Chungcheongnam-do

People live in various buildings. The housing styles started from the living in the cave and developed into the mud hut, the straw-thatched roof house, etc.
As the size of buildings get bigger so the functions of buildings are diversified from original basic function as a house into multi-functions.
The Korean Ancient Architecture Museum in Yesan city is a rare museum where people can observe the Korean traditional styles of architecture. Moreover, people also can see the pretty knolls and the flat plain in Yesan city.

The Traits of the Korean Traditional Architecture
Although Korean traditional architecture shows many differences from those of other countries, it is very difficult to explain those differences exactly to ordinary people because of hard technical terms to understand and lots of comparison to the detail.
Considering these difficulties, Mr. Hongsu Jeon, the superintendent of the Korean Ancient Architecture Museum, gathered diverse architecture models showing the peculiarities of Korean traditional architecture and opened the museum in October, 1998. Those displayed models are the miniatures of the real architecture made exactly to a piece of wood needed.

How to Enjoy the Exhibit
The Korean Ancient Architecture Museum is located in a remote area and gives an excellent environment for visitors to watch the exhibits.
It might be helpful to pay focus on the explanation given to the visitors to know about the exhibit and accumulate knowledge itself.
But, it is more important to feel the mystery and the science of the Korean Architecture by heart through the 1st Exhibit, the 2nd Exhibit and the Outdoor Exhibit. It's mainly because it is impossible to know and memorize all in the light of reason by visiting the museum only several times.

The 1st Exhibit - This is a magnificent building located in front of the entrance. Visitors can watch various miniatures of the Sungryemun Gate(the south gate of Seoul) designated as the National Treasures #1, the Daeungjeon Hall in the Sudeoksa Temple, the Junghwajeon Hall in the Deoksugung Palace, and the Mireukjeon Hall in the Gumsansa Temple.

The 2nd Exhibit - This is an exhibit for miniatures of temple-related architecture. There are miniatures of the Wontongbojeon Hall of the Beopjusa Temple, the Daeungjeon Hall of the Gaesimsa Temple and the Namsunsa Temple of China. Therefore visitors can compare the different ancient architecture styles between Korea and China.

Outdoor Exhibit - Here are a Palgakjeong and a Gaeksamun. That Palgakjeong is located in the highest area and commands a fine view of both inside and outside the museum.
That Palgakjeong was reproduced according to the Korean Traditional Octagonal Pavilion Style. That Gaeksamun is a replicate of a gate to an official inn for public servants of the Korea and the Chosen Dynasty.

Important Exhibits not to be Missed
The Sungryemun Gate
- A 1/10 miniature of the original
This Sungryemun, the national treasures #1, is the south gate of seoul and usually called as Namdaemun(its meaning is South Big Gate). This was built in 1394 and partly lost by some accidents. Sungryemun is the biggest among all the Korean castle gates and the oldest among remaining wooden buildings in Seoul. And the model having the same structure and design as those of original gives important clues for reconstruction of real Sungryemun recently burned by a drunken man.

The Mireukjeon Hall in Geumsansa Temple
- A 1/5 minia- ture of the original
The Mireukjeon Hall in Geumsansa Temple is the only extant 3 story wooden building that was built in 1635. A Mireukbuddah, a sort of Buddhist image, is enshrined at that hall of which beams were made not of a single log but of several connected logs.

The Palsangjeon Hall in Beopjusa Temple
- A 1/5 miniature of the original
The Palsanjeon is the only 5 story wooden building that was repaired in 1968. It has a roof of peculiar shape like a college square cap and a buddhist image was placed in the worship hall within the building.