DANCHEONG

Dancheong: The Art of Symbolic Ornamentation

    Dancheong is the traditional practice of Korean architectural ornamentation in which wood is painted and decorated with vibrant colors and symbolic motifs. More than decoration, this practice expresses cultural values rooted in both Buddhism and Confucianism in its preservation of traditional and historic Korean architecture. 

Geunjeongjeon at Gyeongbokgung, photo by author

Color Systems in Dancheong

    The term dancheong literally translates to "red-green," referencing the dominant hues often used in structures: reddish-brown on lower elements and blue-green on upper ones, evoking the colors of a tree trunk and its canopy. This natural palette reflects Buddhist ideals of harmony with nature.  

Example of red-green color scheme at Gyeongbokgung, photo by author

    However, dancheong employs a much broader system of color rooted in obaengsaek, or the five cardinal colors. This system is derived from the Five Elements Theory (ohaeng) and the balance of yin and yang, both of which became foundational to Confucian thought and practice. Each color carries spatial, elemental, and symbolic meaning:

• White: metal, west

• Black: water, north

• Blue: wood, east

• Red: fire, south

• Yellow: earth, center

    From these primary pigments, secondary tones known as ogansaek were developed: green, light blue, bright red (pink), sulphur yellow (tan), and violet. Both obansaek and ogansaek are prominently featured in decorative details of brackets, beams, and carvings.

Obangsaek and Ogaesaek, diagram from Hanyang News

Motifs: Geometry and Nature

The painted patterns of dancheong feature meaningful motifs of both geometric designs and natural imagery.

• Geometry: Simple shapes such as circles, triangles, rectangles, and lines symbolize cosmological concepts. The taeguk (yin-yang symbol) is commonly represented in these motifs. These shapes could also be combined into repeated geometric patterns to form continuous designs known as geummun, or silk patterns, signifying harmony and infinity.

• Nature: Flowers, plants, animals, and landscapes are common representations of deeper symbolic meanings. Each image draws from Buddhist or Confucian traditions; for example, lotus flowers representing purity and enlightenment or clouds as a symbol of longevity. 

Geometric and floral motifs, photo from Imagetoday

Typologies and Hierarchy

    Dancheong also functioned as a visual language of order and rank, integrating Confucian ideals of hierarchy into the built environment. The complexity and richness of the painted decoration reflected the status and significance of a building. The level of intricacy was organized into four primary ranks:

• Gachil: base-coat coloring

• Geutgi: line-stroking decoration

• Moro: side-edge decoration

• Geum: continuous-pattern decoration

Ranks of dancheong, photo from Korean Heritage

These types were used to create an organization of architectural hierarchy. As the application of dancheong was costly and labor-intensive, it was reserved only for the nation's most important structures. The allowable levels of dancheong were further varied by building type:

• Confucian academies were limited only gachil or geutgi dancheong.

• Royal palaces could incorporate up to moro dancheong.

• Buddhist temples were permitted all four types of dancheong, including geum.

Case Study: Royal Palaces

    Focusing specifically on the application of dancheong in royal palaces reveals important insight into Korea’s dynastic history.

    Each palace employed dancheong differently to convey its status and function. Variations in complexity, color, and symbolism distinguish one royal compound from another. For example, Gyeongbokgung, as the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty, features the most elaborate and colorful dancheong among the five grand palaces. 

    Within palace compounds, individual buildings were further differentiated by dancheong to convey their specific roles and level of authority. For example, only the throne hall was typically permitted to display the most intricate moro dancheong, while less significant buildings were restricted to simpler gachil or geutgi dancheong. 

Buildings of higher versus lower status at Gyeongbokgung, photos by author

    Color placements also reinforced this visual hierarchy. The simpler red-green scheme typically indicated lower-status buildings, while more rich and varied color palettes highlighted higher-status buildings. Location of pigments were important in architectural organization as well. For example, palace gates were painted to correspond with the cardinal directions and their associated colors: black for north, blue for east, red for south, and white for west. 

    Motifs and their meanings further conveyed ideas about hierarchy within the palace. Specific symbols were chosen for particular structures to convey a building's function and authority. For example, the throne hall always features a scene of the sun, moon, and five peaks, which symbolizes the king as the center of the universe. 

Preserving the Past

    The use of dancheong in royal palaces functioned not only as decorate art but as a vital means of preserving Korea's cultural and architectural heritage, both symbolically and physically.

     

   Symbolically, dancheong serves as a visual record of the Confucian ideals, Buddhist symbolism, and ritual order that shaped life in the royal court. The strict rules governing the application of dancheong reflect the values of a society deeply committed to structure, rank, and meaning in every aspect of life.

    

    Functionally, dancheong was a crucial technique in the preservation of wooden architecture. Organic materials used in the original traditional paints bolstered structural integrity and protected the wood from sun, wind, rain, and insects. This greatly increased the longevity of these wooden structures, allowing many palace buildings to survive for centuries.

 Today, these painted decorations not only continues to protect the palaces themselves but also offers a window into the values, aesthetics, and societal structures of Korea’s past. Dancheong is an art that preserves not just buildings, but an entire worldview.

Dancheong at Changgyeonggung, photo by author