Decorative patterns derived from nature or from his own imagination. There are 3 main theories to it.

-First, man felt an impulse to enhance the beauty of objects in order to make them appeal to his own strange human sense of orderliness.

-Second, he feared empty spaces because they lack the feeling of stability that wound be provided by some sort of organized principle.

-Third, the first decorations were magical or religious symbols drawn to appeal to the gods and other spirits for protection and happiness.

A look at their furniture, textiles and other everyday objects reveals different meanings of symbols such as wealth, happiness or fertility, etc; constant exposure to those symbols in the decorations that surrounded them must have had a strong influence on their thinking.

The people of old Korea worshiped Heaven, and it was said when a holy sage appeared on earth or passed away a rain of flowers fell from the sky. Flowers were, in a sense, Heaven's representatives on earth, and their  use of decorations of building was expression of the Korean heart's admiration and respect for the Celestial Being.