Before the 15th century, the main buildings of the residences of the ruling class in Seoul consisted of Momchae(身梗), Seocheong(西廳), and Naeru(內樓)‧Chimru(寢樓). Based on the equality of the relationship between husband and wife, the couple lived in the main building[Momchae] in the center of the mansion, but based on the individuality of the relationship between husband and wife, each had an area consisting of the same section within the building. Naeru‧Chimru was the two floors bedroom building became a common living space for the minister and wife, upstairs in summer, downstairs in winter. In preparation for large gatherings and important receptions, an open-structured West Hall(西廳) was located on the west side of the mansion. Momchae, Seocheong, and Naeru‧Chimru were the common building types and layouts of the residences of the highest ruling class, including high-ranking officials, until the reign of King Sejong. However, from around the time of King Seongjong, Seocheong and Chimru came to be regarded as privileged and luxurious buildings only allowed for the grand prince's residence. The layout of the bedroom, main building (including Wings), Outer Sarang[外舍廊], and Joyangru[朝陽樓] of Prince Bongrim's mansion built in the first half of the 17th century clearly shows the transitional period when the arrangement of chimru, main building, and western office was disrupted and the layout changed to the Inner main building(Anchae for wife) and Outer main building(Sarangchae for husband).

Basic concept of this study is that architectural form as a material at present has meaning for the dweller's life on the past historical plane. Main method to recover history is ethnographic interview to dwellers. Secondary method is to analyze ancestors' writings, buildings in the background of the family photos, and past drawings and then to relate them with architectural form at present. Taxonomy is a starting point: general name of the building by outside researcher is quite different from it by inside dwellers. 'Haengrang-chae', servant quarter, has never been used for servants. Function of the haengrang went outside thatched houses at the front village. Firsthand observation or simple analyses as results of several precedent research are reexamined and criticized through this study. The mansion has moaning when we synthesize with the site location based on farming land and tenant farmer, and decline of the Kyongpo Lake. Territoriality of the mansion is reinterpreted to 'In-Out Structure' by Yin-Yang thinking, Dwellers extend buildings gradually to outside village, surrounding rear hills, the lake, DongHae Sea, and finally goes to imaginative Taoist heaven beyond real nature through the literary life. Confucius principle, known to govern upper class house at Yi Dynasty also affect general composition of the buildings: perpetuation of the family by ancestor worship, elder dominance and male dominance, fraternity love in the extended family, charity display by reception of guests, Taoist scholarly life harmonized with nature. However, the study of the particular life and usage of the dwellers reinforces or corrects general supposition of precedent researches. Unique shape of the house has been formed by convenience of the dwellers' life style, early modernized free thought over the rigid Confucius design principle, and female power in male dominant society.