Gyeongju Choibuja House and Hamyang Ildu Old House Designated as 'Korean Folk Gardens'

National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and National Arboretum Uncover 24 'Minga Gardens' in Gyeongsang and Jeolla Provinces

Exterior view of Hamyang Ildu Gotaek

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and the National Arboretum announced on the 22nd that they have discovered twenty-four 'Korean Folk House Gardens' in the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces. These include the Gyeongju Choi Buja House, Hamyang Ildu Old House, and Geochang Donggye Jongtaek.

Folk houses refer to private buildings distinguished from public architecture. In a broad sense, they include upper-class residences such as palaces and ancestral homes, middle-class houses, and commoners' houses. Until now, gardens have been largely excluded from folk house studies. Accordingly, the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage conducted joint research with the National Arboretum, identifying twelve sites in the Gyeongsang region in 2019 and twelve sites in the Jeolla region last year. An official explained, "All of them have well-preserved characteristics of beautiful Korean folk house gardens."

Gyeongju Choi Family House Exterior View

The traditional gardens designated this time include the Gyeongju Choi Buja House, Hamyang Ildu Old House, Geochang Donggye Jongtaek, Sangju Ubok Jongtaek, Seongju Yesan-ri Mansan House, Dangye Park Clan Old House, Geochang Galgyeri Im Clan Old House, Mungyeong Jangsu Hwang Clan Ancestral House, Miryang Cheongun-ri Ahn Clan Old House, Goseong Choi Pilgan Old House, Hamyang No Champan Old House, Hamyang Gaepyeong-ri Hadong Jeong Clan Old House, Jangheung Jukheon Old House, Jangheung Mugye Old House, Naju Gyeun Old House, Naju Hong Gichang House, Jangsu Jang Jaeyoung House, Changpyeong Jangjeon Yi Clan Old House, Jangsu Kwon Heemun House, Namwon Mongsimjae Old House, Namwon Juksan Park Clan Ancestral House, Yeonggwang Maegandang Old House, Jeongeup Kim Myungkwan Old House, and Iksan Jo Haeyoung House, totaling twenty-four locations.

The Gyeongju Choi Buja House is the ancestral home of the Gyeongju Choi clan, descended from General Choi Jinrip, a meritorious subject of the Imjin War. In front of the sarangchae (men's quarters) wooden floor, there are stone structures and flower beds estimated to have been created between 1930 and 1940. The Hamyang Ildu Old House is the birthplace of Ildu Jeong Yeo-chang, a representative Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty. In front of the sarangchae wooden floor, there is a Sambong-style stone mountain, alongside approximately 7-meter-tall pine trees, mountain azaleas, boxwoods, and ferns harmoniously arranged.

Sangju Ubok Jongtaek Exterior View

The two institutions plan to hold a special exhibition on these gardens using three-dimensional (3D) scanning and 360-degree virtual reality (VR) technology. An official stated, "We aim to make the records of folk house gardens valuable research materials that fill gaps in the history of Korean gardens, while also distributing planting management guidelines for the care of folk house gardens."

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