Korean Gardens: History, Culture, and the Power of Stones

Korean gardens are known for their simplicity, their natural flow, and the way they blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. Unlike formal gardens that rely on symmetry and rigid design, Korean gardens aim to feel unforced and in harmony with nature. Their history stretches back more than two thousand years, yet they remain largely unfamiliar to many people outside of Korea. The earliest records of these gardens date to the Three Kingdoms period, from 57 BCE to 668 CE, when palace grounds and architecture began to show a distinct style that was documented in the History of the Three Kingdoms.

The Long Tradition of Korean Garden Culture

Korea’s garden culture can be traced back over two millennia. During the Koryo dynasty (918-1392) and the Choson dynasty (1392-1910), more than 300 written documents were produced that described the design and philosophy of traditional Korean gardens in detail. Many of these historic gardens are still preserved and can be visited today, offering a direct link to centuries of cultural heritage.

Nature and Spiritual Beliefs in Early Korean Gardens

Long before these written records, Koreans held a deep reverence for the natural world. They worshipped the sun, stars, rivers, trees, and especially rocks. Stones were seen as holding greater power than water and other natural elements, and they were thought to bring divine favor. Because of this belief, rocks became one of the most important features in traditional Korean garden design.

The Role of Stones and Rock Arrangements

Stone arrangements have always carried symbolic meaning in Korean culture. Ancient people built stacked stone altars to represent the idea of a round heaven and a square earth, a reflection of early cosmology. This tradition has carried forward into what is known as Susok, or rock arrangement gardens. These gardens emphasize carefully placed stones that create balance, meaning, and a sense of spiritual connection with the land.

Even in the earliest agricultural societies, stones played an essential role in shaping garden spaces. Over time, rock structures were built for shamanic rituals, often in the form of shrines or sacred altars. Today, there has been a revival of interest in these rock-based traditions. Modern Korean gardens continue to incorporate Susok, honoring both ancient beliefs and the timeless beauty of stone within nature.

The Evolution of Korean Gardens Through History

During the Three Kingdoms period, between 57 BCE and 668 CE, large palace gardens were built with stone as their central feature. In the fourth century, temple gardens began to appear with the spread of Buddhism. As Buddhism became the national religion in the early Koryo dynasty, gardens moved toward the Hwagye style, a terraced rock garden influenced by Son (Zen) Buddhist traditions. By the middle of the Koryo period, a new design known as Imchon gained popularity. These gardens were set within forests and often included a pavilion and a stone pond, blending architecture with natural scenery. Later, during the Joseon dynasty, Hwagye gardens were common in residential yards, while large mansions typically favored the Imchon style.

Harmony with Landscape and Pungsu

Korean gardens are always built with the surrounding environment in mind. Site selection follows the principles of pungsu (geomancy), which is believed to shape health, fortune, and overall well-being. Unlike many Western gardens that impose structure on the land, Korean garden design seeks to preserve the natural landscape. Builders minimize disruption to the site and often use distant views, such as mountain horizons, as part of the garden’s design. Some gardens are enclosed by walls of stone or brick, while others remain open and flow directly into the surrounding scenery.

Architecture and Symbolism in Korean Gardens

Structures within Korean gardens are modest and few in number, so they do not overshadow the natural setting. Pavilions and buildings are decorated with symbolic flowers and motifs, most notably the lotus and plum blossom, which are painted in vibrant but balanced patterns. This decorative style, called dancheong (meaning “red and blue/green”), is found on temples, royal tombs, and palace pavilions.

Spiritual and Philosophical Influences

Korean gardens are deeply symbolic and often reflect a mix of spiritual traditions. Shamanism, Animism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucian thought, and even the Dangun creation myth can all be seen in their design. Symbolism appears not only in painted patterns and colors but also in the choice and arrangement of trees, rocks, ponds, and flowers. These details give every Korean garden layers of meaning, making them more than just visually beautiful. They are cultural, spiritual, and philosophical spaces that embody centuries of belief and tradition.

Symbols in Korean Gardens: Trees, Flowers, Rocks, and Ponds

Traditional Korean gardens are filled with layers of meaning. Every tree, flower, rock, and pond is chosen not only for beauty but also for the story it tells. These natural elements carry deep symbolism that reflects Korean values, beliefs, and philosophy.

Trees and Their Meanings

The persimmon tree is a classic example of transformation. Its fruit begins hard, green, and bitter, but ripens into a vivid orange with soft, sweet flesh. This change symbolizes growth and maturity, reminding visitors that time brings transformation.

The Korean red pine, called sonamu or “supreme tree,” represents loyalty, constancy, and righteousness. Its rough bark resembles a tortoise shell, which is a traditional symbol of longevity. Because of these associations, red pines were often planted near Confucian academies, pavilions, and scholarly buildings.

Bamboo holds its own symbolic power. Its straight growth represents strength, while its hollow stems reflect open-mindedness. At the same time, its flexibility and resilience stand for simplicity, integrity, and the ability to bend without breaking.

The crepe myrtle, or baerong namu in Korean, is called the “tree with flowers lasting more than one hundred days.” Its long-lasting blooms symbolize loyalty and integrity, values admired by Confucian scholars. These trees are commonly found in Confucian gardens.

Flowers as Symbols of Beauty and Belief

Peonies, known as the Queen of Flowers, have long symbolized royalty, wealth, honor, feminine beauty, and love. Both the tree peony and the herbaceous peony carry these meanings, and they remain among the most admired flowers in Korean gardens.

The lotus is one of the most sacred symbols in Korean culture. Strongly associated with Buddhism, it represents purity, transformation, and enlightenment. In many temple and academy gardens, lotus flowers rise from ponds, embodying the journey from muddy waters to radiant blossoms.

Rocks and Their Symbolism

Rocks are more than decoration in Korean gardens. Their number, shape, and arrangement all carry meaning. For example, three stones together can represent the three mountain gods from the Dangun creation story. Arrangements often use pairs, triplets, groups of nine, or even twelve. Some gardens include extravagant displays of sixty stones.

Each rock can also be given a special name, inspired by its shape or by a symbolic association. Importantly, stones are never taken from distant places. They must belong to the local land, reinforcing the garden’s natural harmony.

The Importance of Ponds

No traditional Korean garden feels complete without a pond. Ponds symbolize stillness and peace, offering visitors a space for quiet thought. Bridges across ponds often represent movement from earthly concerns to sacred contemplation, or from life to the calm of the afterlife.

Design itself carries meaning. Daoist and Confucian beliefs about heaven and earth appear in the pond’s structure: ponds are often square to symbolize earth, while the islands inside them are round to symbolize heaven. This union of shapes reflects the balance between the human and the divine.

Famous Classical Korean Gardens

The most authentic examples of classical Korean gardens can be found in three historic sites that remain relatively undisturbed. The Iseong mountain fortress of Baekje, located near Seoul, is home to intricate rockeries shaped into turtles, dragons, and phoenixes. Near Pyongyang lies the Anak Palace Garden of Goguryeo, where the remains of three separate rock garden complexes still exist. Perhaps the most famous of all is the Anapji Garden of Silla in Gyeongju. This site features three small islands within a pond, man-made waterfalls built in two tiers, granite basins designed in both round and square forms, and hundreds of carefully arranged stones lining the curved shoreline.

Other Significant Gardens in Korea

Beyond these central sites, other important gardens showcase Korea’s garden traditions, often through historical reconstructions. One of the most remarkable is the rear garden of Changdeok Palace in Seoul, which includes the Buyong pond and the Pavilion of Cosmic Union, a space designed to reflect harmony between humanity and the universe. Another well-known site is the garden of Chongpyeong-sa temple near Chuncheon, which blends natural scenery with traditional landscaping.

Korean Gardens Around the World

The influence of Korean garden culture has spread far beyond the Korean peninsula. In 2006, a traditional Korean garden was opened in Nantes, France. Named “Colline de Suncheon” or “Suncheon Hill,” the 5,000-square-meter site was created inside Blottereau Park to celebrate 120 years of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France. Korean gardens can also be found in many other parts of the world, including Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Gençlik Park in Ankara, Cairo in Egypt, le Jardin d’Acclimatation in Paris, Erholungspark Marzahn in Berlin, Grüneburgpark in Frankfurt, and the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver. In the United States, the garden at the Korean Ambassador’s Residence in Washington, D.C. stands out as an excellent example of a traditional Korean garden that is carefully preserved and maintained.