This study is a review of Dae(Belt) from Chosun era, mainly on Gakdae.
Dae binds the waist of clothes, fixing its location, stabilizes the center of body and enhances its mobility. Besides that, it served to indicate class, with other several indicat...
This study is a review of Dae(Belt) from Chosun era, mainly on Gakdae.
Dae binds the waist of clothes, fixing its location, stabilizes the center of body and enhances its mobility. Besides that, it served to indicate class, with other several indicators, as well as to divide the official grades.
Accordingly, this study reviewed the historical meaning of Dae, which was a part of clothes with practical use as well as symbol of class or official grades, with times. Also, the review ranged from the change and the process in which Chosun era's Dae was established to the shape and types mainly on Gakdae. In the process, this study also tried to determine whether the figures in portrait wore the right Dae for his official grade.
Let's look at the Dae before Chosun era. In Goguryeo, the Dae was in simple shape which helped displaying horse riding people's spirit, being convenient for movement. Baekjae formed its culture under the influence of Northern Dynasty culture through Goguryeo and the Southern Dynasty culture, in the Era of Disunity in China. In 27th ruling year of Goiwang, the 7th Baekjae King, they differentiated the color of Dae according to the class, which was the first among the three countries in ancient Korean territory. Meanwhile, Shilla organized its status system on clothes in King Bupungwang's time(514~540), in which Shilla furnished their own country as a centralized, aristocratic country. In King Jindukwang's 2nd ruling year, Kim, Chun Chu imported Euidae from Tang and after that, they changed their customs into Chinese style. Since the reform of women's wear in King Munmuwang 4th year, they kept receiving Chinese clothes. In affluent United Shilla, people enjoyed extravagance in living, eventually invited 10-Step Prohibition Law in Clothes in King Bupungwang's time. In Goryeo Era, they became to follow Chinese style and system through many times of receiving of Dae through Song, Mongol and Ming. Finally, in King Uiwang 13th year, their Dae became to be regulated by the rules of 'two grades down' from its counterpart of Ming.
Concerning the Dae in Chosun, the King wore Okdae(Jade Dae) and the son of Crown Prince wore Okdae in early Chosun and after Sujungdae(Crystal Dae), from King Injo 26th year. The Dae for subject was regulated in law, but with not so much effectiveness. 『Gyunggukdaejeon』 firmly established this in King Sejo's era. The system in 『Gyunggukdaejeon』was modified and implemented with the identified problems through mid Chosun, in 『Daejeonheuitong』which was published in King Gojong 2nd year(1865). This new system, however, were not much different from that of 『Gyunggukdaejeon』. Since King Gojong 21st year, the official clothes went through many changes, but the Dae, which has not any particular exact records, seemed to employ the same system as 『Daejeonheuitong』's one. This Dae used in Chosun, disappeared as the official clothes changed into western style, with the official announcement No.14 of civil servant's official clothes regulations on April 17th, Gwangmu 4th year(1900).
The Dae of music players can be observed in 『Akakgueibum』 and 『Uiguei(Jinyeon․Jinchan․Jinjak)』, which were the records of royal or national events in each King's time. We can see the types and materials of Dae from these records. Akakgueibum‘s Dae can be classified into Gumdongnokhyukdae, Ojongdae, Giryangdae in Guwanbokdosul and Dae in Chuongguwanbok. The Dae used in Uiguei(Jinyeon․Jinchan․Jinjak) were Gumdae, Dusokhukdae, Dusokchodae, Ohyukdae, Ojongdae, Ogakdae, Dusokdae, Bodae, Jujeondae, Hakjeongyadae, Hakjeongdae, Eunsokdae, Kumdongyadae, Eunyadae, Dogumdae, Hongjeongdae and Dusoknokjeongdae. We can see that various Dae were used, and in many areas, same types of Dae were repeated.
The material for Dae was various - Jungdongsa, Samnok, Agyo(glue), Tan(charcoal), Sambobanwolae, Myungyu, Sukjahwang, Daedongsa, Maebuseangwupi, Dusok, jangpijeonjangguwang, Danmok, Hongjueui, Songyeon, Hukgakdaejeon and Sojeon. The material was described in enough detail to reproduce Dae now.
The observed Dae types in remains are Okdae, Bichidae(Jadeite Dae) and Sujeongdae(Crystal Dae) for Royal family, and Seodae, Gumdae(Gold Dae), Eundae(Silver Dae), Hakjeongdae, Yeojigumdae, Ogakdae(or Hukgakdae), Pogakdae, Daemodae, Mokgakdae for officials. Dae was divided by the materials in its Tidon, and the decoration on Tidon became luxurious as Dae turned into an important indicator of the wearer's status. That is why we can observe many restrictions on Dae in 『Chosunwangjosilnok』.
Most of the remains of Dae came from late Daehan Empire. The Chosun Yeojigumdae which is existed only in literature, however, can be guessed in shape and pattern, on the basis of Yeojigumdae from Goryeo Taesamyo. Also Nongam Lee, Hyun Bo(1467-1555)'s Gumseodae, which was received from King Jungjong in 1542, told us the difference in early Chosun and late Chosun's Dae. The Gumdae from Suk Joo-Sun Memorial Museum Dankook Unversity reveals some similar style as Nongam Lee, Hyun Bo's Gumseodae. It kept some style of early period, though it was from late period. So Gumdae and Daemodae are believed to be transitional style to late period.
Though some of Dae in portrait featured as right kind for the figure's title and grade, most of them presented higher grade's Dae than the Dae supposed to wear by 『Gyunggukdaejeon』. Maybe, their wish to be evaluated higher by their descendants was revealed through the worn higher grade's Dae. This confirms the fact again, that the Dae as well as clothes played an important role to display the class and authority.
Like this, this study could check the change in system, shape and material of Dae, over the review of the system and the remains of Chosun Dae.