This is the Baekje History and Culture Museum in Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea.
This is the Baekje History and Culture Museum in Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea.
The palace was newly built, but it was simple but not shabby, and splendid but not extravagant. 『Samguk Sagi』 Baekje Bongi, King Onjo Year 15
Cheonjeongjeon
This is Cheonjeongjeon, the main hall of Sabigung in the Baekje Cultural Complex. 'Jeongjeon' is the building that occupies the most central position in an ancient palace, and is a space where large royal events, New Year's greetings, and receptions of foreign envoys are held. The name 'Cheonjeongjeon' comes from the Cheonjeongdae site on the banks of the Baekma River, where it is said that heaven gave a prime minister.
The royal castle is where the king, the supreme ruler, his family, and those who take care of their lives live, and it is a symbolic building that shows the power and status of the royal family. The article in the Samguk Sagi (검이블루 화이불치) that states that although it is usually built magnificently and splendidly, it can create resentment if it is too splendid, which contains the royal family's concerns, has become a representative phrase expressing the characteristics of Baekje culture.
The royal capital of Baekje is based on the structure of the royal castle where the king resides and governs the country, and the tombs (graves) are arranged on the outskirts. The royal castle of the Hanseong capital period is understood to be a two-tiered system where the Pungnap-dong earthen castle and Mongchon earthen castle are divided into the main palace and the auxiliary palace, and the distance between the two earthen castles is only about 700m. In addition, the Seokchon-dong tumuli and the Garak-dong Bangi-dong tumuli, known as the tombs of the Baekje royal family and the ruling class, are located within a range of 3m to the south of the two castles, drawing attention.
After the fall of Hanseong, King Dongseong made efforts to stabilize the public sentiment and royal authority, which had become unstable due to the relocation of the capital to Ungjin. They built altars and offered sacrifices to heaven and earth, and paraded a large army to the south of the palace to show off their power. They also appointed local nobles from the Ungjin region to check the existing powers and prepare for the invasion of Goguryeo by establishing solidarity through marriage policies with Silla. In particular, based on the Mujinju Expeditionary Report, it seems that they wanted to solidify their influence over the southern region, including the Yeongsan River basin.
Roof tiles, a symbol of high-class buildings
A type of roof tile, Sumaksae, is a type of bamboo material that is hung at the end of the eaves to decorate the roof, and is mainly found in high-ranking buildings such as palaces and temples. Various patterns were found in Baekje’s Sumaksae until the Hanseong period, and after the Ungjin period, they were produced with a focus on lotus patterns.
Gongsanseong is the royal castle of Baekje during the Ungjin period, where the largest number of building sites have been discovered within the existing Baekje castles. Surrounded by a wall of over 2.4km, the fortress, which blends in with the Geumgang River, is a living witness to the dynamic history of Baekje, Ungjingi-do. Looking at the architectural remains of Gongsanseong, it seems that all the architectural techniques used even today are implied.
The traces of Baekje architects left in Gongsanseong, such as dividing the space for various buildings needed for national administration within a limited area, building a solid earth and embankment for the safety of the buildings, and creating a foundation for a sturdy building frame, allow us to feel the high level of technology of our ancestors once again.
There is a record that describes Baekje's palace as 'gorgeous but not extravagant, simple but not shabby.' This is considered a characteristic of Baekje's architectural culture that emphasized practicality and pursued elegant architecture. Baekje also dispatched professional technicians such as Wabaksa and Nobanbaksa at the request of Japan. Their technical skills played a leading role in the development of architectural techniques in Japan and Silla.
After the king died, the name that praised his merits or was given to him appropriately was called a posthumous name. King Uija, who was defeated by the Silla-Tang allied forces in 660, went to China for a surrender ceremony and met a miserable end there, so he became the last king of Baekje without a posthumous name.
#Domestic travel #February travel support event