By Honorary Reporter Ana Claire Hernandez from Philippines

Photos = Ana Claire Hernandez

East Asian countries have traditionally looked at nature as models for their architecture, items and even clothing. Nature has many curved lines from tree trunks to waves.

In Hanok (traditional Korean architecture) and Hanbok (traditional clothing), curved lines are clearly visible.

In Hanbok for women, the chima, or the skirt-like undergarment, has a lot of space for the wearer. Its voluminous feature conceals the lower body, and from the outside, the wearer appears as an upside-down flower bud. She seems more gracious and fluid, accompanied by the curving lines of the chima resulting from movement. Hanbok has many more curves like in the collars and underneath the sleeves of the jeoguri, or the upper garment. 

A Hanok tiled roof has a cheoma, or the slightly raised edge whose purpose is to let in sunlight in winter and protect the interior from the summer sun. Because the sun is closer to Earth in winter than in summer, cheoma allows sunlight to enter a Hanok in the cold. Moreover, a Hanok roof curves inwards to prevent rainwater from being trapped or the tiles from slipping off.

The wooden columns, pillars and girders of Hanok are sometimes curved because the materials are accepted as is. Wood was used regardless of whether it was straight, bent or curved. Thus the facade or interior of a traditional structure can not only have straight and rigid wood but also those bent and curved.

The need to incorporate curved lines stems from the Korean belief that "humans and nature are one," something neo-Confucianism often emphasized, and the perceived need for harmony with nature. In traditional Korean thought, nature was something not to be conquered but to co-exist with. The belief that nature is the standard for making things is something people can learn from in these times.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.