Sunday, January 3, 2010

Soswaewon



My hubby invited me to go out and we went to Soswaewon. I couldn't understand why there are many people go there including foreigners when there's nothing much to see. But then I realized how important the place is after reading and learning something about it.

Damyang Soswaewon (Soswae Garden) in Jeollanamdo Damyang-geun Nam-myeon was built by Yang San-Bo (1503-1557). It is a typical garden of the middle Jeseon Dynasty. This garden harmonizes with nature in characteristic traditional Korean style.

Yang San-Bo gave success in official posts after the death of his teacher, Jo Gwang-jo. Yang made this garden to live secluded in nature. Clean water in the valley flow below the wall and fall through the small cataract into the lake. On the side of the valley stand Jewol Pavilion (a house for the host) and Gwangpung Pavilion (a house for guests). A map of Soswae Garden remains. It was carved on wood in the 31st year of King Yeongjo (1755), and shows the original design of the garden. This place can be said to be the cultivating house of scholar spirit in that many Confucian scholars discussed academic subjects and wrote their works here. The present Soswae Garden was renovated by Yang Taek-ji, Yang San-bo's descendent in the fifth generation.





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