Dancheong: Spiritual Colors of Korea
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
When a visitor steps into a temple called Sudosa, in Incheon, west of Seoul, decorative colored patterns on eaves, walls and pillars might be the first thing to come into sight.
Jung Sung-gil, 50, a dancheong artisan, painted the delicate colors and traditional patterns in every corner of the temple.
Dancheong is the use of Korean-style decorative colorful patterns on wooden buildings and other wooden items to convey beauty and dignity, using five basic colors _ red, blue, yellow, black and white.
From Sudosa in Incheon to Yonghwasa (Yonghwa Temple) in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Jung has worked in over 150 temples. His work has led him to wander about all over the country for over 30 years since 1975.
Jung, who was designated as Intangible Cultural Property No. 14 of Incheon for dancheong in 2004, has painted not only temples but also palaces around the country over the three decades.
Jung started learning at the age of 18 in 1975 under the renowned artisan Hyegak, a Buddhist priest.
Dancheong has various meanings in K
May 22, 2007