The purpose of this study is to investigate the facts of the new palace in King Jinheung era of Silla, based on archaeological data. In particular, the study aims to clarify that the site formation layer, which is the site of Hwangnyongsa, was the basic facility of the new palace. In addition, it is to reveal that manpower at the national level, as it was in building up Silla fortress and reservoirs, was mobilized in the construction of the site of the new palace.
According to the foundation record of Hwangnyongsa in 'Samguk Sagi' and 'Samguk Yusa', when a new palace was being built in the 14th year of King Jinheung (553), a Hwangnyong appeared, thus the building was reconstructed as a Buddhist temple. The archeological materials that match this record include wetlands and the structure of the three-compartment layout of Hwangnyongsa Temple's founding site. In particular, wetlands have been attracting attention from early on as data that proves the historical fact that a new place was built in the reign of King Jinheung. The site formation layer filled on this wetland is also judged to be an archeological material that can prove the construction of the new palace.
Therefore, focusing on the site formation layer confirmed in the recent excavations of the southern ruins of Hwangnyongsa Temple and the supplementary investigation area of Hwangnyongsa Temple, it was found that the site formation layer was the basic facility for the construction of the new palace in the 14th year of King Jinheung before the construction of Hwangnyongsa Temple. Also, based on the scale and construction method of the site formation layer of the new palace, it was proved that the national level of manpower as it was in building up Silla fortress and reservoirs, was mobilized for the construction of the new palace site. The contents are summarized as follows.
Based on the subdivision fill and earthen bank as foundation, the pattern of the site composition layer being constructed as a fill structure on the wetland was investigated. In order to create a site in a special environment called a wetland, it was judged that the site was created by 1) making a drainage ditch on the outskirts, 2) building earthen banks in the west, south, and north parts of the low land, and 3) sequentially filling the land from east to west. The site composition layer restored with this structure has an east-west length of 280m, a north-south length of 286m, and average height of about 2m, and a volume of 160,160m³.
Next, by analyzing the pottery and roof tiles newly reported from the above two relics, an examination was carried out on the pottery from the foundation period of Hwangnyongsa, which is controversial in the Silla pottery study.
period of Hwangnyongsa was clearly established. As a result, the earthenware of the wetland layer was compiled in the second quarter of the 6th century, and the site formation layer in the middle of the 6th century, making it clear that the earthenware was made during the foundation period of Hwangnyongsa Temple.
Based on the resettlement of Hwangnyongsa's foundation earthenware, the site formation layer was considered to have been built in the reign of King Jinheung, and it was judged to be the data consistent with Hwangnyongsa's founding record (533).
In order to supplement the site formation layer discussed above, the maximum extent of the site formation layer was estimated by analyzing the fences built in all directions of Hwangnyongsa Temple and the Silla room section road. As a result, the east boundary is the middle part of the north-south road, and the south, west, and north boundaries are set inside the road based on the point that the site formation layer is not identified in the lower part of the road.
By comparing and examining the archeological data of the same period of Silla and Baekje, it was confirmed that the site formation layer was the only embankment structure of the urban ruins at that time. Then an analysis was carried out on the strip foundation of the building, which is judged to be the first building on the site formation layer, and assumed it to be a new palace building. Therefore, it was judged that the site formation layer corresponding to the base of the new palace building was the founding facility for the new palace building.
The founding facilities of the new palace were the same fill structures as the Silla castle and reservoir in the same period, and it was proved that a large-scale manpower at the national level was mobilized. The Silla castle and the reservoir still exist today, and there is a monument with inscription that pairs with them. By examining the scale, manpower, and construction period of these two materials, the amount of labor of the site forming layer for the new palace was calculated. As a result, the volume (160,160m³) of the site formation layer of the new palace was calculated to be a labor force of 30,800 to 34,070 people per year, and the total construction period was calculated to be 101 to 110 days.