A Study of Two Portraits

First learnt about this portrait from the TV drama series, Painter of the Wind, starring Moon Geum-yong and Park Shin-yang. In the fictionalised account of Joseon dynasty painters, Shin Yun-bok is an apprentice to  Kim Hong-do who teaches the former a thing or two about portrait painting in one of my favourite scenes.
It's fascinating to study the contrasts between the original and the modern versions. English teachers may want to set this as an exercise on describing differences. ( Partially jesting.)

Caption from the JoongAng Daily:

"This self-portrait of the Joseon painter and scholar Yun Du-seo (1668-1715), left, known as one of the masterpieces of Korean art, is now being exhibited at the Yun Seon-do Museum, which opened in Haenam, South Jeolla, last Friday. Du-seo was the great grandson of Seon-do, one of the most important writers of the Joseon period. Coincidentally, contemporary artist Kang Hyung-koo, known for his fresh interpretations of portraits of historic figures based on existing paintings or photos, is showing his version of the Yun Du-seo self-portrait, right, as part of his solo exhibition, which runs to Dec. 12 at the Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art in Gyeonggi."


To watch the drama series on-line, click here.
To listen to the music from the OST, click here.
sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2927422

A Chat with CheongGyeCheon

Q: First of all, congratulations on your upcoming 5th anniversary though it’s not exactly your birthdate. Is it easier to say where exactly you came from?

A: I was born somewhere on the southern ridge of Inwangsan and Bugaksan ( or if you prefer, the northern ridge of Namsan.) My behaviour in my early days was erratic – I was placid to the point of being inactive during the spring and autumn seasons but during the rainy summer days, I was a wild child. My floods even destroyed houses and bridges.

Q: You were first known by another name – simply Gacheon meaning “The Stream”. When was that?

A: That was during the Joseon Dynasty. That was my heyday – fourteen tributaries connected with me and eighty-six bridges were built across me. I was really in the centre of things then as the dividing line between the rich and poor. The wealthy aristocrats lived on my northern side while the ordinary folk were found on my southern banks. People gathered on the bridges that straddled me on the first full moon of the year to fly kites and take part in “daribapgi” ( stepping on the bridge)

Q: I thought your main significance then was to collect the sewage and channel it towards the Hangang?

A: Why are you dredging up the more sordid aspects of my past? Truth be told, I hadn’t much choice in the matter. But dredging, literally, became a vital part of my life. That and fortification of my banks to stop me from overflowing at times.

Q: I understand you were given your present name during the Japanese colonial period?

A: Yes, that was a humiliating time. Oh the shameful irony of being named “Cheonggyecheon” meaning “Clean or Clear Stream” while I was suffering under their rule. By this time, I was reduced to a drain, a squalid stream amongst squatters’ squalor. Did you know the Japs wanted to fill me completely and kill me off? Luckily they didn’t have enough yen to do it.

Q: But I suppose the Korean War was a more trying time?

A: It was but it was the post-war period that finished me off with the overpopulation and pollution. I died in 1958 but it wasn’t a natural death, mind you. Death by choking from household trash and human waste, sand and earth from the mountains and then by concrete.

Q: You were entombed in a road overpass in the 1970s…

A: They didn’t call it a tomb. Instead they called it a symbol of the modernization of the country!

Q: But you were like the phoenix reborn when the mayor of Seoul proposed a restoration project in 2003.

A: Ah yes – Lee Myung –bak…people are calling him names like “The Bulldozer” over the Four Rivers Project but I can’t say anything negative about the man who helped to give me a new lease on life, can I?

Q: There were many who opposed him; they said it’d cost too much to bring you back to life…

A: How can you put a price tag on me?

Q: I heard that you even needed a daily injection of 120,000 tons of water from the Hangang because past construction had left you almost fully dry…

A:That’s not true. As I mentioned before, even in my youth, I was erratic- dry during some seasons and then prone to floods in summer. Hey, that water from the Hangang’s my lifeblood if you want to me to be a focal point of the city throughout the year. It ain’t Botox. Besides, now that I’m looking fresh and young again, I’m attracting so many visitors, local and tourists that the businesses will thrive.

Q: You’re also attracting more fishes, birds and insects.

A: See, I’m going to be instrumental in making this city a much better place to live and work in. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours…

Q: Isn’t that stretching things a bit? After all, you’re just a 5.8 –km stream, a tributary that leads to the Hangang.

A: Size isn’t everything…You ask the Seoulites what I mean to them. Even my detractors have shut up since they’ve seen what I’ve achieved for the people of this city.

Q: Ok –so how would you prefer to be remembered? As a picnic spot for office workers on their lunch break? A rendezvous for couples? A photographer’s haven? A tourist attraction? A hub for cultural activities? An overpriced symbol of urban renewal? A cliché-spouting creek?

A: What cheek. Haven’t your parents taught you to respect your elders? I think this interview is over, don't you?

See previous posting on Cheonggyecheon.

Sources:
http://english.sisul.or.kr/grobal/cheonggye/eng/WebContent/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Seoul-Cheonggyecheon-2008-01.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seoul-Cheonggyecheon-01.jpg
http://lacreekfreak.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/daylighting-in-the-heart-of-seoul-the-cheong-gye-cheon-project/
http://www.koreaherald.com/lifestyle/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20090710000074
http://travel01.seoulselection.com/index.php/articles/exploring-seoul/192-cheonggyecheon-four-years-on
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2010/07/291_68399.html
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/remove-highways-to-fix-traffic.php
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_zoom_detail.htm?No=1034
http://e-seoul.org/?tag=seoul-pristine-stream-cheonggyecheon-history
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=846778&page=5

Moonlight Tour and Medical Check-Up At Changdeokgung

September and October are great months to visit Changdeokgung in Seoul - generally, the palace is at its best at this season with the autumn foliage but now there are TWO other reasons to make a date with this UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site:

1. Free Medical Check-up

Tourists can enjoy free check-ups by doctors affiliated with the “Association of Korean Oriental Medicine” at Nae-ui-won  in the palace every Thursday from Sep. 2 to Oct. 28 (13:30 - 17:00; except for the Thursday of the Chuseok holiday, September 23rd).

An extract from the KNTO website explains the significance of Naeuiwon (내의원). It "was one of the three hospitals of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), and was the place where medical practitioners mixed medicine and provided medical services for the king and the rest of the royal family. It is said that the renowned court physician Heo Jun worked in Naeuiwon for 44 years."

Experience first-hand: 

• 
  
   how doctors trained in Oriental medicine form a  diagnosis by checking your pulse (“jinmaek”).
• 
  
   ( depending on the diagnosis) acupuncture (“chim”) or  moxibustion (“tteum”). Both forms of treatment  focus on acupuncture points to improve circulation.
• 
  
  how to grind traditional herbs etc. for the prescription
• 
  
  how the traditional medicine is wrapped and take home the yakcheop as a momento
• 
  
  copying medical diagrams out of the Donguibogam (동의보감, Korean medical book).
• 
  
  a cup of traditional ssanghwacha tea as a calming conclusion to your visit.

2. Moonlight Tour of Changdeokgung

The KTO and Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea are co-hosting special evening tours of Changdeokgung between 20:00 and 22: 00 on the following dates: September 23, 24, October 20, 21, 23, 24 and November 19, 20, 21.

For 30,000 won, your tour starts at Donhwamun,, the front gate of the palace,  where you're given a portable guide device. Practise your night photography  skills in front of Injeongjeon ( where ministers and dignitaries used to have audience with the Joseon kings) .

Let your imagination run wild as you half expect a royal ghost to step out from behind one of these pillars in the dark to say "Annyeong".

 It would be interesting how the palace would be lit up at night.

You'll be invited by your portable guide to rest a while at Buyongji like the Joseon kings used to do. You may not have the privilege of admiring the view of the pavilion here but you can study how the round islet and square-shaped pond here harmonise to reflect the principles of yin and yang.

Next, make your way to Youngyeongdang where foreign ambassadors used to be received and entertained. A traditional music ensemble awaits you there to treat you to music in the moonlight. The geomungo may create a special vibe amid the shadows and form a deep impression as you take the forest path back to the entrance.

So go ahead, make me green with envy and send me your photos of Changdeokgung in the moonlight. Please note though: places are limited for each night so go early.

More on Changdeokgung in a future posting.

Sources:

 http://www.koreaherald.com/lifestyle/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100825000574

http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?nCategoryID=&searchType=&keyword=&gotoPage=1&cid=1030680&cCode=&nCategoryID=&searchType=&searchKeyword=
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=312966
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=312966
http://eng.cdg.go.kr/main/main.htm
http://www.sal2009.com/index.php?key=geomungo

How To Look At A King - Jeonju, Part 4

Used to think that portraits weren’t as interesting as landscape paintings or sketches of folk scenes. But after watching the SBS drama, Painter of the Wind, I’m now more inclined to give this genre more than a cursory glance.  Pity that I hadn't seen the drama series before I visited Gyeonggijeon in Jeonju. I would've spent a more enriching time there if I had known the following earlier:

Royal portraits ( eojin or ojin) were particularly important during the Joseon Dynasty as it had embraced the Confucianist tradition of ancestral worship. The Joseon kings had their visages depicted in portraits as a way of representing their “aspirations for the perpetuation of their dynasty”. When ordinary citizens bowed before the portrait of the king, it was as good as pledging allegiance to him. That's why Yi Song-gye, a.k.a. King Taejo, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, sought to validate his rise to power by a coup d’etat by commissioning no less than fourteen official portraits.

 Here's what I've gathered so far about the do's and don'ts of admiring portraits of the royalty in Korea.
 

1. DON'T march up to the shrine and hop over the low hurdle as if you're about to say Howdy to King Taejo. Instead, approach the shrine INDIRECTLY as a sign of respect. I guess eyeballing the royal portrait head-on  is a no-no as it can be interpreted as a sign of impertinence. That's why that low barricade is there in front of the entrance - to signal to visitors that they need to approach the portrait in an oblique fashion by using the side entrances.

2. Observe first the backdrop of the portrait. According to an article in the Spring 2006 edition of Koreana,  the "panels depicting the sun, moon and five peaks..( are) in accordance with the traditional practice.... In this way, the portrait of Taejo is being respected as if he were still the ruling sovereign". Strange thing is - I can't see any moon or mountains? We could be talking about different copies of portraits - the artists tended to make changes according to trends or personal preferences whenever they made reproductions so copies were never fully alike.

Also, the contrast between the simple lines of the figure and the details in the clothes, throne and carpet are intended to underscore the "authority and dignity of the king".

 

3. Note the position of the subject in the portrait. In most Joseon Dynasty portraits, the subject is seated at an angle but one has a straight-forward view of King Taejo. Some experts believe the perspective was meant to set him apart from the rest as the founder of the Joseon Dynasty.

4. Next, pay attention to the black headpiece perched on the head of the monarch. The ikseongwan has flaps sticking out from the back which symbolize a cicada's wings. Its "piercing sound is said to be expressive of sovereign dignity and its metamorphosis a symbol of rebirth".

5. Consider now the emperor's clothes...oops.. I mean, the king's clothes. He's decked out in blue ( "a carry-over influence of the Goryeo-style protraits") unlike late Joseon kings who preferred red.

6. Finally, take a close look at the face of King Taejo. Look out particularly for the mole above his right eyebrow. Portrait painters were careful to present unidealised faces of their sitters as the complexion reflected the personality of the subject. Verisimilitude of visage was so important to the Joseon kings that King Yongjo proclaimed that if a single strand of hair in the painting was different from the original, he would not consider that portrait to represent his ancestor.

So the scars, moles, pockmarks and other distinctive facial features had to be depicted as accurately as possible by the Joseon painters. Indeed, so faithful were they that Dr Lee Sung-nak was able to present a research paper, " An Analysis Of Skin Ailments Shown In The Portraits of the Chosun Dynasty"!

 Note: All quotes here are from Koreana, Spring 2006 edition.

Source:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/12/148_7813.html
http://www.clickkorea.org/arts/curator/file/2-2_Portraits%20of%20the%20Choson%20Dynasty.pdf
http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/1992/1992_AUTUMN_E034.pdf

Gyeonggijeon - Jeonju, Part 3

Our tour guide in September, 2003 was most anxious that we didn't miss this site during our stop-over in Jeonju.  At that time I wasn't in the right frame of mind to appreciate why he was willing to pass up on Pungnammun. Instead he was determined  that we spent a good part of an hour listening attentively to the local guide explain, not very coherently or clearly, the significance of this place. After all, most tourists come to the country without the benefit of Korean History 101 so a crash course in the various dynasties is likely to give the average person mental indigestion. Which comes before which -  Baekje or Joseon or Shilla?

Gyeonggijeon Shrine -a stone's throw away from Jeondong Cathedral

So very often, visits to sites of historical importance end up being clashes between the desire and pride of the patriotic and earnest Koreans who want to share their past and the befuddled foreigners  in packaged tours who can barely recall which city they were in the day before. Ironically TV dramas may help boost interest especially if one can relate the 3D reality of a building or temple to an exciting dramatic moment featuring some dashing general or unenlightened monarch with some ambitious concubine or vengeful lady-in-waiting.

To be honest, what mildly impressed me about Gyeonggijeon when we went there was its general atmosphere of peace and quiet. We had just emerged from  the noise of traffic and crowds in the city centre to find ourselves in this unexpected haven of tranquillity.

Though the shrine was enclosed within low walls, there was still a sense of space with long paths leading up to the main buildings.

The fact that the place was built to hold important artefacts like the portrait of the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, the mortuary tablets for a royal couple, palanquins ( see pic below) and a stupa housing some royal's placenta ( or is it umbilical cord?  See pic above) barely registered.

It was only after watching the TV drama, Painter of the Wind  a few years after that tour, that I had a better appreciation and stronger interest in royal portraits. Sometimes one can be in the right place at the wrong time. We were also probably too late to see the local seniors have their daily meetings here to play Korean chess or simply chit-chat. So we had to make do with the silent company of these figures mounted on the walls.

sources:

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264419

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/koreasouth/jeonju/gyeonggijeon_gallery.php?p=gyeonggijeon01.jpg

http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A35&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00002437&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=131&v_disp_type=4
http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english/search_plaza_new/EMapResultView.jsp?VdkVgwKey=13,03390000,35&queryText=(v_esidocode=35%3Cand%3E%20v_elcto=11)&strGuCode=11&strSidoCode=35&requery=
http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/2006/2006_SPRING_E048.pdf
http://www.worknplay.co.kr/entertain/travel_view.php?num=497

Hahoe Maeul, Andong – Part 3

One can understand why Queen Elizabeth and millions of others have visited this place. 24 km west of Andong, Hahoe Village is nestled within the snug embrace of the Nakdong-gang (river), hence its name which means “Stream Winds”. Surrounded by the river on three sides, it’s the ideal place for agricultural activity unless the water levels rise suddenly. Wonder if the good people of Hahoe ever have the problem of flooding in summer.

In fact, the river and mountains that encircle the village have protected it from possible invasions. Hahoe is also special as a living traditional village; unlike the Korean Folk Village near Seoul which is a mere reproduction, Hahoe Maeul is the real deal. It’s more than 600 years old, has about 130 traditional houses here and many buildings are kept as they were during the Joseon Dynasty. The architecture of these houses belonging to aristocrats or farmers is all the more interesting because it’s a living open-air museum with 176 families still living and working there.

There are many minbaks offering homestay here so it’s a great place to stay a few days to soak in the rustic scenes and slow pace of life. Then you would have ample time to look over the low stone walls into the neighbouring houses which are still occupied – perhaps by some descendant of the Ryu clan that presides over this small community.

Links & credits:
http://www.tourandong.com/english/coding/sub1/sub1.asp