The Secret Spirit of Korean Architecture, by Kim Bongryol

The Secret Spirit of Korean Architecture, by Kim Bongryol, is the first English-language distillation of Kim Bongryol’s ideas on Korean architecture, as a whole and in its various manifestations, and architecture’s role in the history of Korea.

From the time of its original Korean publication the book has been widely seen as a response to the growing international interest in Korean architecture, its tangible historical and contemporary forms, and a multidisciplinary contribution to the discourse that has resulted in new writing and audiovisual output exploring principal features and themes, materials, techniques and methodologies particular to the genre. This revised and updated English version of Kim Bongryol’s original three-volume book was published in two editions, hard cover [9781872843827] and soft cover [9781872843834], as part of Saffron Korea Library Series [ISSN 1748-0477].

The Secret Spirit of Korean Architecture is a response to the growing international interest in Korean architecture, its tangible historical and contemporary forms, and a multidisciplinary contribution to the discourse that has resulted in new writing and audiovisual materials exploring principal features and themes, materials, techniques and methodologies particular to the genre. Korean architecture can rightly be seen as one of the best kept secrets of East Asian cultures and civilisations. While aspects of Korean art have become increasingly popular worldwide, Korean architecture remains unknown outside the circle of specialists and visitors to the country.

As in his acclaimed writings published in Korean, this edited compilation, translated by Kim Yongsuk and edited by Sajid Rizvi, Kim Bongryol holds forth on a range of subjects that are beyond the scope of architecture but may be familiar to students of East Asian art and material cultures, art history and history in general. At the same time he invites the reader to contemplate ideas that are particular to Korea and Korean architecture. While dealing with histories of the architectural landmarks chosen for discussion, the author surprises the reader with some of the most intimate minutiae of information about people and communities involved in the planning and development of these buildings. He is not content with extolling the attributes of architectural treasures under his scrutiny and proceeds further to examine and bring into a sharper relief the human dimension behind the existence of these treasures, engaging the reader with eloquent yet piquant passages on that essential aspect of the processes at work in world architecture.

Kim Bongryol does not wish his audience to remain in thrall of the remarkable achievements in Korean architecture; instead he wants the reader to appreciate Korean architecture in the dual contexts of Korean history and contemporary society. Kim Bongryol is no stranger to the international community of architects and to the world of art and design at large. He has featured in major art and architecture events in the West and has been a pre-eminent participant in biennials such as the Venice Biennale.

About the Author

Kim Bongryol was born in 1958, majored in architecture and attended graduate school at the Seoul National University. He is professor of architecture at the Korea National University of Arts and has contributed numerous articles in the field of history and criticism of architecture. His three volumes in Korean, Korean Architecture – Traditional Architecture (1985), Beobjusa Temple (1993), and The Architecture of Monastic Vows (1998) have an international following amongst the community of architects in South Korea, the East Asian region at large as well as the Korean architectural communities in North America and Europe.

About The Translator

Lee Yongsuk studied architecture at the Seoul National University and has practised in the fields of architectural design and urban development. Currently he is majoring in Public Policy at the Graduate School of Public Administration, Seoul National University. Other than this book Lee Yongsuk has translated Interface (2003), articles for various architecture and culture magazines as well as several films.

Table of Contents

Foreword    11
Preface        13
Korean Architecture — A Glossary    15
State Architecture 16
1  Jongmyo, the Silent Monument    16
2  Suwon Castle, a Triumph of the Practical Mind    30
Buddhist Architecture 51
3  A Story of International Heritage —Bulguksa and Seokbulsa    51
4  A Design Process in Korean Architecture — Buseoksa     67
5  Imagination in the Ruins—Mireukdaewon     84
6  The Last and the Best — Seonamsa    100
Confucian Architecture 116
7  Byeongsanseowon    116
8  Labyrinths for the Recluse —Dokrakdang and Oksanseowon    138
Korean Gardens 158
9  From Dandyism to Pragmatism — Buyongdong Garden and the Nokudang Residence    158
10  Garden of Sound, Shade and Poetry — Soswaewon    174
General Bibliography    191
Appendix: Korean Romanisation    195
Index of Illustrations    197
General Index    201

London: Saffron Books, 2005, First Editions

Hard Cover ISBN-13 / ISBN-10  9781872843827 / 1872843824 | Hard cover, laminated cover, no jacket, endpapers, 305mm(h) x 218mm(w) x 18mm (spine) | Shipping Weight 1216 grams

Soft Cover ISBN-13 / ISBN-10     9781872843834 / 1872843832 | Soft cover, laminated cover, 287mm(h) x 210mm(w) x 12mm (spine)| Shipping Weight 1050 grams

Saffron Korea Library Series | ISSN 1748-0477, Sajid Rizvi, commissioning editor