Soswaewon as a typical villa garden of Korea is a symbolic garden that its diverse compositions imply a specific meaning. This study reviewed the purpose of introduction, meaning, and location of the landscape plants as one of the compositions and covering quite a large part of Soswaewon through 48 Yeong (meaning 48 poems of Soswaewon) and Soswaewondo (meaning Map of Soswaewon). In 48 Yeong, 27 verses describe landscape plants as their key poetic matters. The most frequently mentioned top 3 plants are bamboos, pine trees, and Japanese apricots. The three plants are called Sehansamwoo(歲寒三友) showing constant fidelity and loyalty in any changing situations, which was regarded to represent the nature of scholars. And also the study examined the frequency and planting location of the plants in Soswaewon by comparing 48 Yeong and Soswaewondo, and the result showed some differences between them. That seems to be caused by the limitations in the comparison, because in case of 48 Yeong, the location and frequency of landscape plants can be examined only through the context of the verses, and Soswaewondo showed different production time from 48 Yeong and expressed them only in a form of drawing. The plants have symbolic meanings multi-layered and ambiguous. With their symbolic meanings, the landscape plants reviewed through 48 Yeong consistently represent fidelity and loyalty, man of virtue, and hermit. That is, Soswaewon is the garden granting some significance to its compositions by interacting with the things.

This study aims to rediscover the meaning and value of Soswaewon construction represented in Kim In-Hu's 48 poems on the basis of the concept and idea of soundscape. It classified the landscape resources through the various emotional elements such as the sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, and warmth described in the 48 poems of Soswaewon, and also interpreted the meaning and value of Soswaewon construction. Appreciating various sounds of Soswaewon, Kim In-Hu understood a sound as an important element of the landscape. Also, he abundantly wrote down the interesting changes of Soswaewon which vary depending on time or seasons. The 48 poems contain the scent and feel of Soswaewon as well as the soundscapes which can be heard with ears. A variety of sounds heard in Soswaewon are the whole senses which are combined with the chill of Soswaewon, the fragrance of trees and the mystery of the mountain, etc, and they mean the wider world much more than the value of physical sounds. Soundscapes of Soswaewon are becoming an emotional space which intactly conveys not only the musical inspiration but also the scent of life to us.

This study investigated the background thoughts and geographical characteristics of the trees planted in Soswaewon garden located in Damyang, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. This study also investigated the tree species in the early years of the garden and their chronological changes. The number of trees planted in Soswaewon garden is presently 135 in 22 species, which consists of 107 arboreals in 15 species and shrubs in 7 species. Tree species which showed high frequency rates were Zelkova serrata, Lagerstroemia indica, Acer palmatum, Sophora japonica and Rhododendron indicum. The background thoughts of these trees were Feng Shui, Yin Yang, and Confucianism for Zelkova serrata; Shin-sun, Taoism, and Confucianism for Lagerstroemia indica; Confucianism for Acer palmatum; Shin-sun, Taoism, and Confucianism for Sophora japonica. Rhododendron indicum was planted just for decoration without any particular background thoughts. In exploring geographical characteristics, all of 5 trees species were found to grow well everywhere in southern regions of Korea, especially in maritime climate of the south west coasts. Literature survey revealed the tree species planted in the early years of the garden. Back in 1548 when Soswaewon was first established, there were 11 tree species growing, then 12 species in 1755, 28 species in 1983, 23 species in 1999, and 24 species in 2012. At present, there are 22 tree species growing in Soswaewon garden.

Sosaewon and Villa D’este were built in the early of 16th and mid-of 16th each. Sosaewon was built based on the accommodation of topography of the surroundings whilst Villa D’este highlights the distinction of terrace and axis existed on the configuration of the grounds and natures. Both gardens have reflected the social and political influence in that period of constructing tat the builders had been through. These factors have been analyzed by iconological methodology to interpret the inherent meaning of the garden in philosophical, mythological, religious and Feng-shui context and discovered the interconnected relations between two gardens. The characteristic of Sosaewon’s space is based on the Mu-yi-gu-gok, which is derived from a Taoist, due to a builder’s Neo-Confucianism value. Hence Sosaewon contains the adaption of the nature itself based on the values of Mu-yi-gu-gok, which are expressed by visual, auditory and literary elements, brining about the poetic beauty of waiting. The structures of Villa D’este reveal the combination of nature and art whilst it also connotes the theme of ‘The Choice of Hercules’, indicating the builder’s philosophy and will symbolically. Each space of Villa D’este has diverse space for various interpretations followed by this theme. For the interpretation of meaning of Sosaewon and Villa D’este, Sosaewon has adapted the nature of surroundings which contain a view of nature, on the other hand, Villa D’este borrowed the nature of surroundings to build and decorate the garden, using natural terrace and axis for the variation, and drag the river near the garden artificially to fit into the axis of the garden. Villa D’este contains significant mythological and iconological factor intended to highlight the builder’s dignity, status and position.

This study applies the results of iconological interpretation of Sosaewon and Villa D’este’s constructed areas to the context interpretation methodology of contemporary aesthetics, which is based on writer’s own artistic context derived from writer’s own artistic works. This approach intends to develop and apply new forms of garden art and imagification into writer’s own artistic works by mixture and juxtaposition of these whole heterogeneous implications of Sosaewon and Villa D’este. In addition, the study attempts to construct new value in garden art by applying the diverse artistic aspects of Sosaewon and Villa D’este derived from their diverse iconological interpretation, seeking transition from current standardized garden planning system to compound and fusion system of garden art in the modern times. The study attempts to draw new flow of contemporary garden art. For this, de-constructivism perspective, which contains post-modern cultural characteristic, is applied to examine the Sosaewon and Villa D’este’s hidden but intended factors and spirits by the builders.

전라남도 담양에 위치한 우리나라의 대표적인 원림인 소쇄원은 1520년대 후반과 1530년대 중반 조성되었다. 본 연구에서는 1548년 소쇄원 48영과 1755년 소쇄원도에 등장하는 수목 및 1976년 정동오, 1999년 유재은에 의해 조사된 수목에 대한 시대별, 공간별 수종과 수량의 변화에 대해 비교 조사하였다. 소쇄원 48영과 소쇄원도에는 각각 12종의 수종이 등장하였고, 1976년의 현장조사에서는 25종 73그루, 1999년의 현장조사에서는 24종의 수종이 식재되어 있는 것으로 조사되었다. 2012년 7월의 본 현장조사에서는 공간을 보다 세분화하여 전정(前庭), 원정(垣庭), 계정(溪庭), 오정(塢庭), 후정(後庭), 내정(內庭) 등 총 6개 구역으로 나눠서 조사하여 26종의 99주가 식생하고 있는 것으로 파악되었다. 200~300년 전과 비교해서는 수목의 식재가 많이 다른 것으로 파악되었고 현재와 1900년대에 조사한 자료와 비교하여도 수목의 종류와 수량은 다소 차이가 나는 것으로 파악되었다. 따라서 소쇄원 원림식생의 전통적 원형유지와 보존을 위해 지속적인 모니터링과 적정한 관리가 필요하다.