Analysis of the Characteristics of Stone Signposts in Korean Rural Landscapes

Young-Chang Lee, Hae-Joon Jung and Keun-Ho Kim
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Young-Chang Lee: Institute of Environment and Ecology, O-Jeong Eco Resilience Institute (OJERI), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
Hae-Joon Jung: Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Engineering, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Daegu 42601, Korea
Keun-Ho Kim: Department of Forest Resources and Landscape Architecture, College of Life and Applied Sciences, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: Korean rural landscapes have been influenced by major events in modern Korean history, and have undergone many sociocultural and lifestyle changes. This study examines the characteristics of stone signposts, which physically represent the landscape entrance to Korean rural villages, and provide comprehensive information for the sustainable management of rural landscape elements having heritage value. We conducted field surveys and interviews in 313 rural villages in Korea and cross-tabulated the collected data with five question items. We designed one descriptive variable for the cause, set four question items for dependent variables, and analyzed the relationship among the variables. This study reveals that the installation times of stone signposts are related to the major issues of modern Korean history, and discusses how the signposts evolved into rural landscape elements. In addition, the study reveals that stone signposts can be considered a tactic designed to preserve regional identities in modern society and improve the quality of rural village landscapes. Over time, due to the complex long-term interactions that occurred between the landscape and the sociocultural environment of such regions, stone signposts evolved into elements of cultural heritage and representations of regional knowledge and history. Therefore, in order to improve Korean rural landscapes, their value must be assessed and managed independently based on historical, regional, and landscape considerations.

Keywords: rural landscape; stone signpost; sustainable heritage management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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