Glimpse into natural materials of Korean architecture

Stone, Walls and Paths

By Yim Seock-jae

Translated by Lee Jean-young

(Ewha Womans University Press)

Anyone who has been to a hanok, or traditional Korean house, will have noticed its exquisite use of stone and wood, and how it naturally blends into its surroundings.

Wood and stone are the most representative natural materials used in Korea’s traditional architecture, serving both practical and aesthetic purposes.

Scholar Yim Seock-jae’s English-translated book, “Stone, Walls and Paths,” is an insightful introduction to the two natural materials, as well as the philosophy that’s reflected in them.

“There are two major architectural meanings of the natural materials in Korea’s traditional architecture,” Yim writes in the book.

“One is the aesthetic of technical artistry, and the other is the aesthetic of temperance. The aesthetic of technical artistry sees that the ultimate beauty is created when artificial crafting is minimized, preserving as much as possible the intrinsic character of the material. The aesthetic of temperance sees that the less we change the natural material, the more we learn to control our self-centered materials.”

Throughout the book, Yim introduces some of the most significant traditional buildings in Korea, including Daseungsa Temple and Oksan Seowon Academy, while explaining how the materials were used for the buildings.

“The art of masonry found in podiums has two distinctive qualities,” he writes in the book. “One is the natural quality of stone and the other is the selfless harmony through the refection of uniformity.”

He points out that the Gueknakjeon hall in Daeseungsa’s stones have their original shape, “as if they were just picked up and carried down from the mountain.”

According to Yim, properties made of stone are more vigilantly preserved than ones of wood, because they weren’t artificially crafted, likewise the case for Daeseungsa’s Gueknakjeon.

Some exceptions applied, however, for stones that were used for palace buildings and fortresses. While smooth-cut stones were used for fortresses to strengthen its defense capabilities, artistically sculpted stones were selected for the palaces to showcase grandeur.

Yim stresses that the traditional Korean ideology, which is a unique combination of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, is inevitably reflected in traditional Korean architecture. He points out that “something” about the traditional values and teachings transcends time, and continues to be a part of the mindset and aesthetic sense of modern Korean people.

Yim holds a Ph.D in architecture from University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

(dyc@heraldcorp.com)