Historic House of the Gyeongju Kim Clan, Seosan

This tile-roofed house sits in a village on level farmland and faces north-east. There is no record of exactly when it was built, but its architectural style suggests the mid-19th century. Inside a straight-line haengnangchae, a row of servants' quarters, stands a square, ㅁ-shaped anchae, or women's quarters, with a straight-line sarangchae, or men's quarters, connected to its east side. The haengnangchae comprises seven bays, with an outer gate at its left end and a kitchen, storerooms and rooms making up the rest. The east-facing anchae lies to the right of the inner courtyard as one enters through the middle gate. Unlike most middle- and upper-class houses, which place the main quarters across the courtyard from the entrance, this arrangement appears to have been designed with sunlight in mind. The sarangchae is a simpler three-bay building than the anchae, notable for the sunshade roof fitted to its south side. This roof was made by erecting an octagonal post in front of one bay of the sarangchae and topping it with a gable roof that, seen from the side, forms the shape of the character 人, meaning "person". Double eaves at the front and single eaves at the rear make the front overhang longer. In the back garden of the anchae stands a three-bay thatched building, thought to have served as a kind of study. The house retains relatively well the appearance it had when first built; its spaces are arranged without waste, and walnut and persimmon trees growing among the buildings lend it a cosy atmosphere. This heritage site is generally open to visitors, but access may be restricted due to the owner's personal circumstances.

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Where it is

Region

Seosan, Chungnam

Designation

National Folklore Heritage · 국가민속문화유산