Title Revisiting the Spatial Transformations of Dongmun(East Gate) at Namhansanseong through the Lens of ‘Disconnection’ and ‘Reconnection’
Authors 김선미(Kim, Sun-Mi) ; 김영재(Kim, Young-Jae)
DOI https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2025.41.10.179
Page pp.179-189
ISSN 2733-6247
Keywords Namhansanseong; Dongmun; Disconnection; Reconnection; Road
Abstract This study investigates the historical context and spatial transformation of Dongmun or East Gate, one of the key value elements of Namhansanseong Fortress, and analyzes the resulting phenomena of spatial ‘disconnection’ and ‘reconnection.’ During the colonial period, Dongmun underwent major alterations, most notably the construction of a road that replaced the original gate structure. This intervention disrupted the gate’s original role as a medium of passage, which had previously enabled direct and egalitarian interaction between the structure and its users. As layers of disconnection accumulated, the gate lost its functional meaning and was reduced to a static object passively observed rather than actively engaged. Also, the destroyed wall, which lost its connectivity, stops path ahead of the experienced and interrupts consciousness. A hermeneutic reinterpretation of the site highlights the potential for reconnection, restoring lost meanings and reestablishing Dongmun as part of a coherent cultural landscape that reflects the integrated significance of Namhansanseong Fortress.