Applicability of Feng Shui Concepts for Korean Eum-Taek Sites Verified Using Three-Dimensional Digital Mapping and Simulations

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine whether eum-taek, a feng shui theory for the dead, can be applied to Korean modern architecture. In the first step, common environmental factors that are valued in both feng shui and ecological architecture were derived, and then this research reviewed how properly the traditional site assessment method evaluated them; for example, metaphorized basic concepts of the evaluation theory based on territorial settings can be applied to evaluate common environmental factors. For the second step, this paper reviewed whether the evaluation method for feng shui presented in the previous step was applied equally between yang-taek and eum-taek theories, investigated the differences between them in general, and derived environmental factors to be utilized for evaluation in the field of architecture. As a result, it was found that the major concepts presented in the previous step have been commonly used evaluation criteria, regardless of the categories from traditional theories. The third step was to simulate whether sites selected by each theory actually have similar environmental conditions. The simulation analysis found that all analysis sites were able to obtain a higher sun exposure time than the Korean average; therefore, it was considered that their locations could have environmental advantage, in terms of solar radiation and thermal environment. The simulation results confirm that the target sites have a living environment that would be easy for humans to live in. Finally, the simulation results confirm that the eum-taek site has a living environment that is comfortable for humans to live in. If studies of the site assessment method are carried out considering yang-taek and eum-taek with different evaluation categories, the modern applicability of feng shui may increase.