Although there are numerous historical villages in Korea, the most
representative are “clan villages.” In Korea, a clan is a social group
comprised of people of the same paternal line, family name, and
ancestral home; it also includes women who have entered into the clan by
marriage. Consequently, the term “clan village” refers to a village in
which one or two clans form the majority of the village’s residents and
play a central role in making decisions about village life.
Though the entire Korean peninsula is scattered with historical
neighborhoods and cultural gems, clan villages make up 80% of all
historical villages, a major spread since their establishment in the
early part of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Of these pockets of
time-honored beauty, Hahoe and Yangdong are Korea’s longest surviving
and most well-preserved traditional clan villages. Both villages were
home to the yangban (ruling noble class) during the Joseon and together
are regarded as the epicenter of Korea’s Confucian culture.
Hahoe and Yandong face outward towards quietly flowing river waters and
are guarded by forested mountains at the rear. Long ago, each village
was constructed with sensitivity to the unique mountain and waterside
climate. Not only built to be able to withstand temperature and humidity
changes throughout the year, village houses, pavilions, study halls,
and Confucian academies were specially constructed and arranged so as
not to violate Confucian etiquette and the principles of Feng shui.
In addition to their unique spatial arrangements, the villages hold
priceless archives and artwork from Joseon Era Confucianists and are
some of the few remaining places that strictly observe traditional
family and community rituals and events. In recognition of these
attributes, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially put these
historical villages of Korea on the UNESCO World Heritage List at its
34th convention meeting in Brazil.
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