A Study on the construction of forts in Gangdobu during the Reign of King Sookjong in the Late Joseon Dynasty
In this essay, I studied about the construction of forts in Gangdobu(江都府) during the Reign of King Sookjong(1674-1720). Now there are diverse fortresses such as Dondae(墩臺), Woesong(外城), Naesong(內城) in Ganghwado Island. From the Reign of King Gwanghaegun(1608-1623), Gangdo had been determined as a refuge(保障處) from Quing’s invasion by the government. King Injo(1623-1649) who reside in Gangdo for three months during Quing’s invasion in 1627, made a plan to fortify Gangdo as a refuge. He ordered to secure arms and military provision and then reconstruct the city wall of Ganghwa and forts along the seashore. But the plan was not carried out. On the other hand King Hyojong(1649-1659), the son of King Injo, installed seven coastal defence units Jinbo(鎭堡). King Sookjong(1674-1720), the great-grandson of King Injo, had construct a 48 forts named Dondae at strategic points along the seashore from all directions in 1679 and after construct long fortress wall between Dondaes from north-east seashore in 1692. And that had reconstruct the city wall of Ganghwa in 1711. As a result of construction during 30 years or so, he had completed a millitary denfence system to secure a refuge from Quing’s invasion. In this thesis, I searched a process of contruction of forts in Gangdobu and tried to certify the relation with Seoul city Wall and Bookhansan mountain Wall. The former was contructed in 1710, the latter in 1712. All fortresses was constructed or recontructed as a capital defence system for the defense for Quing’s invasion. The costruction system of fortified architecture was made of millitary personell and Buddhist Monk. The contruction techniques, methods and skills of two different working group was mixed in a wall and a battlement.