Dancheong

Dancheong
Dancheong on the Junghwajeon building of Deoksugung Palace, Seoul.
Korean name
Hangul	단청
Hanja	丹靑
Revised Romanization	dancheong
McCune–Reischauer	tanch'ŏng

Dancheong refers to Korean traditional decorative coloring on wooden buildings and artifacts for the purpose of style. It literally means "cinnabar and blue-green" in Korean.^[1] It is based on five basic colors; blue (east), white (west), red (south), black (north), and yellow (center).^[2][3] Dancheong has various symbolic meanings. Dancheong also represented social status and rank by using various patterns and colors.^{[citation needed]} It functions not only as decoration, but also for practical purposes such as to protect building surfaces against temperature and to make the crudeness of materials less conspicuous. Applying dancheong on the surfaces of buildings require trained skills, and artisans called dancheongjang (단청장) designed the painted patterns.^[3][4][5]

History

The origin of dancheong can be traced from cave paintings and wall paintings which appeared more than 20,000 years ago in the history of mankind, although they may be served for different purposes and functions from the stylized dancheong.^[5]

In the 12th century document titled Gaoli tujing (高麗圖經) which literally means "Illustrated Account of Goryeo" (918-1392), the Chinese author Xu Jing described the majestic appearance of Goryeo's royal palaces as well as the luxurious dancheong on the places at that time. He said that Goryeo people liked building royal palaces and the structure of king's residence was built with round pillars and a square headpiece. The colorfully adorned edge of the roof in connection looked like it flied to the sky. The book illustrates the resplendent dancheong in detail that the handrail was painted in red and decorated with vine-flowers. Not only were the coloring and patterns very vivid, but also beautiful, so that the palace stand out among other royal palaces.^[4] There are several examples to exhibit the dancheong produced in the Goryeo period such as Josadang (조사당) of Buseoksa Temple in Yeongju, Geukrakjeon (극락전) at Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong, and Daeungjeon (대웅전) of Sudeoksa Temple in Yesan.^[5]

Gallery

• 

  Dancheong on a building at Gyeongbokgung Palace

• 

  The interior of Injeongjeon, Changdeokgung

• 

  Cheongpeongsa Temple in Chuncheon

• 

  Lotus pattern

See also

• Architecture of Korea
• Hanok
• Korean Buddhist temples
• Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Korea

Footnotes

1. ^ "단청(丹靑), dancheong". The Academy of Korean Studies. 2007-05-22. http://www.aks.ac.kr/glossary/glossary_detail.asp?g_code=7985&page=4&c_code=&search_field=&keyword=&order=g_korean&kanada=2. 
2. ^ "History of Science and Technology in Korea". National Science Museum, South Korea. http://www.science.go.kr/center/new_eng/sub_32.html. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Chung Ah-young (2007-05-22). "Dancheong: Spiritual Colors of Korea". The Korea Times. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/09/148_3320.html. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Dancheong". Korean Cultural Service, New York. http://www.koreanculture.org/06about_korea/symbols/14dancheong.htm. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} "단청 (丹靑)" (in Korean). Empas / EncyKorea. http://100.empas.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=292080&v=43. 

References

• Gareth Barker (2005-08-28). Traditions of Korea / Dancheong. Sky News. http://www.skynews.co.kr/article_view.asp?ltype=&mcd=137&ccd=6&scd=2&ano=140. 
• Keith Pratt; Richard Rutt, James Hoare (1999). Korea: A Historical and Cultural Dictionary. Routledge. pp. 459–460 p.. ISBN 0700704639. http://books.google.com/?id=vj8ShHzUxrYC&pg=PA459&dq=tanch%27ong. 
• "Korean Buddhist Art: Painting: "Tanch'ong"". Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/buddhist-art/korean05.htm. 
• "Dancheong, A Traditional Korean Art" (in English / Korean). Arirang TV. 2007-09-29. http://www.arirang.co.kr/Tv2/ALegacy_Archive.asp?PROG_CODE=TVCR0301&view_cont_seq=13&code=St1&sys_lang=Eng. 
• "Dancheong: wonderland of colors under eaves". Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. 2006-07-22. http://www.koreanbuddhism.net/jokb/news/view.asp?article_seq=582&page=1&search_key=&search_value=. 
• "Important Intangible Cultural Properties 48". Cultural Properties Administration of South Korea. http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3AZZ%2CA8%3A01&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00003018&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=71&v_disp_type=4. 
• "Korean Fine Arts" (in English / Korean). National Institute For International Education of South Korea. http://www.arirang.co.kr/Tv2/ALegacy_Archive.asp?PROG_CODE=TVCR0301&view_cont_seq=13&code=St1&sys_lang=Eng. 
• "Dancheong" (in English / Korean). Jung-gu, Seoul. http://tour.junggu.seoul.kr/english/culture/kormi_05.php. 
• Kim In-cheol (2008-05-22). "‘Dancheong Red’ to Symbolize Seoul". Korea Foundation / Yonhap News. http://www.koreafocus.or.kr/design2/layout/content_print.asp?group_id=102040. 
• ""Dancheong" the Color of Seoul". Seoul Metropolitan Government. 2008-05-22. http://english.seoul.go.kr/today/news/city/1258021_3326.html. 
• Yoon Sojung (2007-07-17). "Foundation helps European teachers discover Korea". The Korean Culture and Information Service (KOIS). http://www.dynamickorea.go.kr/News/News/newsView.asp?serial_no=20070716022&part=112&SearchDay=&page=9. 
• "단청 (丹靑)" (in Korean). Empas / Britannica. http://100.empas.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=B&i=123027&v=43. 
• "단청안료" (in Korean). Daum / Korea Culture & Content Agency (KOCCA). http://culturedic.daum.net/dictionary_content.asp?Dictionary_Id=10022941&mode=title&query=%D2%DF%D6%E0. 

External links

• (Korean) General information about dancheong