Abstract
In Korea human relationships within a family can be expressed by such Confucian ideals as 孝(byo) (duty), 貞(jyong) (virtue) and 信(shin) (belief). As examplified by the illustrations in 東國新続三鋼行實円(tonggukshinsoksamgsnghengshildo) these relationships are most clearly manifested through maru and madang in a Korean dwelling. Maru originally meant 「坐」(zoa) (seat) designating a nobleman's seat. The corresponding place to maru in geomancy is also called 「坐」(zoa) (seat). Thus, maru where a human body is seated becomes a point of articulating directions such as front and back, right and left. In the context of geomancy, when 「穴」(hyol) dark, closed space and 「明堂」(myongdang), bright, open space, are juxtaposed, they establish 「坐向」(zoahyang) (directional line). maru which is built upon 穴」(hyol) embraces the dark space (神壺) representing the divine body of the House God 成造(songju). It is believed that this dark space has the power to revive the spirits of grains, or the ancestral souls. In contrast to 「穴」(hyol), or subterranean space, 「明堂」(myongdang) is a word used to define the external manifestation of topography and human body, as 明堂図 (myongdangdo) refers to the illustration of ideal topography in geomancy and the diagram of the human body showing 「穴」(hyol) in 鍼灸(chimgu). In order to establish 「坐向」(zoahyang), they place a compass at the center of 「明堂」(myongdang), and the central point of this compass is called 太極(taeguk). According to 周易(chuyok), 太極(taeguk) forms the basis of articulating 両儀(yangui), 四象(sasang), and 八卦(palkoe) paralleling the way a compass is articulated. Thus, 太極(taeguk) stands for the state of pre-articulation, prior to 儀(ui) (to form) and 象(sang) (form), and it is the. basis of direcrional orientation of the world. In a Korean dwelling, 「坐」(zoa), located at the center of 「穴」(hyol), gives orientation to the surrounding world in every day life. Yet it is defined in conjunction with madang/myongdang. During the process of establishing 「坐向」(zoahyang), it temporarily becomes decentralized and can become recentralized when 太極(taeguk). the center of 「明堂」(myongdang) is determined.
