Emotional Impact of Plant-Mediated Activities in the Late Joseon Dynasty: Focusing on 18th-Century Literary Records

The Background of the 18th Century Floral Culture Development

Globally the 17th century was a period during the Little Ice Age. As farming became difficult because of the Little Ice Age, the population of rural areas were concentrated in Seoul in the 18th century. The population of Hanyang increased from a level of 220,000 in 1669 to exceed 300,000 in the 1770s‘. In the 18th century, Hanyang was the center of politics, economy, military, and culture, with 90% of the population engaged in commerce and an increase in hobbies such as various flowers and bonsai (Ko, 2007). It was an era in which interest in garden creation and horticultural techniques became widespread because of active exchange with China and Japan (Jo, 2013). Particularly in the 18th century, with the development of printing technology and the influx of Chinese garden information (Kim and Lee, 2020), the accumulation of garden-related knowledge enabled the development of garden culture and flourishing of floricultural culture.

Furthermore, in the early Joseon period, the appreciation of flowers was associated with the perception of “wanmulsangji (玩物喪志),” meaning “losing one's grand ideals by being preoccupied with cherished and favored objects.” However, during the late Joseon period, appreciation of and interest in flowers became widespread. As floriculture became commercialized and its economic value increased, and as mental utility value was attributed to flowers (Youn, 2016), it promoted the development of gardens and floricultural culture. Horticultural culture flourished mainly in Seoul after the mid-18th century (Jung, 2005; Youn, 2016).

Plant-Mediated Activity Space, Gardens, and Appreciation Activities

Among the 12 plant-mediated activities extracted from 18th-century literary records, seven took place in gardens. Gardens are enjoyed while walking. While walking in a garden, one naturally engages in plant-mediated activities by seeing, feeling, and touching plants. Jeong Yak-yong recorded in “Dasansimunjip (茶山詩文集) Jukranhwamokgi (竹欄花木記)” that “his house was in Myeongryebang (明禮坊), and as there were no ponds or gardens to enjoy in the morning and evening, he directly created a garden, made bamboo railings to prevent flowers from being damaged, walked along the railings after the morning assembly (朝會), composed poems, and forgot the noise with the tranquility of the mountains and the atmosphere of the garden.” A garden with a safe fence becomes a healing tool itself (Stuart-Smith, 2020), and is the most accessible and convenient place with nature unfolded to help emotional recovery. The Gyeonghwasejok (京華世族) of the 18th century, who lived in Hanyang for generations and wielded power, created gardens as places to enjoy nature (Lee et al., 2014), and became a trend to create flower gardens in private residences (Kim and Choi, 2015).

In Jeong Seon's “Dokseoyeogado,” a scholar is seen appreciating peonies in a pot, and in the painting “Taepyeongseongsi-do,” shops selling potted plants and delivering potted plants are observed (Table 2). The Gyeonghwasejok of the 18th century created gardens as places to enjoy nature (Lee et al., 2014). Scholars who did not have gardens appreciated flowers in flower vases and bonsai (Jeong, 2012). Appreciation methods such as “Bingdeungjobinyeon (氷燈照賓宴),” which involves appreciating plum blossoms by placing candles inside cut ice blocks on winter nights, and “Gugyeongbeop (菊影法),” which involves appreciating chrysanthemums using shadows, appeared (Ahn, 2012). 18^th-century literary class’s horticultural hobby craze allowed scholars to find solace through flowers and gardens (Kim, 2016). Wanting to enjoy nature within the city in the 18th century, when commercialization and urbanization were developed, reminds us of the biophilia theory, which states that humans innate instinct is to return to nature (Wilson, 2017).

Musa basjoo, a Beloved Plant in the 18th Century

In the plant-mediated activities extracted from 18th-century literary records, the plant that prominently appears is the Musa basjoo. Among the Eleven extracted from 18th-century literary records, three were related to the banana tree, all of which involved listening to the sound of rain falling onto its leaves. The banana tree, scientifically known as Musa basjoo, or Japanese banana, is a perennial plant of the Musaceae family, and belongs to the same genus as the banana. Native to China, it grows to a height of approximately 4m. It has glossy leaves, each over 2m long and 50cm wide, spread in all directions at the top. Among the twelve activities, Seo Yu-gu, Park Ji-won, and Seo Hyung-su recorded “listening to the sound of rain falling on the banana tree leaves.” Jang Hon (1759–1828), a scholar of the mid-Joseon period, listed old plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, paulownia, banana trees, and grape trellises as plants among 80 items for an elegant life in “Yieomjip (而已广集)” (Ahn, 2008; Lee, 2010). Heo Gyun, a literary figure of the mid-Joseon period, recorded the sound of rain falling on banana tree leaves as one of the 10 “elegant sounds” in “Hanjeongrok,” calling it the clear sound of heaven and earth (Hong, 2011). In the 18th century, the banana tree was important for pursuing garden culture, and have possibly introduced a desire to experience the sound-scape of rain striuck the Musa basjoo (Rho et al., 2010).

Musa basjoo is a commonly depicted plant in 18th-century paintings. Kim Hong-do (1745–1806) portrayed the Musa basjoo plant in his works Wolha Chwisaengdo (Playing a Reed Instrument Under the Moon While Intoxicated) and Poui Pungnyudo (Scholar's Leisurely Life). Furthermore, in Danwondo (Portrait of Danwon), which depicts the scenery of his own thatched-roof house, he also represented a Musa basjoo plant planted in the garden. A Musa basjoo plant in a garden also appears in Jeong Seon's (1676–1759) Cheokjae Jesi (Painting with Cheokjae's Poem), and painter Yi Jae-gwan (1783–1837) painted a scene of writing characters on a Musa basjoo leaf in his Pachojesido (Writing a Poem on a Musa basjoo Leaf). In Yun Deok-hui's (1685–1776) painting 'Woman Reading,' a woman can be seen reading with a Musa basjoo plant in the background. Sim Sa-jeong's (1707–1769) paintings featuring the Musa basjoo plant include 'Banana Plant and Dragonfly' and 'Torn Musa basjoo Plant and Autumn Cat.' The Musa basjoo plant can also be found in Dasan Chodangdo (Painting of Dasan's Thatched Cottage) by Jeong Yak-yong (1762–1836), a prominent scholar of the late Joseon Dynasty. Moreover, King Jeongjo's (1752–1800), the 22nd king of Joseon, painting of a Musa basjoo plant, titled Jeongjo Pil Pachodo (Musa basjoo Plant Painted by King Jeongjo), is designated as a national heritage 'Treasure.' The fact that the Musa basjoo plant appears in paintings by figures ranging from the king to representative artists and scholars of the 18th century suggests that it was a cherished plant during that era.

Emotional Impact of Plant-Mediated Activities

Plant-mediated activities from the 18th century that elicited emotional changes, as extracted from literature, can be categorized into Five types. First is the visual activity of looking at trees, flowers, and flower shadows; second is the auditory activity of listening to the sound of rain falling on banana plant leaves; third is an activity combining sight and hearing, such as looking at plants while listening to the sound of rain falling on banana plants; fourth is an activity combining sight and touch, like writing on leaves; and fifth is a garden strolling activity, walking through the garden and looking at plants. Green or blue automatically lowers arousal levels (Esther, 2020). Looking at flowers induces automatic distraction from stressors and reduces negative emotions (Mochizuki, 2020). Listening to the sound of rain increases arousal levels while providing a sense of coolness (Sakuragi, 2019) In particular, the sound of water can reduce state anxiety, induce pleasure, decrease heart rate, and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (Franco et al., 2017). Peltola, H. (2023) reported that rain falling on deciduous leaves is perceived as "soft, warm, and harmonious," in distinct contrast to rain falling on metal surfaces. The activity of listening to the sound of rain falling on Musa basjoo plants while observing plants combines the visual activity of seeing plants with the auditory activity of hearing the rain on Musa basjoo leaves; this can be an activity that reduces negative emotions and induces pleasure, as can be understood from the emotional changes of Seo Yu-gu described in 18th-century records. Additionally, when people touch plants, they unconsciously experience a calming response (Kazuko and Yutaka, 2013). Walking in a garden where one can come into contact with nature has a positive effect on the autonomic nervous system, and exposure to nature can promote balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (Hiromi et al., 2020). Furthermore, contact with nature promotes human health (Groenwegen et al., 2006). Kellert & Wilson (1993) suggested that interaction with nature affects human psychological well-being and happiness, and Ulrich et al. (1991) demonstrated through experimental research that contact with natural environments helps in stress recovery. 18th-century plant-mediated activities alleviated negative emotions, reduced stress, and influenced the feeling that disease states had improved. These records are consistent with the findings of existing research on plant-mediated activities.