Winding River Village by Kim, Sung-Kyun

 As what Prof. Kim, Sung-Kyun said in opening of his conclusion of this book:

 

“The purpose of my study has been the interpretations of variety and distinct landscapes with reference the meanings inherently imbedded, culturally perceived, traditionally exposed, spatial manifested and also poetically symbolized. This is not a problem with a solution or a final proof. There are no conclusions nor do the meanings add up to any single conclusion. Of course, it would be in vain, and maybe wrong-headed, to present and summarize all the different meanings of Hahoe landscapes that I found. Studying the meanings of landscapes involves refining and constantly expanding one’s understanding. The meaning of the landscape of Hahoe is still open to all of us and also to the resident villagers to interpret and re-interpret. Nevertheless, we need further refinements to understand their landscapes. Let me end their stories of the landscapes at this destination. I have been “There” and now I am “Here,” and sometimes “here”-and-”there” both at once, I think it is time to tell my story of intimate attachment - “Being Here.” Also, finally becoming part of the life world, through mutual cohesiveness and awakening my own feelings.”

I can dive to the deepest abyss of Prof. Kim, Sung-Kyun's feelings, to understand how holy and sacred his love to the Korean Landscape Garden as his own identity. His love to not only Korea national identity, but also his strong nationalism, and universal humanism on this Earth.

 

Although the word "Nujeongwon" is not mentioned in the "Winding River Village" book, the spirit of this book is Nujeongwon. I realized this after analyzing each chapter, especially chapter six, namely THE SIXTEEN BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES. This awareness was strengthened, stronger and stronger after I analyzed some of his lecture materials with very similar content. The lectures I meant, among others: “A Sustainable Korean Traditional Landscape Garden 'Nujeongwon'” (Korea, December 2010; Estonia, November 2011; Korea, December 2011), “Meaning and Aesthetics of a Korean Traditional Landscape: Focusing on Hahoe Gyeomam-Okyeonjeong” (documented in the Proceedings of 2013 ACLA International Symposium. 12 ~ 14 October 2013 in Seoul, Korea, on pages 39-46), “Way of Seeing In Traditional Korean Landscape Garden” (Korea, 19 October 2014), “Poetics of a Korean Cultural Landscape” (11 October 2018, Bali, Indonesia), and at the eighth ACLA meeting, “Perception, Aesthetics and and Sustainability of Korean Cultural Landscape” (Johor, Malaysia, 9 October 2019).

 

And then, through the synthesis process of all existing materials, I discovered the mystery, that this Winding River Village book is the womb from which the proper term for Korean landscape garden, “Nujeongwon” was born.

 

Different from the Western terminology that applies in almost all parts of the world, “a traditional Korean landscape garden, 樓亭苑 (Nujeongwon) is an exterior space, organized visually and conceptually as a whole, centered around nujeong building.” This definition was thought deeply and declared firstly by Prof. Kim Sung-Kyun, to distinguish traditional Korean gardens from Western concepts of gardens, and because he cannot explain a Nujeongwon in terms of the Western concept of a garden.

 

After conducting research on Korean Nujeong and Nujeong-gi in 2007 under the auspices of the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, Prof. Sung-Kyun Kim found that there are more than 3,000 nujeongwons spread around South Korea now.  The nujeongwons have sustained for more than 1,000 years in Korea.

 

Honestly, based on my deep reflection after reading this Winding River Village book many times, it would not be an exaggeration to place this book on the same level as the scriptures. it's all about the principles to sustain human life and all other creatures, the harmonious relationship between humans and the natural surroundings on this Earth.

 

In good and true faith, I have taken the initiative to continue Prof. Sung-Kyun Kim and ACLA’s mission. It is to realize the vision of sustainable life on Earth for all humans and other species, with a cultural and ecological landscape approach.

 

One of these efforts is by republishing his main book, from PhD dissertation of Prof. Sung-Kyun Kim, which was published by ACLA Publisher, in South Korea, in 2016. Because organizationally, ACLA was discontinued, so ACLA Publisher could no longer function. So, as the ACLA secretary (2015 ~ 2020) and the lover of the vision and mission of Prof. Sung-Kyun Kim, I act with full awareness as the publishing initiator of Winding River Village book, especially in form of e-book, so it can be available globally.

The book was just republished yesterday, with 

ISBN

978-623-5609-78-2 (e-book)

978-623-5609-77-5 (p-book)

This WRV book is the womb from which Nujeongwon book was born. Nujeongwon in turn plays a role in maintaining the context of the ecological design of landscapes on this Earth.

 

Anita Syafitri Arif

 

ACLA~APELA Secretary (2015~2020)

The Author of

“Nujeongwon dan Kelestarian Ekologis, Pelajaran Penting dari Prof. Sung-Kyun Kim” book.

 

Bali, Januari 2022