Comparative study on the couplets of Korean and Chinese palaces : Focusing on Huwon in Changdeokgung Palace and Imperial Garden in the Forbidden City

A comparative analysis of the poetic couplets (柱聯詩) in Changdeokgung Palace's Huwon and Beijing's Forbidden City reveals both shared thematic elements and distinct cultural emphases. While both Korean and Chinese palace couplets depict daily life, faith, moral lessons, and scenic beauty, their thematic foci differ: Korea emphasizes the rarity of true friendship (知己), while China stresses blessings for the monarchy and people. Additionally, Korean couplets employ more seasonal imagery than their Chinese counterparts. The study also examines creation methods, noting that both traditions frequently cite 7-syllable regulated verse (7言律詩) but differ in citation volume and source diversity. This research bridges gaps in existing scholarship by providing new insights into the cultural and aesthetic dimensions of East Asian palace architecture.

Lu, J., & Lee, C.-W. (2019). Comparative study on the couplets of Korean and Chinese palaces : Focusing on Huwon in Changdeokgung Palace and Imperial Garden in the Forbidden City. The Studies of Korean Literature, 61, 39–69. https://doi.org/10.20864/skl.2019.01.61.39