| Title |
A Rethink on the Origin of Carvings of Bracket Arms in Korean Jusimpo Type Bracket Units |
| Authors |
Lee Woo-Jong ; Jeon Bong-Hee |
| Keywords |
Jusimpo Type ; Carved Bracket Arms ; Double-S Carving ; Concave Carving ; Water Chestnut Vine Shape |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to find out the origin and meaning of carvings of bracket arms that are the characteristic parts of Korean jusimpo type architecture. For the purpose, I clarify the beginning of carved bracket arms of East Asia, clear up the meaning of double-S curves that were used for carving at bracket arms, and verify the possible period and region of the origin of the double-S carvings of bracket arms. In Korea, there are no extant carved bracket arms before middle Goryeo(高麗) period. However, some bracket units of Northern Qi(北齊) that have concave carvings look similar with the oldest of the extant Goryeo jusimpo type bracket units with double-S carvings. The double-S carvings of Korean jusimpo type bracket arms seem to be developed from the vine shape patterns, such as water plant patterns(藻紋) and arabesque patterns(唐草紋) that was widely used for decorating wooden structures in East Asia. And their shapes were influenced by water chestnut flowerage(菱花飾). Therefore, to emphasize those relationship, I suggest naming them 'Water Chestnut Vine Shape(菱蔓形).' The water chestnut vine carvings on bracket arms were first used at late Silla period and early Goryeo period. Unlike some tentative theories, the origin of water chestnut vine bracket arms cannot be concluded as Fujian, even though we can imagine some relationship among some design factors of the Goryeo jusimpo type architecture and those of Fujian architecture. |