孟子에서 文王의 發政施仁과 같은 王政을 펼치는 곳이라고 설명한 ‘明堂’은, 殷周交替期에도 實在했던 것이지만, 春秋時代 이전까지는 그 용어의 사용 흔적이 보이지 않는다. 그것은 戰國時代에 유행하기 시작했던 五行 및 時令思想에 의해 새롭게 형성된 용어이기 때문이다.
明堂은 布政과 朝禮 祭禮 養老 敎化를 펼치는 正殿의 기능을 했던 군주의 포괄적인 정치활동 장소로서, 宗廟 太廟 廟堂 太室 등으로도 불린다. 그러한 명당⋅종묘제도는 戰國 末을 거치면서 완전히 계승되지 못하였고, 漢初에 와서야 막연한 상상과 구전으로 그 본연의 의미를 상실한 채 단편적인 부분만 전해지게 되었다. 따라서 漢나라 때부터 明堂은 布政 및 祭禮 시설로, 宗廟는 先君을 위한 제례 시설로, 그 두 가지를 별개의 건축물로 인식하게 되었다.
殷周交替期 즈음에 조성된 辟雍은 周나라 천자가 귀족자제들을 위해 설립한 學宮으로 알려져 있지만, 실제로는 그보다 더 다양한 기능을 했던 곳이다. 辟雍을 중심으로 강물이 ‘둥근 옥[璧]’처럼 環抱된 모습이라는 그곳의 자연 환경은, 마치 그곳이 천연적인 요새인 것처럼 보이게 한다. 벽옹은 왕이 거처하는 특정한 마을을 가리키는 것이거나, 그 마을의 중심부에 있는 왕의 통치 장소이다.
辟雍 안에는 靈臺를 함께 조성하였다. 白虎通義⋅大戴禮記⋅蔡中郞集 등에서 논한 것을 종합하면, 靈臺가 곧 明堂이며 동시에 廟堂이 된다. 바로 그곳에서 王이 布政을 행하였다. 그 때문에 明堂을 廟堂 위 북쪽에 위치한 太室인 路寢을 가리키기도 한다.
‘Myeong-Dang(明堂 : an ancient structure where a king receives vassals’ Jo-Rye)’, which was explained in Mencius, regarding King Mun(文王)’s politics, as a place where ‘a sage king demonstrates his politics(王政)’ like the spreading of ‘the love(仁) of compassion for everyone’, existed during the transition period from Shang(商) Dynasty to Zhou(周) Dynasty, but the evidences of the use of the term is not observed to have been until the Spring and Autumn Period. It’s because it was coined by the five elements thoughts(五行思想 : the theory that the five elements consisting of the whole creation in the universe, that is, wood, fire, soil, metal and water makes one another live or beats others in order) and Si-Ryeong thought(時令思想 : the thought that a king rules differently depending on 4 seasons and 12 months) during the Warring States Period.
Myeong-Dang is the place for a king’s comprehensive political activities playing the role of a palace in which political orders were proclaimed, Jo-Rye(朝禮 : a formality between a king and vassals) and ancestral ritual formalities were held, supporting for retired old age(養老), and enlightenment was conducted, and is also called as Jongmyo(宗廟), Taemyo(太廟 : a shrine which a kings first ancestor used in the past, or one which is built later for the ancestral rites), Myo-Dang(廟堂 : an ancient structure inside of a Myo), Taesil(太室 : a king’s private livingroom and bedroom) and etc. Such Myeong-Dang and Jongmyo systems were not completely succeeded going through the end of the Warring States period, and only at the early stage of Han Dynasty, just its fragmentary parts were passed down through vague imagination and oral tradition while its original meanings had been lost. Accordingly, since Han(漢) Dynasty, ‘Myeong-Dang(明堂)’ had become known as the facility to proclaim political orders and hold religious and ancestral rituals, and ‘Jongmyo’ as the ancestral ritual facility for the late king, so those two became recognized as separate buildings.
Pyeok-Ong(辟雍) formed around the transition period from Shang Dynasty to Zhou Dynasty is known as Hak-Goong(學宮 : a national university) that the emperor of Zhou Dynasty made built for sons of noble, but in reality, it played more diverse roles. It natural environments, where river surrounded Pyeok-Ong like 'a round jade(璧)’, makes the place look like a natural fortress. Pyeok-Ong refers to a particular village that a king resides in or a king’s ruling place at the center of the village.
In Pyeok-Ong was Yeong-Dae(靈臺) established together. When what’s discussed in Baekhotongeui(白虎通義) Daedaeryegi(大戴禮記) Chaejongrang’s collection of literary works(蔡中郞集) and others is synthesized, Yeong-Dae is, that is to say, Myeong-Dang and simultaneously Myo-Dang. At the very place did a king proclaim political orders. Because of which, Myeong-Dang also means Nochim(路寢), Taesil located in the northern part of Myo-Dang.