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Cheugugi (Hangul: 측우기, Hanja: 測雨器) is the first well-known
rain gauge
A rain gauge (also known as udometer, pluvia metior, pluviometer, ombrometer, and hyetometer) is an instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a predefined area, over a period o ...
invented and used during the
Joseon dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
of
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. It was invented and supplied to each provincial offices during the
King Sejong the Great
Sejong of Joseon (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), personal name Yi Do (Korean: 이도; Hanja: 李祹), widely known as Sejong the Great (Korean: 세종대왕; Hanja: 世宗大王), was the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Initial ...
's reign. As of 2010, only one example of the Cheugugi remains, known as the Geumyeong Cheugugi (Hangul: 금영측우기, Hanja: 錦營測雨器), which literally means "Cheugugi installed on the provincial office's yard." It is designated as National Treasures #561 of Korea and was installed in provincial office of
Gongju
Gongju ([]; Gongju-si) is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea.
History
Gongju was formerly named Ungjin and was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538. In this period, Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo. Goguryeo had overrun ...
city, 1837 by
King Yeongjo
Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (Korean: 이금, Hanja: 李昑), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Sukjong, by his concubine Royal Noble Consort Suk ...
, the 21st king of Joseon.{{Citation needed, date=February 2013 In addition, the official record of the rainfall by Cheugugi from
King Jeongjo
Jeongjo of Joseon (28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (Korean language, Korean: 이산; Hanja: 李祘), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (Korean language, Korean: 정조대왕; Hanja: 正祖大王), was the 22nd monarc ...
's reign to
Emperor Gojong
Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919) was the monarch of Korea from 1864 to 1907. He reigned as the last King of Joseon from 1864 to 1897, and as the first Emperor of Korea from 1897 until his forced abdication in 1907. He is known ...
's reign is preserved.
Intention
In the early days of the
Joseon dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
, there was a system to measure and report a region's rainfall for the sake of agriculture. However, the method to measure rainfall in those days was primitive, measuring the depth of rain water in puddles.
This method could not tell the exact rainfall, because there are differences in the amount of rainwater absorbed into the ground by the nature of the local soil. To prevent errors of this kind,
King Sejong the Great
Sejong of Joseon (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), personal name Yi Do (Korean: 이도; Hanja: 李祹), widely known as Sejong the Great (Korean: 세종대왕; Hanja: 世宗大王), was the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Initial ...
ordered the
Gwansanggam (Hangul: 관상감, Hanja: 觀象監) (the Joseon kingdom's research institute of astronomy, geography, calendar and weather) to build a rainwater container, the Cheugugi, made of iron in August 1441 (according to the lunar calendar) based on the idea of his Crown Prince, later became
Munjong of Joseon
Munjong of Joseon (15 November 1414 – 10 June 1452), personal name Yi Hyang (Korean language, Korean: 이향; Hanja: 李珦), was the fifth ruler of the Joseon, Joseon dynasty of Korea. As the eldest son of Sejong the Great, King Sejong th ...
. In the early days of the Cheugugi, it was mainly used in the capital area only.
In 1442, the king ordered the Gwansanggam again to design a standardized system to measure and record the rainfall. He also ordered his provincial governors, appointed by the king, to install the same Cheugugi in the courtyard of each provincial office, where the governors would measure and record the rainfall.
It was originally made of iron, but there were copper and ceramic ones built later.
Exterior features
As it is described above, the Cheugugi was mainly made of iron. By observing the preserved one, it is generally characterized by its oil-drum shape which is fixed on the hexahedral stone support, ''Cheugudae'' (측우대). The reasonable height of the ''Cheugudae'' means the splashed water can not flow into the Cheugugi.
The depth of the preserved Cheugugi is about 32 cm and the diameter is about 15 cm.
Operation
It is estimated that the measuring rainfalls by the standardized Cheugugi was institutionalized from May 8, 1442 (lunar calendar). From that day, the word "Cheugugi" was inscribed on the official records of the
Annals of the Joseon Dynasty
The ''Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty'' (also known as the ''Annals of the Joseon Dynasty'' or the ''True Record of the Joseon Dynasty''; ko, 조선왕조실록 and ) are the annual records of Joseon, the last royal house to rule ...
(조선왕조실록).
The rainfall is measured by dipping a ruler and recorded by poon (Hangul: 푼, Hanja: 分) units (approximately 0.303 cm (0.120 inch)). Furthermore, the information of the time when the rain began and stopped is recorded by each case, always, throughout the nation.
Examples
Some Cheugudaes continue to exist:
* The Gwansanggam Cheugudae
*
Daegu
Daegu (, , literally 'large hill', 대구광역시), formerly spelled Taegu and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea.
It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; it is ...
Sunhwadang Cheugudae (established at
Daegu
Daegu (, , literally 'large hill', 대구광역시), formerly spelled Taegu and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea.
It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; it is ...
)
*
Changdeokgung
Changdeokgung (Hangul: 창덕궁, Hanja: 昌德宮; literally, "The Palace of Prospering Virtue"), also known as Changdeokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace, is set within a large park in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five G ...
Palace's Cheugudae (moved to the
National Palace Museum of Korea
The National Palace Museum of Korea is a national museum of South Korea located in Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul.
History
The museum first began as the "Korean Imperial Museum", which was established in September 1908 and was originally located ...
)
*
Tongyeong
Tongyeong () is a coastal city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. In 2010, it had an area of and a population of 139,869 people. It is divided into 1 eup (town), 6 myeon (township) and 11 dong (neighborhood). Chungmu city and Tongyeong cou ...
Cheugudae
* Yeon-gyeong-dang (the royal residence in forbidden garden of Changdeokgung Palace) Cheugudae
There is also Ma-jeon-gyo (Bridge) which is generally known as Supyo-gyo across the
Cheonggyecheon
Cheonggyecheon (Hangul: 청계천, ) is a modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. The massive urban renewal project is on the site of a stream that flowed before the rapid post-war economic development caused it to be co ...
(stream flows center of Joseon era's Seoul city (inside area of the Seoul wall), near the
Gyungbok Palace
Gyeongbokgung (), also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the ''Five Grand Palaces'' built by the Joseo ...
). The generally known name originated from the Supyo-seok attached on the pier of the bridge. The Supyo-seok's meaning and function is "the water level gauge" of
Cheonggyecheon
Cheonggyecheon (Hangul: 청계천, ) is a modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. The massive urban renewal project is on the site of a stream that flowed before the rapid post-war economic development caused it to be co ...
, telling how much the stream's water level rises by rain. It was established in
King Sejong the Great
Sejong of Joseon (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), personal name Yi Do (Korean: 이도; Hanja: 李祹), widely known as Sejong the Great (Korean: 세종대왕; Hanja: 世宗大王), was the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Initial ...
's reign (second year of his reign) and is existing nowadays. But 1958 when the Cheonggyecheon was covered as a road by the Korean government, it was moved to Jang-chung park and it is there. There was a plan to move the bridge to its original location, during the Cheonggyecheon restoration. But, unfortunately the plan can't be fulfilled, because there was a difference between the restored width of the
Cheonggyecheon
Cheonggyecheon (Hangul: 청계천, ) is a modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. The massive urban renewal project is on the site of a stream that flowed before the rapid post-war economic development caused it to be co ...
and the bridge's length. So, the bridge remains in Jang-chung Park.
[This statement is an abridged translation of "수표교" contents on wikipedia Korean mode.]
References
Korean inventions
Measuring instruments
Meteorological instrumentation and equipment
Rain