Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong
Hahoe and Yangdong, founded in the 14th and 15th centuries, are two of Korea’s most iconic historical clan villages. Their layout and location—set against forested hills and facing rivers and open farmland—reflect the unique aristocratic Confucian culture of the early Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The villages were sited to draw physical and spiritual nourishment from the surrounding landscape. They include clan residences, as well as large wooden houses for members of other clans, pavilions, study halls, Confucian academies, and clusters of mud-walled, thatched-roof single-story houses that were previously built for commoners. The views from the pavilions and resting places offer a breathtaking view of the mountains, trees, and water surrounding the villages, whose beauty was praised by poets in the 17th and 18th centuries.