A brief analysis of Korean traditional houses
"If the Tao is not good enough, it will float on the sea on a raft." This is a sentence in "The Analects of Confucius? Gongye Chang". This is also the most talked about topic among Korean literati in the past dynasties. Many people believe that during the Spring and Autumn Period when Confucius lived, he saw the collapse of rituals and music and thought of emigrating to Korea. Yu Haoren also affirmed that the destination where Confucius wanted to float on the sea was North Korea. Let’s not discuss whether this was Confucius’ original intention. It can be seen from this that Korea had a certain status in the hearts of Chinese literati as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. Going forward in history, China's Jizi had already arrived in North Korea at the end of the Yin Dynasty. Jizi was the uncle of King Zhou, the last emperor of the Yin Dynasty. He was imprisoned for a long time because he was dissatisfied with King Zhou's debauchery. After King Wu defeated Shang, he released Jizi. At the same time, because of Jizi's huge influence in the society at that time, King Wu personally came to ask for advice. And enfeoffed him to North Korea. After Jizi arrived in North Korea, he made today's Pyongyang his capital. Jizi established a political power on the Korean Peninsula and taught Chinese culture. He was the first Chinese cultural envoy to arrive on the Korean Peninsula in recorded history. The mountains and rivers are dangerous and the people are poor. Just by a little abiding by etiquette and customs, China has been called "Little China" since ancient times. When envoys from Goryeo and North Korea came to China to talk to Chinese scholars, they usually said that their country's culture was no different from China's. In ancient Korea, literature, medicine, calendars and social systems were all learned from China. Of course, it also has a profound impact on architecture. Especially during the Han and Tang dynasties, its influence on Korea was almost endless. Even in modern Korea, we can still often see and feel the strong legacy of the Han and Tang Dynasties. South Korea is a country currently located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It covers an area of ??99,600 square kilometers and has a population of approximately 50.087 million. It is a mountainous country. Mountainous areas account for about two-thirds of the area of ??the Korean Peninsula. The terrain is diverse, with low mountains, hills and plains staggered in distribution. Low mountains and hills are mainly distributed in the central and eastern parts, with altitudes mostly below 500 meters. The special geographical environment also affected the way of living in ancient Korea. In addition, the Korean nation loves to eat rice and is good at growing rice. Therefore, in ancient Korea, most of the residential buildings were located in the plains along the mountains. Hanok - refers to houses built according to traditional Korean architectural forms (traditional houses are also collectively referred to as - Hanok). The characteristics of hanok are reflected in the distribution and structure that take into account topography and seasonal climate. That is to say, "with mountains behind and water at its back". Hanoks are usually built in places with mountains at the back and water in front. Considering the cold winters and hot summers, ondol (ondol) facilities are installed in the rooms and the structure is spacious. The form of the hall is to achieve good ventilation effect. The structure of Hanok is also different in different regions. The cold north adopts a closed '?'-shaped structure, while the central and warm south adopt a '?' and '-' shaped structure respectively. Hanoks are also divided into upper-class and lower-middle-class houses according to different classes. Upper-class residences: Upper-class residences that are both practical and artistic. They are deeply influenced by Confucianism. The specific arrangements are different according to gender, age and status. The sarangchae is where the men sleep or eat, the back room is where the women and children live (occasionally it is also used by couples), the place where the servants live is called the haungjang, and the ancestral hall is where ancestors are worshipped. There is a spacious hall. Among them, the back room is located at the innermost part, which can restrict women from going out. When the children were young, they lived in the back room, but when they reached the age of seven, the boys moved to the sarangcha, while the girls continued to stay in the back room. The houses of the upper class used tiles as roofs, so they were also called "tile houses". Middle- and lower-rise residences: generally have a simple structure, consisting of rooms, halls, and kitchens. The most representative one is the thatched house (roofed with straw). In some places, oak bark or stone and wood tiles are also used to pave the roof. On Jeju Island, which is famous for its strong winds, small stones are usually hung on the roofs of thatched houses. Figure 1 Taken in Jeonju, South Korea. Let me briefly introduce the traditional Korean houses starting from the details. Roof: The roofs of Korean upper-class houses are basically made of tiles, but they are different from the small green tiles (Yanghe tiles) used in ordinary houses in China. They are mainly a combination of blue tiles and tiles, which are about twice as big as the small green tiles of ordinary Chinese houses.
The laying process of tiles also has its own characteristics. First, lay thin willow strips on the rafters, then lay a thick layer of loess clay (about 5~10 cm) on top, and then stick the tiles on the loess clay. When the loess dries, the tiles will be firmly attached. The loess stuck together. Therefore, the roofs of Korean tile-roofed houses are sealed. Although it is not breathable, it is very good for thermal insulation, because the winter in Korea is very long and cold. The roof styles of Korean tile-roofed houses are basically hanging mountain type and hilltop type. The eaves of the Korean tile-roofed houses on the top of the mountain are slightly raised, there are no owl kisses on the main ridge, and there are no mythical beasts on the ridge. The shape is a bit like a boat, so it has a very vivid name. There is no ceiling on the indoor roof, and all structures and decorations can be seen clearly when looking up. The beams and rafters of Korean tile-roofed houses are not painted, leaving the original color of the wood, which makes people feel very natural and rustic. The middle and lower class people live in thatched houses. This was also the most common dwelling in ancient Korea. Because there are very few people who can afford to live in tile-roofed houses. The roof of the thatched house is relatively simple, and the roof is made of straw, which fully reflects their wisdom in using local materials. Because the Korean people like to eat rice and are good at growing rice, straw is an inexhaustible material. The straw must be braided before being laid. The roots of the straw are braided together with straw ropes, a bit like a Hawaiian straw skirt, and then laid layer by layer on the roof. The straw is spread very thickly and looks very heavy. After the laying is completed, a rope net is used to cover the straw to fix it. The straw on the roof of the thatched house needs to be renovated or covered with new straw every year. Figure 2 Korean thatched house The roof style of thatched house is also relatively simple, basically all with four water slopes. The interior ceilings of thatched houses are painted with mud or paved with wooden boards, because straw is extremely flammable and can easily cause fires. The internal structure is still exposed, such as beams and rafters. Another great advantage of a grass roof is that it is warm in winter and cool in summer. Among the middle and lower-rise buildings, there are still very few residential houses with bark roofs. The roofing method is very similar to thatched house, and they are also paved one by one. Wall: There is a Chinese proverb that comments very well on the wall of traditional Chinese architecture: "If the wall falls, the house will not collapse." This statement also applies to the walls of Korean traditional architecture. After all, they both belong to the East Asian architectural system. The walls of traditional Korean houses can basically be divided into the following categories: heart wall, inner wall, outer flat wall, long fire wall, etc. The core wall is equivalent to a sandwich wall. A large frame is first set up between the pillars, and a bamboo fence or a wicker fence is fixed between the frames, and then loess mixed with weeds is pasted on the fence. After drying up, it becomes stronger. This method is also used in residential buildings in many places in China. This kind of heart wall can be divided into paper wall, cloth wall and white gray wall according to the final decoration. As the name suggests, paper wallpaper is the last step to put stickers on the wall, which is basically used indoors. Cloth wall is to use cloth to stick to the wall, and it is basically used indoors. The final white plaster wall can be used both indoors and outdoors. The inner wall is the indoor partition wall, which is rarely used in Korean houses. Interior walls in Korea basically use sliding door partitions, which are a bit like Japanese style. Some of the wall panels are grids, some are just ordinary wooden boards, and then they are covered with Korean paper. Its interior walls are basically removable and removable, and the entire interior is accessible in all directions. The biggest drawback is the poor sound insulation. Nighttime is the most difficult time for newlyweds. Because South Korea is influenced by Confucianism, it also attaches great importance to four generations living under one roof. A large family lives under one roof. Fire walls are partition walls built to prevent fire. Most of the kitchens in Korean houses are connected with the main house and are usually located on the east side. This is related to the climate in South Korea. The winter in South Korea is relatively long and cold. Therefore, the floor of the entire Korean residence is a kang. Korean chimneys have also become unique. They are basically in the yard or outside the house, not on the roof. In the past, most of the kitchens in Korea were sunken kitchens or even the kitchen was in the basement. In this way, the smoke from the kitchen can go around under the floor and then be discharged through the tunnel chimney. So the kitchen must be lower than the floor. However, most of the entire house is made of wood.
This makes it very difficult to prevent fire, so they will use a long fireproof wall between the kitchen and the main residence. This wall is basically made of granite blocks or bricks. Plane and floor: The tile houses of the upper class basically adopt the method of raising the platform, with a height of about 90 to 120cm. The material is basically granite. This is related to the fact that it is a kang when you enter the house. Koreans have cold winters, so they make the entire room except the kitchen into a kang, so that you won’t get cold even if you sit on the floor in winter. In terms of floor plan, different regions in Korea also have differences. Their floor plan is divided into rooms, and the richer the apartments, the more rooms they have. One thing they have in common is that no matter how big or small the house is, they all have to have a living room. The hall plays a very important role in the Korean house. Especially in summer, handcrafting, resting, eating, and gatherings are all held in the hall. There are no walls in the hall, and there is basically no blocking. At most, some door panels can be installed to keep heat and wind in winter. The rooms are distributed on both sides of the hall, and the kitchen is usually located on the east side. Influenced by Chinese Confucianism, South Korea has a deep-rooted concept of elders being superior to the younger, and men being superior to women, so it is best to make the largest room the parents' room. Although South Korea's land area is not large, the planes in different regions are still different. For example, the residential buildings in the Ping'an Road area are basically single houses with a rectangular plan. Although the central area is also a single house, the floor plan is mainly '?'. The residential buildings in Seoul are a bit like courtyards in China. This may be related to the economic and cultural conditions at that time. Seoul (formerly Seoul) is the economic, cultural and political center. Figure 3 House types in various parts of Korea Doors and windows: The boundaries between doors and windows in Hanok are very blurred, and they are basically determined by function. If it is for people to enter and exit, make it larger. If it is for ventilation and lighting, make it a moderate size. If it is for viewing or observing outdoor activities, just make a small opening. The Korean name is the opening. . If the windows are classified according to their functions, there are mainly the following types: sealed windows, fire windows, light windows, cross windows, eye windows, nail windows, etc. It is better to say that the sealed window is a window than it is a hole. This is a relatively traditional and primitive window in Korea. It is usually opened under the wall or next to the door, and the general diameter is only about 10 to 20 centimeters. As long as the purpose is ventilation, of course there are also lighting considerations, but the functionality of lighting is relatively weak. The main function of the fire window is to vent smoke and water vapor, so it must be in the kitchen. It is generally opened above the kitchen side, and its function is almost the same as that of a Chinese chimney, but it has a certain lighting function. The size is slightly larger than the sealed window. Light windows, as the name implies, are only used for lighting, and are usually opened above the wall. It is openable, has a straight lattice shape, and is made of Korean paper. The size is not large, usually around 50 to 100. A cross-window is a type of window that opens above a door or wall, equivalent to a Chinese horizontal window. Rectangular, cannot be opened, pasted with Korean paper. There are mainly the following types of decorations, such as 45-degree cross grid shape, "卍" shape, "亜" shape and "well" shape, etc. Generally used in halls or larger rooms, and of course only in high-grade houses. Koreans have the habit of sitting on the floor. In addition, it is cold in winter, so they usually close the door indoors in winter. So they would open a small window in the door or on the wall facing the yard. If something happens in the yard or if guests come to visit, you can see everything outside without opening the door. It is small in size, made of transparent material, and the height is exactly the height of sitting and looking out, which is the height of the upper body. A window, also called a sandwich window, is a double window for the purpose of heat preservation. Window A is also a decorative window, paying more attention to the original structure of the window and deliberately highlighting the structure. In order to be more decorative, some paintings and calligraphy will be hung on the left and right sides of the window. In traditional Korean wardrobes, a window is also used as the door, maybe because it is more decorative. The structure and style of hanok doors vary depending on the function and location, but the difference is not very big. It can be roughly divided into two categories: solid wood board doors and paper wood lattice doors. Solid wooden doors are basically used outdoors or at the interface with the outdoors. Their main functions are defense, windshielding and partitioning. Paper-paste wooden lattice doors are basically used indoors, and their main functions are partitions, wind protection and sunshade. The doors in Hanoks are basically not painted and remain in their original color.
According to the specific functions and positions, it can be divided into the following subcategories: panel doors, bone panel doors, inner panel doors, barrier paper doors, split and close doors. Panel doors are mainly used outdoors. They are solid wood boards, not painted, and have a heavy appearance. . It is mostly used in yards, kitchens and back doors, and has strong defensive functions. The style is also very simple, without excessive carvings and decorations. It is actually a Chinese panel door. The bone board door is similar to the board door. It is made of solid wood and is not painted. It is mostly used for the main entrance of the hall. The door is relatively tall, reaching to the ceiling. It is basically not closed in the summer and is basically not opened in the winter to prevent wind. The inner panel door is a panel door used indoors, basically as a door between public space and private space. The main material is also wood board, which is lighter and more flexible than the previous two doors. It is more heavily decorated. Korean paper will be pasted on the board, and some calligraphy and paintings will be mounted on the paper. It is a kind of sliding door. Zhizhi door, as the name suggests, is related to paper. The straight-lattice structure is similar to the Chinese floor-to-ceiling partitions. Then the shelf is covered with thick Korean paper, but the shelf structure is still visible. It is basically installed between rooms and is a sliding door. When it is closed, it becomes an independent room, and when it is opened, several rooms become one space. The split door is a combination door composed of multiple door panels. This kind of door is a door with very Korean characteristics. The special thing is that it opens upward. The top of the door is fixed with a shaft, and a rope is tied to the bottom of the door. When opening, just hook the other end of the rope on the top. Clean and tidy, with no door frames or lintels. Mainly used between public spaces, such as halls and halls, halls and courtyards, halls and private schools, etc.
South Korea: Traditional houses have become an unsustainable way of life
Xinhua News Agency sent a special call to Beijing on July 2. Foreign tourists who come to visit hope to see not modern buildings that are almost the same around the world. Rather, I hope to experience the exotic flavor and sentiment in a country’s traditional culture. However, maintaining traditional culture in modern society is not always an easy task, and Korean traditional houses face such a fate.
According to a report by Korea News Agency on July 2, traditional Korean houses have become a lost way of life. Reports say that currently there are very few Koreans living in traditional ways in South Korea, mainly because the living conditions in traditional houses are very inconvenient. For example, the door of each room only leads to the yard, and there are no doors connecting the rooms. Therefore, no matter whether it is cold or rainy, you must first pass through the outdoor yard when going from one room to another. In addition, Korean traditional houses have many roofs. It is made of straw, so it usually needs to be replaced every three years, which is quite troublesome. There is no bathroom in a traditional Korean house. There is usually a simple toilet in the yard or further away. You have to take a cold bath in the yard. ; Heating indoors in cold weather is as troublesome as lighting a fire in the kitchen for cooking.
Because of these inconveniences, most Koreans have now moved into modern villas or apartment buildings, and many traditional houses have been gradually abandoned or completely renovated. It should be said that traditional houses have more tourism value. Because of this, there is a traditional house village in the south of Seoul for foreigners to visit. However, tourists often find that this village seems to be far away from the real traditional Korean residential life, because these houses were actually rebuilt not long ago and look like an empty shell without much popularity. Sometimes there are some performances, but one can tell there is no real country life here. According to a report from the Korean News Agency, this type of village was specially built for tourists, and no one actually lives here. It is not difficult to understand that on the one hand, Koreans no longer want to live in traditional houses with simple conditions, and on the other hand, they do not like to live in houses where many tourists are "peeping" all day long.
Of course, if you want to experience Korean traditional culture and exotic atmosphere, tourists can still get a taste of it from some hotels or restaurants with more characteristics. Here, tourists no longer need to experience the experience of taking a cold bath in the courtyard, but they can feel the unique Korean traditional cultural atmosphere to some extent.
South Korea: Traditional houses have become an unsustainable way of life