Armillary Sphere

This Armillary Sphere is a wooden astronomical instrument modelled on the Seongi-okhyeong diagram in the "Canon of Shun" chapter of the Book of Documents (Seojeon). It carries information on the north celestial pole elevation (that is, the observer's latitude), the sun's polar distance (its angular distance from the celestial pole) at the winter and summer solstices and the spring and autumn equinoxes, and information on the twenty-eight lunar mansions, the twenty-four directions and the twelve Earthly Branches. However, judging from the form of its rings and the inscriptions recorded on each, this Armillary Sphere appears to have been made not for actual astronomical observation but for educational use. First, in terms of the rings themselves: an armillary sphere made for observation must let the observer sight the celestial body through the centre where the rotation axis passes, and so is built with double rings, the axis fitted in the gap between them and the celestial body viewed through that gap. This instrument, however, is only named as having double rings; it is in fact built with single rings, which suggests that it was made as equipment for teaching astronomy, or for instruction in the Seojeon. Likewise, its inclusion of the twenty-eight lunar mansions and twelve Earthly Branches - not normally recorded on observational armillary spheres - together with the twenty-four directions, shows that the aim was to make these elements, much used in daily life, easy to understand. Pine, paulownia and Manchurian walnut wood were used in making this Armillary Sphere, while imported timber was used for some components, such as the straight cross-bar. As for its date, an inscription beneath the cross-shaped sight reads "Je-seung, sinmi year, twelfth month, twelfth day" (制氶(?)辛未 十二月 十一日), showing that it was made on the 11th day of the twelfth month of a sinmi year, though it is not certain which sinmi year this was. However, taking together the single-ring structure - reflecting the influence of Western-style armillary spheres of the late Joseon period - the use of imported timber for some parts, and a stand carved in a style similar to the curved-leg trays common in the late 19th century, it is presumed to have been made around 1871, the eighth year of Emperor Gojong's reign. The Cheonwi jeokdan-hwan ring has been lost, and some rings have lost their original round shape, but on the whole the piece is well preserved in its original form. It is of historical value both for its distinctive construction - emphasising the arrangement of the twenty-eight lunar mansions for educational effect - and as one of the best-preserved wooden armillary spheres known to date.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산