Vol. 8 No. 3 8 No. Vol.

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2015 autumn 가을

K O R E A N HERITAGE

가을 AUTUMN 2015 Vol. 8 No. 3 ISSN 2005-0151ISSN 2005-0151 ISSN 2005-0151ISSN 2005-0151 KOREAN HERITAGE Quarterly Magazine of the Cultural Heritage Administration

KOREAN HERITAGE

가을 AUTUMN 2015

On the Cover

This Five-story Stone Pagoda at Jeongnimsa Temple Site (National Treasure No. 9) is part of the recently inscribed Baekje Historic Areas World Heritage Site. The five-tired body stands erect on its low, narrow foundation stone. The entasis expressed in the stone pillars of the first tier and the thin raised manifestations of the roofs are features borrowed by this stone pagoda from the preceding wooden examples. It does not simply mimic timber architecture, however, but creatively applies these elements to engender an aesthetic and solemn posture. Alongside the Stone Pagoda of Mireuksa Temple Site (National Treasure No. 11), this is one of only two stone pagodas remaining from Baekje. The images shown on the back are some of the artifacts excavated from the Baekje Historic Ar- eas: from the left, a sarira reliquary from the stone pagoda of Mireuksa Temple Site, the Stone Guardian from the Tomb of King Muryeong (National Treasure No. 162), the Gold Diadem Ornaments of the Queen Consort of King Muryeong (National Treasure No. 155), and the Great Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje (National Treasure No. 287).

KOREAN HERITAGE is also available on the website (http://English.cha.go.kr) and smart devices. 04 | 05

CONTENTS

Korean Heritage in Focus

The Young Guardians of World Heritage Program 04 47

Korean Heritage for the World 08

A Personal Note on the Inscription of 08 the Baekje Historic Areas

The Baekje Historic Areas as Cultural Landscapes 12 38

Aesthetic Beauty of Buddhist Images from Baekje 20

Secrets of a Directional Diagram from 24 King Muryeong’s Tomb

An Integrated Understanding of the 28 24 Performing Arts of Baekje 04 Exploration of Korean Heritage

Historic Houses and the Life Inside 32

Hangeul, Korea’s Foremost Cultural Brand 38

Traditional Korean Bows and Arrows 42 12 20 42 Cultural Heritage Administration Headlines

CHA News 46

CHA Events 48

32 28 Korean Heritage in Focus 06 | 07

Since 2011, the Cultural The Young Guardians of World Heritage Administration has been partnering with the Heritage Program Korean National Commission for UNESCO to operate the

Text & Photos by Lee Heung-u, Honorary Director of the Haeban Association of Culture Lovers Young Guardians of World Heritage program. Under this effort, activity plans by undergraduate or graduate student volunteers for promotional activities at World The Saeomdaom team and voluntary students for Gyeonggi Province Heritage sites throughout the country are selected based on an evaluation of their creativity and feasibility. This year, 126 student volunteers were selected and divided into 30 teams of three to five people each. Each team implements its respective volunteer programs in one of the four World Heritage districts of the country. The Haeban Association of Culture Lovers was commissioned with the task of overseeing the six teams, consisting of 28 students in total, allocated to the district of Seoul and the surrounding areas. The 2015 World Heritage Guardian Youth Camp was held from July 18–21 at the Ganghwa Royal Youth Hostel on Ganghwa Island, Incheon, as the first leg of this year’s Haeban Association of Culture Lovers program. During the camp, the six teams enjoyed field trips to three World Heritage sites—the dolmen sites on Ganghwa, Namhansanseong Fortress, and Hwaseong Fortress—and revised their initial activity plans based on this investigation. Afterwards, they began independently pursuing their respective activities; just a few informal meetings take place during the process, and an interim check-up meeting in September assembles all 126 volunteers. A final evaluation takes place in November where the activities of the 30 teams are examined. The activities and plans of the association’s six teams as of late August of this year are presented below. The Odongtongtong team found that traffic access to the dolmen sites can be difficult, and produced a distribution map of dolmens. They have also created promotional souvenirs, including postcards, bookmarks, and fans. The Light of Culture team originally attempted to integrate the dolmen sites with a nearby historical beacon structure, but later shifted their direction more toward a focused promotion of the dolmens: the team has been holding a dolmen quiz contest at the charity bazaar Songdo Good Market, and distributes wristbands to interested young people and middle- and high-school students from their alma maters.

Activities and activity plans of World Heritage guardians Korean Heritage in Focus 08 | 09

The You & I team has been pondering promotional activities for Namhansanseong World Heritage program is the ability to gaze back on life through the lens of heritage Fortress. It is planning to identify an old traffic path marked on a historical map and activities. It allows volunteers to appreciate their genuine value as both an essential open a one-day market for residents to sell local products. component and a representation of the history of humanity, the earth, and the universe. The Saeomdaom team is planning to produce both promotional leaflets for the Participating in this program, university students, who are often discouraged by the Haenggung royal temporary residence in Hwaseong and video clips for distribution high barriers to entry into the world after school, come to discover the energy, passion, through social media. and vitality dormant within themselves, and emerge ready to courageously explore a The Jangyongyeong team conducted a survey on public awareness of Hwaseong wider world. I believe this to be an absolutely worthwhile and rewarding effort. Fortress on August 3 in front of Suwon Station and found that surprisingly little is known about the heritage. In cooperation with Suwon Jigi School, the team has been carrying out education programs for elementary school students and implementing a promotional campaign at Kyonggi University. The Dolmens’ House team had initially planned to perform activities in connection with the Dolmen Festival and create promotional compact disks (CDs) and leaflets, but discovered that the festival has actually been abolished and that similar advertising materials are already being produced by the Dolmen Appreciation Association. The team now plans to focus on promoting tourist routes around the dolmen sites. The volunteer activities performed by these student participants are contributing to their discovery of their personal identities and worth. Scientists tell us that the universe came into being about 13.7 billion years ago, the earth about 4.6 billion years ago, a living creature with DNA about 3.5 billion years ago, and the present humanity about 130,000 years ago. An awareness of the history of the universe and of humanity helps us to more fully understand the present. From the moment of birth, humans constantly expand their realm of experience and perception. These student volunteers are well on their way to pushing back the boundaries of their minds and selves beyond their immediate families and surroundings and on to heritage sites in other areas. While busy with academic studies and job-seeking, they have deliberately taken out the time to learn more about themselves and the world around them through activities at the Ganghwa dolmen sites, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, and Namhansanseong Fortress. The Haeban Association of Culture Lovers is a non-governmental organization aimed at promoting a love for places, culture, and humanity in general. Since its establishment in 1994, the association has implemented a broad range of activities: the protection of modern heritage located around Jayu Park in Incheon associated with Japanese colonial rule; holding forums on the issue of culture; leading field trips to local cultural sites; publishing books; developing tourist paths for viewing modern heritage in Incheon; cultivating heritage guardians; transforming a former storage area into an art village; and saving household belongings from areas subject to redevelopment to establish a museum. At the core of the Young Guardians of Korean Heritage for the World 10 | 11

It was in the evening of May 4 of this year as I was just about to leave the office A Personal Note on the Inscription that my phone started blowing up. It began with a call from the Cultural Heritage Administration notifying me that a recommendation on the inscription of the Baekje of the Baekje Historic Areas Historic Areas on the World Heritage List would soon be submitted. I had long been awaiting this moment, but there was no time to digest its meaning; my mind Text by Lee Hae-moon, Chief of Heritage Team, Baekje Historic Areas Conservation and Management Foundation immediately started racing toward the imminent strategy meetings. With Yonhap Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration News Agency’s initial report on a the high likelihood of the inscription of the Baekje sites on the UNESCO list being followed by a series of news stories taking a similar tone, I received a continuous chain of congratulatory calls and requests for interviews. After a long journey of nearly a decade, I finally felt secure that the Baekje Historic Areas would make it. On that night I finally received confirmation that the recommendation made by one of UNESCO’s advisory bodies, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), was proposing the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List. The news of the positive recommendation was a call for rediscovering the cultural and historic values of an ancient Korean civilization that had been denied its proper regard in the centuries since the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C.–A.D. 660) fell to a Silla- Tang alliance in 660. It was also a relief for the local residents who wholeheartedly sought well-deserved recognition for the heritage of the place they had lived their entire lives. Exactly two months later, on July 4, 2015, the Baekje Historic Areas successfully attained World Heritage status at an annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee held in Bonn, Germany. The initiative for placing the Baekje heritage areas on the World Heritage List dates back nearly 10 years. In 2006, the governments of the two provinces where the heritage sites are situated, South Chungcheong and North Jeolla Provinces, respectively undertook research spotlighting the cultural and historic values of Baekje heritage and preparing conservation measures. In 2010 they had the heritage areas registered on the World Heritage Tentative List under the disparate names “Gongju and Buyeo Historic Areas” and “Iksan Historic Areas.” A strategic concept of integrating the heritage sites for the purpose of a UNESCO inscription was suggested, and in May 2012 the two provincial and three municipal governments—those of Gongju and Buyeo, and Iksan—joined forces to launch the World Heritage Nomination Office for the Baekje Historic Areas, which was the first such cooperative organization to involve so many municipalities. It is never easy to tread on an unbeaten path, and we faced a number of unforeseen hurdles along the way. The World Heritage inscription certificate for the Baekje Historic Areas

A site of beacon towers in Naseong City Wall Korean Heritage for the World 12 | 13

In the end, however, the steadfast cooperation among all the relevant parties, throughout the wider East Asian region. The sophisticated architecture typifying high- including the five governments, the nomination office, and the Cultural Heritage ranking Baekje tombs for the royal family or aristocrats also took a similar route to be Administration, overcame all difficulties and clinched a victory in the form of a dispersed through the region. successful inscription. What cannot be overlooked in this equation is the enthusiastic East Asian states at the time were highly receptive to innovative goods and ideas, support of local residents. People in Buyeo expressed their sincere wishes in the and excelled at adapting them to fit the local environment. Through this processes of form of a signature album delivered to a UNESCO expert on a field inspection. adoption and adaptation, in the mid-seventh century these states first came to form The congratulatory placards still flying in the streets of the relevant areas joyfully an East Asian cultural sphere characterized by such cultural elements as Chinese demonstrate the consuming passion voiced by locals toward the inscription. characters, Buddhism, and Confucianism-based governance. At this point it is worth considering precisely where the World Heritage Given the above, Baekje played a role as a cultural portal through which state- Committee found outstanding universal value in the Baekje Historic Areas. They of-the-art developments invented in China were circulated throughout the eastern recognized the contribution of the Baekje Kingdom to the formation and development reaches of the region. The Baekje Kingdom and its culture provided an indispensable of East Asian civilization. Advanced architectural technologies, city planning, and contribution to the emergence of East Asian civilization. Some might attempt to Chinese-originated cultural and religious elements were all disseminated throughout undervalue the role of Baekje by reasoning that its role would simply have been the expanses of East Asia via the ancient Korean kingdom of Baekje. In this sense, performed by another if it had not been for Baekje. However, the historic remnants it served as a hub through which East Asian states exchanged cultural influences. in Gongju, Buyeo, and Iksan offer eloquent testimony of the critical contribution of The culture of Baekje was nourished and thrived in its role as an exchange center, and Baekje to the dissemination of Chinese cultural achievements in other sections of East this flourishing of Baekje culture at its zenith is embodied by the historic monuments Asia, and this significant function received its due recognition though inscription on and sites in Gongju, Buyeo, and Iksan. the World Heritage List. The kingdom’s function as a center of interchange merits further explanation. With global recognition under its belt, it is time to prepare for the inevitable post- The fifth–seventh centuries, when Baekje was headquartered in Ungjin (present-day inscription changes in the area. Favorable improvements are first envisaged, such as Gongju) and Sabi (Buyeo), was a critical period in the development of East Asia, a boost in the sense of pride among local residents and the economic effects brought since this was when Buddhism was first disseminated and established throughout about by the expected increase in visitation. However, we also have to ready ourselves the region. The spread of Buddhism required the extensive construction of large for the projected challenges. We need to ascertain whether the heritage areas have and elaborate worship halls and shrines, and architectural technologies witnessed the capacity to accommodate additional guests, draw up necessary plans to transform explosive development as a result. the increased visitation into real benefits for the local economy, and examine how to Buddhism was introduced to China via the Silk Road, and from there was offer an ideal visitor experience. Otherwise, the swelling numbers of visitors could established on Baekje soil and diffused throughout the area. The Baekje Kingdom engender negative effects instead. for its part delivered the new religious doctrine to Japan. The spread of Buddhism What must precede all these preparations is constant cooperation between the corresponded with the exchange of the architectural skills required to erect majestic stakeholder municipalities. The complex partnership between five local governments tile-roofed religious buildings. The adoption of tiles for roofing gave birth to a diverse is about to bear fruit, but we must keep reminding ourselves that any attempt to range of novel technologies, including those related to the fabrication of tiles and pursue local interests over communal benefits could easily disrupt the long-standing reinforcing a supporting lower structure to sustain the enormous weight of the roof. cooperative relations. These technologies were also transferred to Japan via Baekje. The architectural style With the fall of its capital in 660, the Baekje Kingdom and its flourishing culture defined by a tiled roof established at the time was widely shared across East Asia for vanished into history. About 1,400 years later, this ancient Korean kingdom has been more than a millennium thereafter. revitalized through the recognition of its prosperous culture at the opposite side of Religious buildings were not the only beneficiaries of the expansion of the globe in Bonn, Germany. The kingdom’s active adoption of advanced cultural architectural technologies across East Asia. A special method for consolidating innovations, painstaking recreation of such imported elements, and brave ocean earth for the construction of defensive structures, called panchuk, was introduced to voyages undertaken to further spread them in other countries all serve as a source of Baekje from China, and Baekje in turn distributed this advanced building method inspiration for contemporary Koreans. Korean Heritage for the World 14 | 15

The Baekje Historic Areas as Cultural Landscapes

Text by Professor Choi Jong-hee, Pai Chai University Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration & Baekje Historic Areas Conservation and Management Foundation

Walls around Geumseoru, the western gate of Gongsanseong Fortress Korean Heritage for the World 16 | 17

The entry of the Baekje Historic Areas on the World Heritage List offers a chance to promulgate within the global community the superlative achievements of this ancient Korean kingdom and its culture that has been renowned for being modest but not unsophisticated and glamorous but lacking pretension. As the center of the cultural exchanges taking place in East Asia during the fifth–seventh centuries, Baekje consumed the latest cultural inventions from China and refined them locally before re-distributing them to Japan. This process of interchange gave rise to a social blossoming well embodied in the cultural landscapes forged during the period when the kingdom’s capital was located in Unjin and Sabi (present-day Gongju and Buyeo respectively). These landscapes show outstanding universal value, authenticity, and a special integrity, all unparalleled in either of the other ancient Korean kingdoms— Goguryeo (37 B.C.–A.D. 668) and Silla (57 B.C.– A.D. 935)—or in the other East Asian states from the same period. The Baekje Historic Areas, under which the cultural monuments and sites of the Gongsanseong Fortress in Gongju Baekje Kingdom have been inscribed on the World Heritage List, consist of eight components attesting to the cultural, religious, and technological exchanges in ancient central Gongju. Inside the enclosure of the walls are situated a site for a royal palace East Asia, as well as to the level of urban development at the time. They include royal on a western mountaintop and Imnyugak Pavilion on a peak to the east, both from the fortresses, royal tombs, a city wall, temple sites, and a secondary palace. Baekje era. There are also architectural structures from later periods remaining inside The outstanding universal value of the eight component sites are presented below. the fortress, including a military base, Yeongeunsa Temple, Gongbukru Pavilion, Gwangbongnu Pavilion, and Ssangsujeong Pavilion. Royal Fortresses When the kingdom’s capital was transferred to Sabi, Gongsanseong was assigned the role of a northern fortification and served as a secondary capital. When the A typical royal fortress of the time encompassed the king’s residence and new royal residence in Sabi was under refurbishment, King Mu (r. 600–641) made surrounding defensive facilities, engendering a fortified space emanating power and Gongsanseong his temporary residence. Following the demise of the kingdom, the authority. The mountain fortress of Gongsanseong, constructed during the Ungjin fortress housed a military commandery of Tang China, Ungjin Dodokbu, and served period (475–538) in Gongju, is among the royal fortresses of Baekje. When the as a military stronghold. seat of government was transferred to Sabi, a new royal fortress was constructed on a somewhat expanded scale to incorporate a mountain fortress (included in the Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri and Busosanseong Fortress nomination as Busosanseong Fortress) and a royal palace situated on bottomland (Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri). Busosanseong Fortress is a royal fortress from the Sabi period (538–660), similar to Gongsanseong Fortress in terms of form and composition. As with Gongsanseong, Gongsanseong Fortress Busosanseong—particularly the section constructed during Baekje—is mainly comprised of walls surrounding a valley (pogok), and has the Geumgang River to Gongsanseong Fortress is a defensive perimeter encircling the royal residence the north and the downtown area of a modern city (Buyeo in this case) to the south. used during the Ungjin period. Spanning 2,660 meters, the wall was constructed With regard to landscape structure, the royal fortress in Sabi was almost identical to on the mountainous slopes south of the Geumgang River to enclose a valley inside that of the kingdom’s previous capital, Ungjin, but it differed from Gongsanseong in (pogok style). Its northern portion has the Geumgang River to the northeast and that it did not incorporate the function of royal residence. This was delegated to what Jemincheon Stream to the northwest as natural barriers. The topography of the fortress is today known as the Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri. Inside the fortress, there slopes toward the north, with a higher elevation in the south facing present-day is the site of Seoboksa Temple to the west, and Nakhwaam Hermitage and Goransa Korean Heritage for the World 18 | 19

of King Muryeong in Songsan-ri, while Royal Tomb No. 2 (Donghachong) is painted with the four sacred animals (sasin) on its four walls and displays lotus flowers and clouds on the ceiling, offering a critical source for the study of the arts of Baekje.

Urban Defensive Structure: Naseong City Wall

Walls were constructed along the perimeter of a city for consolidating defensive forces and for establishing a separation of the space inside from the outside. While the concept of boundary-marking walls was long practiced in China, there had been no city walls in the capitals of Baekje: its first capital, Hanseong, had grown out of naturally formed settlements and it was difficult to determine the city’s geographical limits. Ungjin, the second capital, was encircled by mountains serving as a natural Royal Tombs in Songsan-ri, Gongju boundary. It was only after the seat of government was transferred to Sabi that Baekje rulers erected defensive walls, today known as Naseong City Wall, around the outer Temple in the north, each of which is associated with legendary stories of the fall of limits of the area. Baekje. The Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri is purported to have accommodated a Naseong City Wall starts from the eastern gate of Busosanseong Fortress, runs royal palace and is situated on a gentle hill along the southern and southwestern foot of along Cheongsanseong Fortress to the east and then to the south along Jeosanseong Busosan Mountain, upon which Busosanseong is located. The site boasts an extensive Fortress, Pilseobong Peak in Seokmok-ri, and a hill in Yeomchang-ri, and then reaches view of the urban area of present-day Buyeo and easy access to river transport. the banks of the Geumgang River. Comprised of both earth and stone, Naseong City Excavations at the site have revealed remnants of large buildings, a road system, Wall took maximum advantage of available geological and topographical features, storage structures, craft workshops, and water supply and drainage systems. and advanced construction techniques were adopted for the reinforcement of the foundation and the walls, such as filling in swampy areas with branches and plant Royal Tombs: the Royal Tombs in Songsan-ri and Neungsan-ri matter for strengthening the foundation (buyeop technique) and ramming earth when erecting walls (panchuk technique). City walls with similar forms have been found in A royal tomb was a sacred space where the body of the supreme authority figure Luoyang, China, but Naseong City Wall is distinguished in terms of the preservation was housed; the process of constructing the royal tomb and enshrining the ruler’s of the entire wall structure. The construction techniques deployed in Naseong City remains functioned to lend legitimacy and validity to the succession to the throne. Wall are also embodied in relics from later periods uncovered in Kyushu, Japan. Two of the eight components of the Baekje Historic Areas are royal tombs and their surroundings: the Royal Tombs in Songsan-ri and the Royal Tombs in Neungsan-ri. The Religious Sites tomb cluster in Songsan-ri in Gongju includes the tomb of King Muryeong (r. 501–523), distinctive for its brick chamber that marks a departure from Baekje’s Two of the components of the Baekje Historic Areas are associated with typical style of burial in a stone chamber tomb with a corridor. This tomb is similar to Buddhism. As a highly advanced philosophical and religious system, upon its a family vault found on Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) in Nanjing, China. From the introduction it almost immediately replaced preceding beliefs as the dominant tomb were retrieved a diverse range of artifacts, including ceramics from religious doctrine in East Asia. It was deployed as a means to bring about the China, a coffin made of Japanese wood, and marbles, testifying to the ideological, social, and cultural unification of a state; the new religion was also flourishing interchange between Baekje, and China and Japan. Situated attractive to the royal family and the aristocrats as Buddhist ideas such as karma and outside the city wall of Sabi, the royal tombs in Neungsan-ri in Buyeo merit-based reincarnation justified their privileges enjoyed in this life. It provided a are positioned on a geomantically auspicious site, flanked by gentle hills significant contribution to consolidating royal authority by disseminating the notion of and facing Hwangpocheon Stream. Among them, Royal Tomb No. 1 The Stone Guardian from the Tomb of King Muryeong “the king as Buddha.” The two Buddhist sites in the Baekje Historic Areas are today (called Junghachong) displays the same ceiling form as the royal tomb (National Treasure No. 162) known as the Jeongnimsa Temple Site and the Mireuksa Temple Site. Korean Heritage for the World 20 | 21

Jeongnimsa Temple Site more commonly seen in wooden structures, displaying the transitional period as pagodas shifted from wood to stone as the foremost material for The Jeongnimsa Temple Site was situated at the then-center of the capital city of their creation. The temple is valuable in that precise information on the Sabi, about 450 meters due south of the Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri, Buyeo. construction date, purpose, and maker is available, which was confirmed The layout of the temple, which arranges the middle gate, pagoda, prayer hall, and in a recently excavated document from a sarira reliquary in the pagoda. Reliquaries from the Five-story Stone lecture hall on a straight axis, exemplifies the composition of Buddhist temples from Pagoda in Wanggung-ri Baekje. The prayer hall is accentuated by occupying a large space, a unique Baekje The Secondary Palace: the Archaeological Site in Wanggung-ri (National Treasure No. 123) feature. The five-story pagoda, praised as the ultimate achievement among the kingdom’s stone pagodas, is renowned for graceful refinement, elegant decoration, The Archaeological Site in Wanggung-ri in Iksan was the location of a secondary and superlative balance. The pagoda bears an epigraph commemorating the victory of palace during the Sabi period. The defensive walls of the palace were rectangular, 234.06 Tang China over Baekje in 660 on the surface of its first level, and was consequently and 241.39 meters to the south and north and 492.8 and 490.3 meters on the east and indicated on historical maps from the later Joseon period as pyeongjetap, literally west. The topography of the site slopes to the south, and the northern hill served as a rear “pagoda celebrating the defeat of Baekje.” The five-story pagoda is also notable for garden while the southern area housed a royal residence and other facilities. embodying in stone a construction style more typical of a wooden example, while In this, the layout echoed palaces in China. Excavation has revealed remains of enclosure the slightly raised roof corners epitomize the stone pagodas of Baekje. Jeongnimsa walls, gates, waterways, closed conduits, stonework, workshops, gardens, large toilets, Temple influenced temple construction in Japan, where a number of similarly-styled and grand-scale buildings. In particular, the sites of major buildings are similar to those temples featuring one pagoda and one prayer hall are evident, such as Shitenno-ji, excavated in the Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri in Buyeo in terms of shape, and Asuka-dera, and Horyu-ji. range as large as 32 meters east-west and 16 meters south-north. The formation of the foundation is also mirrors Gwanbuk-ri, with alternating layers of red-brownish sandy clay Mireuksa Temple Site and black-brownish sandy clay. This construction method, purported to have been widely used at the time, has also been identified at the sties of a wooden pagoda and a southern Mireuksa Temple represented the ideology of Maitreyan faith, a devotional belief gate at Yongningsi Temple from Northern Wei, and is assumed to have been imported in Maitreya, or Mireuk in Korean, by featuring three pagodas and three prayer halls from China to Baekje. In front of the hill to the north was formed a garden with a pond in the form of an assembly of three separate temples of one pagoda and prayer hall and landscaping stones showing an influence from the Southern Dynasties. This garden each. Through this layout combining three temples each with its prayer hall and landscaping style further influenced the construction of ponds in Asuka-Fujiwara. pagoda, Mireuksa Temple adhered to the The Baekje Historic Areas are comprised of cultural sites and monuments of the signature temple style of Baekje while at the capitals of Baekje and their surrounding areas during the Ungjin and Sabi periods. At this same time manifesting the Maitreyan time, Baekje reached its apex of national development and was proactive in introducing faith. The Korean history Samguk yusa sophisticated cultural elements from China, genuinely recreating them for local needs, (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) and then distributing these influences to Japan. Baekje served in this period as a hub contains an account of the foundation of for interchanges among East Asian countries, significantly contributing to the cultural the temple: on their way to Yonghwasa development of the region. The roles played by the Baekje Kingdom are eloquently Temple, King Mu and his wife encountered manifested in each component of the Baekje Historic Areas, which testify to the cultural, the Maitreya Buddha The eastern pagoda site at Mireuksa Temple Site triad emerging from social, and political position the kingdom assumed in East Asia. a pond at the foot of Yonghwasan In terms of the conservation of the Baekje Historic Areas as a World Heritage site, Mountain. The triad suggested building a temple at the site, so the King ordered that due attention should be paid to managing the areas as landscapes in a manner that the pond be reclaimed and three connected temples be built to enshrine the three consolidates its local identity and allows sustainable development. An integrated approach statues. The temple is a faithful reflection of the belief that the Maitreya Buddha to the conservation and management of the historic sites of Baekje can be expected to will someday offer sermons leading all creatures into the Tusita Heaven occupied convert the honor of the inscription into tangible and sustainable local benefits. by the Maitreya Buddha. The stone pagoda at the temple site features a delicacy Korean Heritage for the World 22 | 23

Aesthetic Beauty of Buddhist Images from Baekje

Text by Byeon Sang-hyeon, Professor in Landscaping at Hannam University Photos by Byeon Sang-hyeon & Topic Images

Around the first century B.C., Baekje emerged on the Korean Peninsula as a full-fledged kingdom alongside the two other ancient kingdoms of Goguryeo and Silla. With an insightful eye toward international exchanges, Baekje extended its influence not only to the other two peninsular kingdoms and nearby China, but out to Japan across the sea. The Baekje Kingdom held an influential position in inter-state interchange, engendering a favorable internal environment for developing its own culture. The arts of Baekje are distinct from those of Goguryeo and Silla, which are respectively renowned for spirited power and glamorous formality. Baekje artworks emit a more gentle, delicate, and graceful aesthetic. These qualities are quiet but powerful, leaving a profound resonance in the minds of onlookers. Although the seat of government changed three times, from Hanseong to Ungjin, and then to Sabi, the kingdom’s efforts at forging unique cultural aesthetics continued throughout its history. Baekje left its stamp on the neighboring kingdom of Silla and on the Asuka culture of Japan as well. The unique aesthetics of Baekje are most clearly manifested in Buddhist images.

An amplified view of the Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Seosan

Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Seosan (Treasure No. 84) Korean Heritage for the World 24 | 25

The novel doctrine of Buddhism originated in India in the sixth century B.C. and sculptures in China. The sense of generosity and warmth are unique to aesthetics was introduced to the Korean Peninsula in 372 when Goguryeo received images of independently developed in Baekje, creating no separation between religion and beauty the Buddha from the Chinese state known as Former Qin. Once transmitted on the and injecting vitality into Buddhist imagery. peninsula, Buddhist images underwent disparate developmental trajectories in each of The seated stone Buddha situated in Gunsu-ri, Buyeo, is one of the definitive the three kingdoms. Although not completely uninfluenced by the pioneering adoption Buddhist images of sixth century Baekje. Despite a relatively small stature at 13.5 of Buddhism in Goguryeo, Baekje independently received the new belief system centimeters tall, the seated Buddha exhibits a demanding posture and features a from Eastern Jin via the monk Malananda in 384 during the reign of King Chimnyu. protuberance on its head and its two hands folded upon one another. The symmetry Eventually, Buddhism was officially recognized as the state religion during the reign embodied in the clothing attests to Northern Wei influence, but the sculptural expression of King Seong (523–554). Baekje’s Buddhist images show an unfathomably gentle, is intensified through a gentility and warmth. The most impressive aspect of this stone stunningly bright, and profoundly humane beauty. Those from the Sabi period, when Buddha is the smooth, curving lines of the shoulder. It is as if the Buddha comes alive, the kingdom enjoyed a second wave of development and demonstrated phenomenal with all trouble laid aside and its mind purely focused. The amiable face crowned with a cultural advancement, display in particular superlative aesthetics unique to the Baekje glowing smile is something that absolutely must be seen. arts. The broadening and deepening of the understanding of Buddhism through studies The Buddhist images of Baekje were created according to the principles of the of Buddhist sutras and establishment of new schools contributed to engendering necessary elements for a Buddha, but in a way that clearly conveys to its viewers beautiful Buddhist images. Along with the Gilt-bronze Defensive Maitreya the Buddha’s message of salvation and benevolence. The complexity of Buddhist Bodhisattva of Baekje, the Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Yongsan-ri, Seosan, and the philosophy is embodied in such simple features as a smile or the curve of a shoulder. Stone Seated Buddha from Gunsuri, Buyeo, provide the most definitive examples. These Buddhist images stir profound emotions in the mind. Baekje’s Buddhist images Although displaying an overall influence of Goguryeo and the Southern Dynasties present conceptual Buddhist notions through the means of simple expressions, enabling of China, Buddhist imagery in Baekje underwent a continuous process of adaptation the images to intermingle with, not stand apart from, the everyday lives of the people. and recreation, and eventually achieved a unique form of beauty which can be detected neither in the other two Korean kingdoms of the day nor in China and India. The Buddhist triad sculpted on a rock located in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province epitomizes the humble and unpretentious smile unique to Baekje Buddhist images, reflecting a profound understanding of the Buddhist ideals of benevolence and generosity by the Baekje people. The gentle, elegant smile inspired a nickname for this Buddhist triad, the “Baekje Smile.” The hand gestures offered by the Shakyamuni Buddha in the center and the two bodhisattvas to either side indicate the salvation of people from fear and terror, and the resolution of troubles and suffering. The Shakyamuni Buddha carved into a rock in the middle of a mountain seems to console the mind with its glowing, tender smile, with no religious solemnity or formality attached. The two bodhisattvas flanking the Shakyamuni Buddha also emit bright and compassionate smiles. The sense of balance and the stylish expression of the waving clothes that are embodied in this sculpture of a Buddha triad result from the influence of the Southern Dynasties. Nevertheless, the emotional responses engendered by the Baekje Stone Seated Buddha from Gunsu-ri (National Treasure No. 329; collection Buddha triad are distinct from those derived from Buddhist of the National Museum of Korea) Korean Heritage for the World 26 | 27

King Muryeong has long been acclaimed for his burning desire to recover Baekje’s Secrets of a Directional Diagram lost capital of Hanseong and revive the splendor of the kingdom. The tomb of this spirited king was discovered in 1971 and produced about 3,000 artifacts spanning from King Muryeong’s Tomb 108 categories. These items illuminated not only the active practice of interchange in ancient East Asia, but also the history of the Korean Peninsula of the era. Among them Text by Lee Gyeong-hwa, Advisor for the Cultural Heritage Administration is a directional diagram, or ganjido, inscribed on the reverse of the king’s tombstone. Photos by Baekje Historic Areas Conservation and Management Foundation I would like to relate a story about Baekje by deciphering the mystery surrounding the directional diagram. The birth of King Muryeong is steeped in questions and secrets. The eight-century Japanese history Nihon shoki (The Chronicles of Japan) recounts that the 21st ruler of Baekje, King Gaero (r. 455–475), entrusted his pregnant wife to his younger brother Gonji, who would soon depart for Japan as an envoy. On their way to the Japanese capital, a baby boy was born on a small islet off of Kyushu and was transported back to his home country. Little is known of King Muryeong’s childhood, but he ascended to the throne in 501 at the mature age of 40 to become the 25th ruler of the Baekje Kingdom. Calculating backward, it can be inferred that the future king must have been 14 in 475 when the first capital of Baekje, Hanseong (present-day Seoul), fell under an attack from the rival kingdom of Goguryeo and King Gaero was murdered. In that year, Baekje shifted the seat of government south to Ungjin (present-day Gongju), the kingdom’s second capital and the eventual site of King Muryeong’s burial. Restoring the diminished power of Baekje was his life’s mission. Cherishing memories of the glories of Hanseong, King Muryeong became driven to recapture the former laurels of Baekje. He clinched a major victory against Goguryeo troops to the north, and also drove southward to absorb vast expanses of land. Policy measures designed to stabilize life for both the ruling class and the common people were pursued internally, and an alliance with Liang China of the Southern Dynasties was cemented. According to the Korean history Samguk sagi (Records of the Three Kingdoms), he was a tall man with a gentle and forgiving character and widely popular among the Baekje people. The burial chamber of King Muryeong is constructed of bricks and embellished with aesthetic motifs. In some places two decorated bricks are paired to create a complete pattern. Brick tombs are an influence from the Southern Dynasties of China, suggesting Baekje’s desire at the time to maximize the benefits of cultural interchange in order to fuel the kingdom’s revival. The diadems found on the heads of the king and queen invoke an image of both blazing fire and the Buddhist notion of reincarnation as represented by a lotus flower, purportedly symbolizing as well the resurrection and re- flowering of the Baekje Kingdom. Halfway through the corridor were found two rectangular tombstones. One is inscribed on the front side with the years of the king’s birth and death and with a ganjido on the back. The epigraph on the face of the king’s gravestone is brief and

Inside of the tomb of King Muryeong Korean Heritage for the World 28 | 29

simple, recounting that upon the king’s death in 523 at the age of 62, his demise was gen, and xun. In contrast to these 24 directions, the directional diagram from King commemorated for 27 months through the formalities suitable for one of emperor status. Muryeong’s tomb does not include gen and xun, replaced them instead with wu and On the back, the ganjido directional diagram omits the symbols indicating the west. The ji. Given that it indicates 24 directions, the xun and gen, which are missing from the second stone is inscribed with the queen’s birth and death years on the front and with a diagram, have qian and kun as their respective opposite pairs. Therefore, the symbols maejigwon, a deed for purchased land to ensure a residence in the afterworld. absent in the ganjido diagram add up to a total of seven, the five symbols for the west The tombstones were excavated with their front sides facing up, placed so that the (xin, geng, you, shen, and xu) plus qian and kun. king and the queen would have been able to read the inscriptions. To read the deed, The characters qian and kun signify heaven and earth, as well as yang and ying. the queen’s tombstone must be flipped on its horizontal axis, not rotated on its vertical This symbolism can be understood in the placements of the bodies of the king and pivot. This is a logical arrangement given that the tombstones were not designed to the queen: when the ganjido diagram is turned over, the places of qian and kun be placed upright, but to be laid horizontally. According to this formula the king’s respectively correspond with the locations of the king and the queen. This indicates tombstone also has to be flipped upside down to gain a proper look at the directional that the tomb was not simply randomly constructed, but followed a clear set of rules. diagram on the reverse. When flipped, the side that can be deduced to correspond to Decoding the hidden meanings of the ganjido as an incomplete diagram missing west in the ganjido diagram faces the coffins of the king and queen. the section for the west contributes to the understanding of the tomb of King The word ganji refers to the 10 Heavenly Stems and the 12 Earthly Branches. The Muryeong. The deed appearing on the back side of the queen’s tombstone recounts 10 Heavenly Stems are: 甲 (jia), 乙 (yi), 丙 (bing) 丁 (ding), 戊 (wu), 己 (ji), 庚 (geng), that a particular plot located in the west has been purchased as a location for burial 申 (xin), 壬 (ren), and 癸 (gui); while the 12 Earthy Branches are: (子 (zi), 丑 (chou), and therefore as a place for permanent residence in the afterworld. The absence of the 寅 (yin), 卯 (mao), 辰 (chen), 巳 (si), 午 (wu), 未 (wei), 辛 (shen), 酉 (you), 戌 (xu), directional signifiers for the west denotes its sacredness. The missing direction in the and 亥 (hai). These symbols are used to indicate time and directions, and also to diagram indicates the heaven in the Western Paradise, or the Pure Land, and a place perform fortune telling. The tomb of King Muryeong is a rare case of a sepulcher for the king and queen to maintain a permanent domicile after death. containing a ganjido directional diagram. With the tomb laid out on a north-south axis, the side depicted as symbolizing The ganjido from King Muryeong’s tomb is based on King Wen’s bagua, or eight the west in the directional diagram is actually set toward the north, while the king trigrams, 乾 (qian), 坤 (kun), 震 (zhen), 巽 (xun), 坎 (kan), 離 (li), 艮 (gen), and and queen also face toward the north. The direction in which the king and queen gaze 兌 (dui), with the eight trigrams made symmetrical by forming contrary pairs. corresponds with the west as laid out in the ganjido diagram. The purported western The 24 directions from the Chinese divination book I Ching (Book of Changes) direction in the diagram, the direction in which the king and queen were laid, and the are respectively symbolized by eight of the 10 Heavenly Stems (excluding wu and ji), direction they wished to call home in the afterworld all point toward the earthly north, the 12 Earthly Branches, and four out of the eight trigrams of the bagua—qian, kun, the direction in which the former Baekje capital of Hanseong was situated. Those who are displaced from their homelands often maintain a strong desire to return. For the Baekje people, Hanseong was a city to return to, but also a space representing the reemergence of Baekje. The ganjido from King Muryeong’s tomb is not simply a diagram indicating 24 directions, but encrypted data succinctly expressing the longing of the people of Baekje. As the area indicating west in the ganjido points to Hanseong, King Muryeong conceived of Hanseong as the Western Paradise to which he would ultimately return. This strong yearning of King Muryeong and the Baekje people as a whole was embodied in his burial. His tomb seems to anticipate that future Baekje kings would recover the Hanseong area and reconstruct there the tombs of their predecessors. This single stone piece engraved with a ganjido diagram demonstrates the grand longing of King Muryeong and the Baekje people for a glorious reincarnation of Baekje in its former capital of Hanseong.

An interpreted view of the ganjido directional diagram Korean Heritage for the World 30 | 31

Musical instruments from the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje: string, percussion, and wind instruments from left to right

(Records of the Three Kingdoms) and Houhanshu (Book of the Later Han). Relevant excerpts are as follows:

“After planting seeds in May, rituals for deities were performed [in Mahan].

A musician playing a wanham string instrument from the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje People gathered together, singing and dancing, and drinking and feasting for days and nights. As to the dancing, dozens of people standing in single file bent their upper bodies and then straightened up while treading on the earth with their hands and feet moving in synch. The musical rhythm was An Integrated Understanding of similar to that of the Chinese Duowu. The same ceremony took place in October after the harvest.” the Performing Arts of Baekje “With a belief in spirits, the capital of every statelet [of Mahan] had an officiant presiding over rituals for gods in heaven; the person was called Text by Park Jin-tae, Professor Emeritus at Daegu University cheongun, or a ‘heavenly man’.” Photos by Park Jin-tae & Baekje Historic Areas Conservation and Management Foundation “And every statelet [of Mahan] had a separate area called a sodo, where a large tree was erected and hung with bells and drums for the purpose of Onjo, the third son of the founder of Goguryeo, rode south with his retinue to appeasing the spirits.” the Hangang River basin and there assumed control of the tribal state of Baekje. The new nation gradually absorbed Mahan, a political confederacy of statelets then The first excerpt demonstrates that rituals were conducted for earth gods (jisin) occupying the mid- and southwestern section of the Korean Peninsula, to develop in order to attract peace and prosperity to the community. In May and October, when into a full-fledged kingdom. In Baekje, therefore, those who had arrived from the first seeding and then harvesting were completed, multiple people lined up, “bent their north comprised the ruling class, while those native to the Hangang River area and upper bodies and straightened them up while treading on the earth with their hands and the former Mahan territories became their subjects. In cultural terms, it represents feet moving in synch.” This is the movement for jisin bapgi, or the “treading on earth an encounter between the nomadic peoples of the north and the agricultural societies gods” ritual, where the right hand and foot and the left hand and foot take turns being of the south. Against this backdrop a new religious doctrine, Buddhism, was simultaneously raised and placed down. This dance move is reflected in present-day received from the Eastern Qin in 384, transforming the core of the belief system of talchum, or “mask dance.” Participants may have experienced ecstatic excitement while the kingdom from indigenous beliefs to Buddhism. To attain a fuller understanding collectively drinking, singing, and dancing, and the dances and songs they performed of the performing arts of Baekje, three layers of influence should all be taken into may have been aimed at expressing wishes. Treading on earth gods rituals of a similar consideration: the northern culture of the ruling class; the southern culture of the character can still be found in community rites in the southwestern province of Jeolla. common people; and Buddhism and other imported influences. Rituals for heavenly gods were carried out with a shaman as an officiant at a sacred The performing arts of the native Mahan culture took on religious and divinatory space called a sodo featuring a tall tree hung with bells and drums. While the shaman forms, as evidenced by piecemeal records from the Chinese histories Sanguozhi sang and danced under the deity pole to express prayers, the god would have descended Korean Heritage for the World 32 | 33

from the heavens and the sounds of the bells and drums would have signified its (a wind instrument), gonghu (a plucked string instrument), and makmok descent. While the bells and drums served as objects to receive the heavenly god, (a wind instrument) and dances from Baekje were disseminated to Japan. The they are also percussion instruments suitable for sparking jubilant excitement in Japanese royal treasure house, Shosoin, preserves a wind instrument called a people and providing structured rhythms for dance. The discovery of an ancient cheokpal sent to Japan as a gift from Baekje’s final ruler, King Uija. stringed instrument of 77.2 centimeters in length in Gwangju in the Jeolla region The pinnacle of Baekje performing arts is the masked drama-dance demonstrated that not only percussion, but also string instruments were known in the performance called giak in Korean and gigaku in Japanese. Although there Mahan area as early as the first century B.C. are no surviving records on giak in Korea, a Japanese book from 1233 Along with performing arts associated with indigenous shamanism, Mahan also called Kyojunsho (Selections of Instructions and Admonition) contains maintained songs and dances related to labor. See the excerpt below: accounts of this unique masked drama-dance performance. It utilizes a comic manner to convey Buddhist elements and instructions, with “When the construction of a fortress was undertaken by a government performances including a Lion Dance, the Duke of Wu playing a pipe as an office, brave and healthy youths would carry earth or stones on their backs offering to the Buddha, the characters known as Kongo and Rikishi punishing … or work with a makeshift spade… they let out loud shouts all day, and another called Kuron for tempting the Duke of Wu, and Buddhist chanting by did not look pained but rather encouraged each other in their work.” an old man and his son. Lastly, it is worth exploring one of the superlative songs from Baekje, This record indicates that the young workers mobilized for government “Jeongeupsa.” The Korean history Goryeosa (History of Goryeo) construction efforts sang a chant like “yeong-cha, yeong-cha,” or played a variety explains that five lyrical folksongs, including Jeongeupsa, were of labor songs. These labor songs could have been performed for the construction of incorporated into the court music of Goryeo (918–1392). The tune is reservoirs, such as Hwangdeungje in Iksan, Byeokgokje in Kimje, and Nulje in Gobu, known as a song for performing the mugo dance. Legend has it that Great Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje during the process of Baekje’s southward advance. around 1300 the Goryeo courtier Yi Hon found a piece of wood Next are the characteristics showing the influence of Goguryeo, China, and afloat in the ocean and crafted a drum, called amugo . The dance involving the mugo other states located to the west of China. It is written that a ritual was performed is addressed by the same name. The mugo dance features a blaring sound and dramatic for heaven and earth using a go (drum) and gak (trumpet), both of which originated changes in body movements, analogized by a pair of butterflies swirling around a in Goguryeo. The Chinese histories Suishu (Book of Sui) and Beishi (History of flower or by two dragons competing to rise up and catch a magic pearl. “Jeongeupsa” the Northern Dynasties) include names of musical instruments common in Baekje, and mugo were brought together with a series of singers performing the lyrics while including go, gak, gonghu (a plucked sting instrument), jaeng (a kind of zither), u (a two female drummers performed the rhythm. This musical combination continued into wind instrument), ho (a wind instrument), and jeok (a wind instrument). The first two the early period of the Joseon era (1392–1910), but in an expanded version: according originate in Goguryeo, while the rest are associated with Qingshang music, a classical to the treatise on music Akhakgwebeom, the number of drummers was expanded to genre from the Southern Dynasties of China. China did not provide the only outside four, one for each of the four principal directions, and the singers to either four or influence, however. The Great Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje excavated from eight. Although pertaining to the genre of court music, at the time Jeongeupsa was Buyeo was fashioned in the style of Northern Wei, one of the Northern Dynasties, also played outside the royal court in the countryside and at entertainment restaurants. and features musicians playing a diverse range of instruments including a wanham Baekje absorbed cultural influences from Goguryeo, the Southern and Northern (string plucked instrument) from China, baeso (wind instrument) and jongjeok Dynasties of China, and the region to the west of China, and assimilated them into (wind instrument) from the region west of China, alongside a drum and a stringed the indigenous culture of Mahan, thus giving birth to unique performing arts it then instrument (purported to be a geomungo, or a six-stringed zither). Baekje transmitted disseminated to Japan. Although the development of the performing arts of Baekje these musical instruments and forms to Japan. The Japanese history Nihon shoki was interrupted and the only remnants are found as cultural objects or in historical recounts that a Baekje citizen named Mimagi learned a genre of masked drama-dance documents, a number of folklore rituals and games continue today that still embody performance from Wu China and passed the knowledge along in Japan. Another the legacy of the Baekje performing arts, including the village ritual of Eunsan, jisin Japanese history, Nihon koki, relates how musical instruments such as hoengjeok bapgi (treading on earth gods) rituals, and yongma nori (dragon-and-horse game). Exploration of Korean Heritage 34 | 35

Traditional Korean houses, or hanok, once served our ancestors as bustling living Historic Houses and the Life Inside quarters, but today stand as a treasure trove of traditional culture preserving cherished traces of the centuries. In every corner of an old residence can be found deep layers of Text by Lee Jin-gyeong, Journalist at the Korean Cultural Heritage Newspaper accumulated memories and the hard-won wisdom of its former owners. With hanok Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration mainly swept away by the ruthless currents of rapid industrialization, the traditional houses that survive today have become remnants of a past direly in need of protection. Historic houses and traditional villages do remain scattered throughout the country and display the unique architectural features of the area. I will here offer a brief look at two of these houses located within the confines of the Baekje Historic Areas: Myeongjae Historic House (Important Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 190) and Yi Ha-bok’s House (Important Folklore House No. 197). A literati residence built during the Joseon period and invested with solemnity and dignity, Myeongjae Historic House is located in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. It was constructed in 1709 as a shared effort among the disciples of the Neo-Confucian scholar Yun Jeung (pen name Myeongjae; 1629–1714) as a deserving residence for their mentor. However, until his dying day Yun refused to move into the new residence, stating that it would be an excessive luxury. Myeongjae Historic House is gently nestled on the southern skirts of Noseongsan Mountain. Reminiscent of the high-mindedness of the person for whom it was built, the house is unassuming but dignified. Lacking any fences or high gates that might have blocked it from sight, the entire compound comes into view from afar. With a large artificial pond at the front of the house, the outer quarters sarangchae( ) stand with the servants’ quarters to their left, the inner quarters (anchae) and a storage building to the back, and an ancestral shrine to the right-rear of the compound. Passing into the front yard, a visitor first encounters the imposing stature of the outer quarters, erected on the basis of a stone foundation. The outer quarters, with a four- bay façade and two-bay sides, consist of the master’s room (sarangbang) in the center and a wooden balcony (numaru) on the left. For appreciating the true value of a traditional Korean house, it is essential to look through the viewpoint of the owner: the view while seated in the wooden balcony should be the most mesmerizing of any in the house. From this perspective, an aesthetic landscape is apparent wherever the eye rests. Through the square frame of the overhanging window in this house can be seen the slopes of Gyeryongsan Mountain in the background, the neighborhood, and a large crape myrtle with the pond immediately in front. The scenery may have been inspiring enough to embolden a scholarly poet to compose exquisite verses praising its beauty. What is notable in the outer quarters is the door to the master’s room, which functions both as a sliding and hinged door. When the door is retracted to the side and then pushed outward, it opens wide, allowing an extra space for the room.

The wooden balcony of the master's house at Myeongjae Historic House Exploration of Korean Heritage 36 | 37

The inner quarters for women can be accessed through the servants’ quarters. The lower wing, connected to the outer quarters through the middle gate, faces With the inner yard in the center, a spacious wood-floored room with a five-bay façade the north, an atypical feature in Korean architecture. In the straight five-bay space, the and two-bay sides has right and left wings attached at right angles. In the extended kitchen, main room, an additional room, and storage are housed from the left. structure on the left are the main room in the center, and a spare room and the kitchen The front of the main room is equipped with a wooden porch. This structure was used as on either side. The children’s room and a smaller kitchen are accommodated in the right a residence for the daughter-in-law and the spacious yard to the north was envisaged as a wing. Narrow wooden porches are fashioned on both extension buildings. Although private, independent space for her since she was not allowed to freely go outside. the inner quarters are an enclosed space, there are architectural components designed The upper wing, which was demolished by a flood and has since been restored, was to eliminate any stuffiness derived from confinement, which highlights the wisdom of occupied by a married son prior to establishing his own household. A cowshed, a room, the time and the degree of consideration provided to the women whose activities were and a wood-floored room are housed in the four-bay building laid out in a straight line. mainly restricted to the inner quarters. The wide-floored room that opens to the front Bowls and dishes for both everyday and ritual uses, historical books, and documents and the back, the three large windows toward the rear garden, and the pretty flowered are all neatly arranged inside the rooms and storage spaces. Also on exhibit and staircase in font of the children’s room all serve to draw fresh elements into the limited respectively tagged are objects now rarities in modern society: daily items from the time, space of the inner quarters. agricultural implements, and woodcrafting tools. The house today functions as a museum On the gentle slope to the east is situated an ancestral shrine. The roomy space in presenting the everyday life of the Koreans of the past. front of the shrine was originally left vacant, but today is filled with rows of jars for With the current expansion of interest in traditional culture, an increasing number fermenting sauces, which create an attractively rustic scene. of people are finding themselves attracted tohanok , injecting renewed life into these The second home exemplifies a traditional Korean thatched house. Yi Ha-bok’s traditional Korean houses. People’s touch and careful attention enliven old houses. House is located in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province and was placed on a We can escape from our hectic daily routines and seek solace in the places where our geomantically propitious site snuggled between two mountain ridges running down ancestors may once have resided. from a large mountain far in the back. It originally faced a large pond, which has since been filled. This thatched house compound started with the construction of the three-bay inner quarters in the late 19th century by Yi Byeong-sik, an 18th generation descendent of the literati scholar Yi Saek (pen name Mogeun; 1328–1396) of the Hansan Yi lineage. Afterwards, it was expanded to its present form with the erection of the outer quarters and upper and lower wings in the early 20th century. Facing the southwest, the house is laid out in the form of a square. The inner and outer quarters look out on each other while the upper and lower wings, accessed through a gate to the right of the outer quarters, also stand at opposites, a prototypical house layout in the central region. Originally fashioned in a linear form, the inner quarters are now laid out in the shape of the Korean letter giyeok (ㄱ). The kitchen, main room, spare room, wood- floored room, and another spare room are accommodated from left to the right, with a cattle shed appended as an extension in front of the second spare room. The main room has narrow wooden porches at the front and rear, and the unusually lengthy eaves for a thatched house are a subject of attention. The four-bay outer quarters, laid out in a straight line, consist from left to right of an empty space to allow the opening of the main gate, the kitchen, and the master’s room. The master’s room features wooden porches at the front and on the right-hand side.

Myeongjae Historic House in Nonsan Exploration of Korean Heritage 38 | 39

Information for Visitors Myeongjae Historic House in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province Yi Ha-bok’s House in Seocheon

► How to get there ► How to get there Known for wide expanses of fertile Featuring both sea and wetlands, Seocheon evokes fields and plains, Nonsan has long been a homey feeling with its friendly area scenes. The area home to famous scholars and military is rich in seafood festivals. Every spring begins with the figures, including the Baekje general Maryang-ri festival of local octopus, followed by a flatfish Gyebaek. It is also renowned as the and sea bream festival. A festival themed around shad largest strawberry producer in the country, and crab is held in autumn. To get to Yi Ha-bok’s House

as can be witnessed at April’s annual Myeongjae Historic House in Nonsan from Seoul, you either take Expressway No. 15 and Yi Ha-bok’s House in Seocheon strawberry festival. There are two other change to Expressway No. 151 via the Dongseocheon local festivals featuring sweet potatoes (in September) and fermented fish (in October). Junction to arrive at the Dongseocheon Interchange. Alternatively take Expressway To get to Myeongjae Historic House from Seoul, you can take Expressway No. 25 from No. 1 to change to Expressway No. 25 via the Cheonan Junction, and then take Expressway No. 1, and then exit onto National Route 23 at the Jeongan Interchange Expressway No. 30 and change to Expressway No. 151 via the Gongju Junction to arrive into Noseong-myeon. There is a historic house experience program in operation at at the Dongseocheon Interchange. From the Dongseocheon Interchange, make a left Myeongjae Historic House. turn in the direction of Cheongyang and Buyeo, and then follow the route to Seocheon at the Gwangam three-way intersection. ► Other Historic Houses in the Vicinity • Hist oric House of Yi Sam ► Historic Houses in the Vicinity : 45 Jugok-gil, Sangwol-myeon, Nonsan-si, South Chungcheong Province • Sit e of the Birth House of Yi Sang-jae • Hist oric House of Yun Hwang : 71 Jongdan-gil, Hansan-myeon, Seocheon-gun, South Chungcheong Province : 132 Jangmaru-ro, Sangnoseong-myeon, Nonsan-si, South Chungcheong Province Destroyed in 1955, the birth house of the independence activist Yi Sang-jae was restored in 1980. The exhibition hall was opened in 1997, presenting 244 artifacts and ► Other Places to Visit in the Area keepsakes left by Yi. • Gw anchoksa Temple : 254 Gwanchok-ro 1(il)-gil, Nonsan-si, South Chungcheong Province ► Other Places to Visit in the Area Gwanchoksa is situated at the foot of Bannyasan Mountain and offers a scenic • Hansan Mosi Museum overlook of the Hwangsanbeol area, a major battlefield in Baekje’s struggle against Silla. : 1089 Chungjeol-ro, Hansan-myeon, Seocheon-gun, South Chungcheong Province A grand Buddhist image of Eunjin Mireuk stands at the temple, which also hosts state- The Hansan Mosi Museum was founded to disseminate the value of traditional designated cultural assets such as a stone standing Maitreya bodhisattva (Treasure No. Korean ramie. Visitors can learn about and experience ramie fabric at the museum’s 218) and a stone lantern (Treasure No. 232). facilities, including a training hall and craft workshop. • Donamseo won Confucian Academy • Bir d Ecology Museum : 26-14 Im 3(sam)-gil, Yeongsan-myeon, South Chungcheong Province : 916 Jangsan-ro, Maseo-myeon, Seocheon-gun, South Chungcheong Province Donamseowon Confucian Academy was constructed in 1634 in commemoration Opened in 2009, the Bird Ecology Museum overlooks the mouth of the Geumgang of the academic achievements and lifelong moral conduct of the Joseon scholar Kim River, an important year-round habitat for birds. It includes a terrace, eco-lounge, and Jang-saeng (1548–1631). Spared from the general demolition of Confucian academies the Bird Study Room in the first, second, and third floors, respectively. There is a diverse ordered by Regent Heungseon in the late 19th century, Donamseowon has been placed range of experience programs provided by the museum, including such activities as on Korea’s World Heritage Tentative List alongside eight Buddhist temples. visiting wetlands, feeding migratory birds, and making birds’ nests. Exploration of Korean Heritage 40 | 41

The Korean language is spoken by around 77 Hangeul, Korea’s Foremost million people around the world and is the tenth most frequently used language on the Internet. Cultural Brand Hangeul, the primary alphabet used to transcribe spoken Korean language, has been celebrated for

Text by Kim Jung-seop, Professor in Korean Literature at Kyung Hee University its superb capacity to facilitate the expression of Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration people’s thoughts and feelings, and is arguably the most democratic writing system in the world. This year marks the 572nd anniversary of the introduction of Hangeul by King Sejong in 1443. The historic documents describing the writing system were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World The preface by King Sejong in 1997, and in 2007 the system was adopted as one of the official languages for patent applications by the World Intellectual Property Organization. Riding the vigorous currents of the Korean Wave, South Korean films, soap operas, and music are being disseminated around the world. However, the essence of the nation’s cultural power firmly resides in the Korean language and its Hangeul alphabet. In this respect it is worth exploring the cultural value and meaning conveyed in the Korean alphabet and language. A look into language education would be useful for grasping the more abstract cultural notions entailed in Korean language and culture. When the Korean language is taught to foreigners, many teachers do not directly launch into memorizing the alphabet. They first like to share stories about why King Sejong introduced the script, along with the principles of grouping letters together into syllables and its philosophical underpinning, concepts toward which Hangeul learners often express admiration and appreciation. Although they sometimes have trouble discerning similar-looking or sounding letters such as “ㅏ” [a] and “ㅓ” [ʌ], novices can generally read and pronounce Korean script after only a few days. Not only is it easy to learn, Hangeul excels in terms of typing speed, both on a keyboard and on a mobile phone. Korean script is faster to type than Chinese or Japanese, and passes English in terms of the rate of data processing, making it ideal for the information- centered 21st century. It is notable that the academic rigor manifest in the formulation of the script has been translated into efficiency in communications, evidence of which can easily be witnessed in Korean language classes for foreigners. After becoming familiarized with the primary principles of the writing system, many learners often find it easier to use Hangeul than other languages for exchanging text messages on their phones. The swift conversion of spoken Korean language into and out of Hangeul has arguably made a significant contribution to Korea’s emergence as an IT leader, as well as to the

Hunmin Jeongeum (Proper Sounds to Instruct the People), where King Sejong announced the promulgation of the national script and explained the reasoning behind the creation of the Korean script (collection of the Gangsong Museum) Exploration of Korean Heritage 42 | 43

flourishing of social media. Inspired by the growing economic footprint of the country, These institutes are committed to the promotion of Korean language and culture an increasing number of people in other countries have taken up the study of Hangeul, among those who wish to learn Hangeul, and are open to anyone regardless of age, not only in neighboring China and Japan, but also in more far-flung nations including education, or profession. As with China’s Confucius Institutes, Japan’s Japanese Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and Uganda. It has been suggested that the prompt responses to Centers, France’s Alliance Française, the U.K.’s British Councils, and Germany’s social issues and speedy collection of opinions on the Internet are attributable to the Goethe Institutes, the establishment of King Sejong Institutes can be understood functionality of Hangeul. Individuals proficient in multiple languages have marveled within the context of the globalization efforts for Hangeul. at the precise and logical transformation of Hangeul into and out of spoken language. However, the institutes must live up to their name: in consideration of the exalted It has also been adopted as a script to write the Indonesian minority language of spirit of King Sejong, they should not simply distribute language and culture, but Cia-Cia. As the Korean language grows in terms of the number of users and in its role should turn their attention to other issues such as advancing culture and creating value as a facilitator for social media, those who study and teach the Korean language and through the language. Hangeul is the most powerful cultural brand possessed by the the Korean people themselves should take time to ponder the future of Hangeul in a country, broadening the bounds of its influence from a writing system to an inspiration globalized world. for design motifs and arts, and also as a vessel for Korean philosophy. Continuous Hangeul consists of 24 letters—14 consonants and 10 vowels. These can be attention is required in order to sustain and further advance these values. clustered into over ten thousand possible syllabic blocks. While naturally absorbing their native language, Koreans come to understand the logical principles in the configuration of the letters, and the philosophical concepts underlying the creation of Hangeul. The Hangeul alphabet is starting to pass beyond the typical boundaries of a writing system to enter the design industry. In the calligraphy sector, for example, Hangeul has emerged as a source for decorative lettering alongside English and Chinese characters. There are a number of people standing at the forefront of utilizing the Korean script for aesthetic purposes: the designer Yi Sang-bong for adorning clothes; the designer Yi Geon-man in creating indoor decorations; and the calligrapher Kim Du-gyeong for producing everyday objects. While Hangeul expands its limits as a script for transcribing other spoken languages, it is also undergoing a bold transformation into the completely distinct arena of design. As the Korean alphabet becomes perceived as a medium for the arts, its aesthetic value is being reevaluated. Hangeul is experiencing a paradigm shift. The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize was named after the creator of Hangeul and honors his lofty mission of offering people a means to express their ideas by awarding governmental and non-governmental agencies that contribute to the promotion of literacy. The prize is intended to encourage knowledge equality in a world marked by asymmetrical distribution of wealth and education, an ideal embodiment of the spirit of UNESCO. As a professional Korean language educator, I believe that the global dissemination of Hangeul should be conducted in line with the purpose of the King Sejong Literacy Prize. In this regard, Korean officials have been proceeding with a governmental initiative. King Sejong Institutes have been launched in every region of the world under the purview of the King Sejong Institute Foundation established in 2012. Hunmin jeongeum haerye (Explanations and Examples of the Proper Sounds to Instruct the People), issued to introduce the basic principles of the creation of the Hangeul script and its usage (collection of the Gangsong Museum) Exploration of Korean Heritage 44 | 45

Traditional Korean The bow and arrow are profoundly familiar to Koreans. When the Olympic Games approach, all eyes are drawn to archery, Korea’s primary source of medals. Students practice archery at school. However, the traditional Korean bow and arrow, Bows and Arrows respectively named gakgung and juksi and collectively referred to as gungsi, are not widely known among the general public. The contrast between the great popularity of Text by Park Se-ran, HongCommunications Inc. archery as a sport and the minimal awareness of the traditional bow and arrow may be Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration ironic, but it is also a source of hope for a future flowering of Korean gungsi culture. The bow and arrow has long been a cultural element for nearly all of humanity. The practice of archery has been uninterrupted on the Korean Peninsula since the Paleolithic Era. It is not that Korean bows and arrows are automatically the world’s best; bows from Turkey and Persia are superb in their aesthetics and technologies. But while bows and arrows have become exhibits at museums in other parts of the globe, they remain a living heritage in Korea. “If we had given up on making of bows and arrows, like has happened in some countries, one of the creative inventions of human civilization, the bow and arrow, could be endangered. Koreans’ spirited passion and pride for bow and arrow crafting can be credited with contributing to the survival of archery in human society,” said Yu Se-hyeon, an assistant master of traditional bow and arrow crafting skills inscribed on the national heritage list as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage List No. 47. For Paleolithic people who made weapons and tools by knapping stones, the creating of the bow and arrow would have served as a huge step toward revolutionizing civilization. It would have brought about an astonishing improvement in hunting a wider variety of prey and protecting what they had collected from scavengers and other predators. In this sense, the bow and arrow is arguably among the most impactful innovations in human civilization.

Tools for the crafting of arrows

Yu Se-hyeon, an assistant master of traditional arrow crafting skills (Important Intangible Cultural Heritage List No. 47) Exploration of Korean Heritage 46 | 47

For Yu Se-hyeon, arrow making takes on a special meaning. Since Korea has an inserted into a long cylindrical container for shooting to keep the related skills a secret. uninterrupted history of archery culture, he believes that the transmission of related Another type of arrow is hyosi, which produces a whooshing sound when fired and craftsmanship not only benefits the Korean people, but all humanity. therefore was used as a signal to start a battle.” “The vanishing of bows and arrows is largely explained by the invention The role of archery for the cultivation of the mind has been greatly diminished, and of gunpowder weapons. Since bows were mainly used for warfare, they were its recreational qualities such as entertainment and sharing time with friends have been immediately replaced by gunpowder weaponry when it was introduced. But in Korea, eroded as well. Modern archery is mostly about competition: if you can shoot the arrow archery has been transformed into a full-fledged popular sport. Korean archery is not as far as 145 meters and hit the target, that is all you need. This is why Yu contends just about hitting the target, but also about cultivating the mind. This is why archery that reviving traditional archery culture as a whole is the true pathway to protecting our retains such cultural vitality at present.” national bow and arrow tradition. Arrows were prohibitively expensive in the past: an arrow could be worth as “The main task we are facing today is disseminating the full range of traditional much as a plot of land. For this reason archery was reserved for the wealthy, and archery culture. In the past, archery culture was multi-faceted, but today we don’t really accordingly was mainly practiced by people residing in the urban centers of Kaesong remember this. Restoring traditional kinds of arrows such as yuyeopjeon, pyeonjeon, and Seoul. An area in between these two capital areas called Jangdan, presently and hyosi is important, but what is more important is to bring the whole of archery located in the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea, specialized in culture into our lives. I think that is the transmission of traditional culture in the truest the crafting of bows and arrows. In the early 20th century, bows and arrows were sense of the word.” transported from Jangdan Station to the southernmost tip of the peninsula and all the way to Manchuria in the north. However, a severe blow was delivered to customary bow and arrow making in the 1980s. At a time when traditional culture was enjoying a second renaissance thanks to conscientious public effort, traditional crafts for fabricating bows and arrows suffered a severe downturn in the wake of of a flood of modernized bows and arrows. Ever since, gakgung and gungsi, the traditional Korean bow and arrow made of bamboo, have been erased both from the sight and memory of the Korean people. While the number of people practicing archery increased, that of those using a traditional arrow and bow has diminished. The assistant master Yu believes that we have arrived at a make-or-break moment for the future of traditional bow and arrow making skills. “My ancestors also worked making arrows in Jangdan. I am the sixth generation ① ② inheriting the relevant skills in my family. After the Korean War our family could not go back to its hometown, so we settled in the nearest possible area, Paju in Gyeonggi Province.” After working at a different job, Yu eventually quit and returned to Paju. At first he was determined to enter a different business, but could never extinguish his burning passion for arrow making and now specializes in the craft. At the time, he thought that if he failed to nurture his father’s skills, the future of traditional arrows, and even the future of traditional archery, could be jeopardized. This is why he returned home and has not stopped studying historical documents and restoring traditional arrows since. “Among the varieties of arrows I have revived so far, some of the famous ones include yuyeopjeon, and pyeonjeon featured in the 2011 movie ‘War of Arrows.’ Another name for pyeonjeon is aegisal, literally ‘baby arrows.’ These arrows were ③ ④

①Arrow shafts ②The making of a bow ③Traditional arrow crafting skills transmitted by Yu Se-hyeon ④Tools for the crafting of arrows Cultural Heritage Administration Headlines 48 | 49

CHA News The Baekje Historic Areas Achieve World Heritage Status Princess Deokhey’s Garments Returned

At the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee, held from June 28 to July Garments worn by Princess 4 in Bonn, Germany, a decision was made to inscribe the Baekje Historic Areas on Deokhye (1912–1989), the daughter the World Heritage List. As one of the 21 national members of the intergovernmental of King Gojong and the last princess committee, Korea sent to the meeting a delegation co-chaired by the head of the of the Joseon Dynasty, were returned Cultural Heritage Administration and the second vice-minister of the Ministry of to Korea on June 24. The repatriation Foreign Affairs. The delegation also included representatives of the related local of this Joseon royal attire was carried governments—South Chungcheong Province, North Jeolla Province, and the cities out in the form of a donation through of Gongju, Buyeo, and Iksan—and also from the Korean National Commission for the signing of a memorandum of UNESCO and ICOMOS Korea. A recommendation on the inscription was presented understanding at the Korean Center in by ICOMOS, and a final decision was Tokyo between Rha Sun-hwa, the head of rendered by the World Heritage Committee. the Cultural Heritage Administration of The Baekje Historic Areas were Korea, and Onuma Sunao, the president of A ceremonial upper garment (dangui) worn by Princess Deokhye described as an eloquent testimony to Bunka Gakuen University. interchange among the ancient kingdoms The seven garments that were returned are part of the royal clothing remaining on the Korean Peninsula, China, and Japan; in Japan from Princess Deokhye’s stay there. These regal clothes were donated in and also as providing excellent evidence 1956 by Crown Prince Yeongchin, Deokhye’s half-brother, to Tokikawa Yochichika, of the unique history and culture of who then headed Bunka Women’s Junior College, the predecessor of Bunka Gakuen Baekje in terms of its cosmology, religion, University. Since the opening of the university-affiliated Bunka Gakuen Costume construction technology, and aesthetics. Museum in 1979, the clothes had been housed at the museum. The Korean delegation at the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Bonn, Germany While determining to inscribe the Baekje Bunka Gakuen University began as a women’s vocational school for textile Historic Areas on the World Heritage List, education in 1923, and has served as a center of fashion and costume education in the World Heritage Committee additionally recommended that a comprehensive Japan. The Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum retains a collection of 20,000 pieces of tourism management plan for the entire property be devised, alongside specific plans clothing from across the world. for each component of the property. It suggested periodic monitoring be carried out The donated costumes include ceremonial attire for children—a wrap-around skirt on the mural paintings inside the royal tombs in Songsan-ri, Gongju, and Neungsan- and short jacket—as well as attire for adults. These items have historic value as goods ri, Buyeo, as well as of the tombs’ interior environments. In this regard, the relevant left by Princess Deokhye, and also academic value as a rare material for studies of municipal governments have pledged to faithfully fulfill the recommendations and royal attire fashioned in the highest quality possible in the day. make further efforts for the systematic preservation and promotion of the Baekje The unusual donation of these historically important artifacts by the Costume Historic Areas. Museum is attributable to the admirable desire by President Onuma for a strengthening The entry of the Baekje Historic Areas onto the global heritage list is expected of the Korea-Japan relationship in the year marking the 50th anniversary of its to help publicize the history and culture of this ancient Korean kingdom, allow it to normalization. It is also the fruit of Korean-Japanese non-governmental cooperation: be reevaluated around the world, and add to the national brand image as a country the long-standing friendship between Kim Sun-hui, the director of the Chojun Textile brimming with culture. The inscription brings the country’s number of World Heritage & Quilt Art Museum, and President Onuma played an essential role in the donation. Sites to 12. Cultural Heritage Administration Headlines

CHA Events

Heritage Program Time & place Contents

Sep. 25–29 / Changdeokgung A walk around Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour Oct. 25–28 Palace at night Changdeokgung

Nov. 7 An annual autumn ritual held at Jong- Jeongjeon Hall and myo for commemorating the kings of Jongmyo Shrine Grand Autumn Ritual Yeongnyeongjeon Joseon and their major Hall at Jongmyo accomplishments

The reenactment of the Commanding Military Namhansanseong Sep. 5–Oct. 31 Namhansanseong fortress military Band of Namhansan- Fortress Namhansanseong band, the biggest in size during the seong Joseon era

The 52nd Sunwon A cultural festival featuring a diverse Oct. 8–11 Hwaseong Fortress Hwaseong Cultural range of performances and experience Suwon Hwaseong Festival events, held at Hwaseong

The 1st Baekje Cultural Festival held The 61st Baekje Cultural Sep. 26–Oct. 4 Baekje Historic Areas after the inscription of the Baekje Festival Gongju, Buyeo Historic Areas on the World Heritage List

A jovial mask dance festival featuring Historic Villages of Sep. 25–Oc. 4 diverse mask dance performances, not Andong International Korea: Hahoe and Andong Mask Dance only those inscribed on the Korean Mask Dance Festival Yangdomg Park heritage list but also those from 10 other countries including China

Aug. 21–Oct. 18 A cultural festival participated by Gyeongju Historic Silk Road Gyeongju 2015 Gyeongju World 30–40 countries under the theme Areas Culture Expo Park “Eurasia Culture Express”

Community- Aug. 21–Oc. 18 A festival centering around Cheoyongmu Cheoyongmu Dance participatory Silk Road Gyeongju, Gyeongju Dance, the only royal court dance Festival Arts Center performed wearing the mask

A festival consisting of kimchi making Kimjang, making and The 22nd Gwangju Oct. 24–26 experience, kimchi making contests, sharing kimchi World Kimchi Festival Gwangju Kimchi Town and events for tasking kimchi