Yong Sam Lee

A Study of the Yang-gyeong-gyu-il-ui (兩景揆日儀) in the Joseon Dynasty

th year of Heon-jong) and is kept at the Korea University Museum. We have compared and analyzed Yanggyeong-gyu-il-ui and similar western sundials. Also, we have reviewed the scientific aspect of this artifact and built a replica. Yang-gyeong-gyu-il-ui is a new model enhanced from the miniaturization development in the early Joseon Dynasty and can be applied to the southern part of the tropic line through a structure change.

ANALYSIS OF SAMBOK IN KOREA

Sambok (三伏, Three Hottest Days) is the common designation of Chobok (初伏, Early Hot Day), Jungbok (中伏, Middle Hot Day), and Malbok (末伏, Late Hot Day), and widely known to be one of the Korean folk customs. Hence, Sambok is notated in Manseryeok (Ten Thousand-Year Almanac) and in the annual astronomical almanac published by Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute. In this paper, we investigate the changes of Sambok in Korea based on various documents such as Joseonwangjosilok (朝鮮王朝實錄, Annals of the Joseon Dynasty), Jeungbo-Jakryeoksik (增補作曆式, The Supplement of Manual for Calendar Making), astronomical almanacs, and so forth. According to Jeungbo-Jakryeoksik preserved in Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, Chobok and Jungbok are defined as the third and fourth Gyeongil (庚日, The Day Starting with the Seventh Heavenly Stems in Sexagenary Cycles Assigned to Each Day) after the summer solstice, respectively, and Malbok is the first Gyeongil after Ipchu (Enthronement of Autumn). However, if the summer solstice is Gyeongil, then the third Gyeongil counting from the solstice becomes Chobok. Malbok depends on the time of Ipchu. Ipchu itself becomes Malbok if the time of Ipchu is in the morning, or next Gyeongil becomes Malbok if it is the afternoon. On the other hand, Malbok is defined as Ipchu itself regardless of its time according to Chiljeongbobeob (七政步法, Calculating Method for Sun, Moon, and Five Planets), Chubocheobryeo (推步捷例, Quick Examples for Calendrical Calculations), and so on. To verify the methods used to determine Sambok, we examined the record in the extant almanacs during the period of 1392 to 2100 for which the summer solstice or Ipchu is Gyeongil. As a result, we found a periodicity that if the time of Ipchu is in the morning, in general, the time is in the afternoon after two years and then is back into in the morning after nineteen years, i.e., the 2 + 19 years periodicity. However, we found the 2 + 17 years periodicity in some years. We also found that the Chobok method of Jeungbo-Jakryeoksik has been used since 1712, the thirty-eighth reign of King Sukjong (肅宗). In addition, we supposed that Malbok had been determined by the method like Chubocheobryeo since either 1846, the twelfth reign of King Heonjong (憲宗), or 1867, the fourth reign of King Gojong (高宗). At present, these methods of Sambok are customarily used without any legal basis. We, therefore, think that this study will help conventionalize the method defining Sambok in the future.

Family of the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instruments (Ilseong-jeongsi-ui) Invented During the Joseon Dynasty

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A Preliminary Study on the Yang-cheon-cheok (量天尺) in the Late Joseon Dynasty

We investigated the six remaining Yang-cheon-cheoks (量天尺), which were first described in the Veritable Record of King Sukjong (肅宗實錄). These woodblock sundials from Korea are structurally very similar to a Gyupyo (圭表, gnomon) or an altitude sundial and are light, compact, and portable. The front side of a Yang-cheon-cheok has two holes for styluses and several hour-lines. We compared the intervals of the hour-lines from the originating point of the stylus placement on all Yang-cheon-cheoks and found that two of the relics had the same hour-lines using the standard of the unit of 1 chon (寸). These two were actually the same sundial although the physical size was different. In spite of the lack of time accuracy, we hypothesize that various-sized Yang-cheon-cheoks were made and widely distributed throughout the public in the late Joseon Dynasty.

Scale Marking Method on the Circumference of Circle Elements for Astronomical Instruments in the Early Joseon Dynasty

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THE ROLE OF A CROSS-BAR AND THE ENLARGEMENT OF A GNOMON IN JOSEON DYNASTY

Gyupyo (圭表, Gnomon) consists of Gyu (圭, Measuring Scale) and Pyo (表, Column), and was one of the traditional astronomical instruments in East Asia. Daegyupyo (Large Gnomon) was manufactured in the Joseon dynasty around 1434 ~ 1435. To increase the measurement accuracy, it was equipped with a Hoengyang (橫梁, Cross-bar) and used a Youngbu (影符, Shadow-Definer) which was invented during the Yuan dynasty (1271 ~ 1368). The cross-bar was installed on the top of the column and this structure was called Eol (臬). In addition, three plumbs hanging from the cross-bar was employed to vertically built Eol on the measuring scale. This method was also used to not only check the vertical of Eol but also diagnose the horizontal of the cross-bar. Throughout this study, we found that a cross-bar in a gnomon has played three important roles; measurement of the shadow length made by the central part of the Sun, increase of the measurement precision using the shadow-definer, and diagnosis of the vertical of Eol and the horizontal of the cross-bar itself using the three plumbs. Hence, it can be evaluated that the employment of a cross-bar and a shadow-definer in a gnomon was a high technology in the contemporary times. In conclusion, we think that this study is helpful for understanding the Large Gnomon of the Joseon dynasty.

THE STUDY ON THE STRUCTURE OF DAEGYUPYO IN THE EARLY JOSEON DYNASTY

In this paper, we study the structure of the Daegyupyo (大圭表, Large Gnomon) of the early Joseon dynasty. A Gyupyo (圭表, Gnomon that is Guibiao as pronounced in Chinese) is composed of a Pyo (表, Biao as pronounced in Chinese) making a shadow and a Gyu (圭, Gui as pronounced in Chinese) measuring its length. It is known that the Daegyupyo with the 40-feet height was constructed between the sixteenth to seventeenth year of the King Sejong reign (1444 - 1445) on the basis of the record of Yuanshi (元史, the History of the Yuan Dynasty). By analyzing historical documents such as Joseonwangjosillok (朝鮮王朝實錄, the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty), Yuanshi, and Jegaryeoksangjip (諸家曆象集, a work written by Sunji Lee), we found a possibility that the Ji (池, a pond) on the Gyu was located in the north side of the Pyo. This structure is different from that in previous studies, but is in a good agreement with that of the 40-feet Guibiao remaining in Dengfeng (登封) of China. Regarding to the Hoengyang (橫梁, cross-bar), we suggest that it was set up by double 5-feet supporting arms apart from the north tip of the Pyo in the radial direction. The 3:4:5 ratio in a rectangular triangle was used to place the Heongyang on the top of the Pyo at a distance of 4-feet (3-feet) in the vertical (horizontal) direction. We also discuss the structural problem when the Hoengyang is positioned apart from the top of the Pyo by supporting arms. In conclusion, we think that this study should be useful in restoring the Daegyupyo of the Joseon dynasty.