Don (1385 ~ 1440). The other accounts of Borugak Pavilion's and Heumgyeonggak Pavilion's water clocks describe these copper plates and ball releasing devices as the 'Jujeon' system. According to the description of Borugak Pavilion, a square wooden column has copper plates on the left and right sides the same height as the column, and the left copper plate has 12 drilled holes to keep the time of a 12 double-hours. Meanwhile, the right plate has 25 holes which represent seasonal night 5-hours (Kyeong) and their 5-subhours (Jeom), not 12 hours. There are 11 scheduled plates for seasonal night 5-hours made with copper, which are made to be attached or detached as the season. In accordance with Nujutongui (manual for the operation of the yardstick for the clepsydra), the first scheduled plate for the night is used from the winter solstice (冬至) to 2 days after Daehan (大寒), and from 4 days before Soseol (小雪) to a day before the winter solstice. Besides the first scheduled plate, we confirm discovering a third scheduled plate and a sixth scheduled plate among the excavated copper materials based on the spacing between holes. On the other hand, the width of the scheduled plate is different for these artifacts, measured as 144 mm compared to the description of the Borugak Pavilion, which is recorded as 51 mm. From this perspective, they may be the scheduled plates for the Heumgyeonggak Ongru made in 1438 (or 1554) or for the new Fortress Pavilion installed in Changdeokgung palace completed in 1536 (the 31^st year of the reign of King Jungjong) in the early Joseon dynasty. This study presents the concept of the scheduled plates described in the literature, including their new operating mechanism. In addition, a detailed model of 11 scheduled plates is designed from the records and on the excavated relics. It is expected that this study will aid in efforts to restore and reconstruct the automatic water clocks of the early Joseon dynasty.