Designation of the Historic Residence of Myung-ui Park Han-jin as a National Folk Cultural Property

Warehouse and stable consolidated in one main building without separate structures
Under the roof ridge, 'Kkachigumeong' holes present "Rare example showing changes in folk house architecture"

Bonghwa Ogodang Old House

Ogodang Old House in Bongseong-myeon, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk, has been registered as a National Folk Cultural Property.

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 9th that 'Bonghwa Ogodang Old House' has been designated as National Folk Cultural Property No. 298. It was the residence of Park Hanjin (朴翰鎭, 1815?1893), a renowned doctor of the late Joseon Dynasty. It is said to have been built in 1820. The house name 'Ogodang (五高堂)' was given by his descendants after Park Hanjin's pen name.

According to his collected works, Park Hanjin treated the illness of Queen Sinjeong (神貞王后), the birth mother of King Heonjong, in the 12th year of King Gojong's reign (1875). King Gojong highly praised his medical skills and bestowed upon him the title Manri (萬里) along with an official position. When Park Hanjin expressed his intention to decline, King Gojong granted him the honorary title 'Ogo (五高)' meaning he possessed both righteousness and virtue. Afterwards, although Queen Sinjeong offered him official posts, Park Hanjin devoted himself to treating poor villagers in his hometown.

Bonghwa Ogodang Old House

The floor plan of 'Bonghwa Ogodang Old House' is designed with an inward-opening layout (Oepenaegae, 外閉內開) suitable for the terrain and natural environment bordering the mountainous region of Gangwon Province. Instead of having separate storage or stables, everything is consolidated into a single main building. Houses with such an inward-concentrated layout often face issues with ventilation and lighting. To minimize these problems, 'Bonghwa Ogodang Old House' has holes made under the roof ridge. This is known as a 'Magpie Hole House.' The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "Typically, Magpie Hole Houses have thatched roofs, but 'Bonghwa Ogodang Old House' has a tiled roof," adding, "It is a rare example that shows the evolution of folk house architecture."

The old house consists of three buildings: the main building, the detached building, and the gatehouse. The main building, which is a double-house type, is centered with the gatehouse on the right and the detached building on the left. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "The outward-closed, inward-open floor plan used in mountain village folk architecture realizes the Confucian social order of gender segregation typical of noble families," but also noted, "The detached building and gatehouse were excluded from this designation due to the inability to confirm their architectural history and severe damage."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.