Kon-myun was worn by the ancient Chinese and Korean rulers as ceremonial dress during special rituals, such as worshipping heaven and ancestors, marriage, or funerals. Kon-myun consists of two major parts-Myun(the royal headpiece)and Kon-bok(the main ...
Kon-myun was worn by the ancient Chinese and Korean rulers as ceremonial dress during special rituals, such as worshipping heaven and ancestors, marriage, or funerals. Kon-myun consists of two major parts-Myun(the royal headpiece)and Kon-bok(the main bodypiece) - as well as other articles of clothing(skirt, footgear, etc.). There were regulations set in ancient books describing in detail the make of the Kon-myun, number of ryu(旒)and symbol(章文) to be used, all which applied to each ruler depending on rank and status. This study is aimed at examining the consistency of the Korean and Chinese in following the regulations as seen in relics which have been recovered from the past. Based on historical findings, it seems that Korean Kon-myun came to Korean from China during the Three Kingdoms peirod(about the 6th century). It was also worn in the Koryo (936∼1392), and Chosun(1392∼1896) Dynasties and the Taehan Empire(1896∼1910). In studying Konmyun in Korea, the researcher studied a book from the early Chosun Dynasty, Kukjo-oryeuiseorye(國朝五禮儀序例 圖說), and a book from the late Chosun Dynasty, Kukjosangrye-bopyun(國朝喪禮桶編 圖說), to find the guidelines and rules applying to the Kon-myun tradition. Slight differences were found across time in the supplementary articles of clothing, as seen in Uigwe Pokwan-doseols(儀軌 服元圖說), explanations and drawings of Kon-myun. The researcher used uigwes of funerals of kings(國葬都監儀軌) of the Chosun Dynasty and observed change over this period of time. However there was a clear consistency: the king`s Kon-myun consisted of 9ryu-myun 9chang-bok(9族冕9章服) while that of the price consisted of 8ryu-myun 7chang-bok(8族冕7章服). For the Taehan Empire, the researcher used Tae-han Yae-jun(大韓禮典) which shows the emperor`s Kon-myun to have consisted of 12ryu-myun 12chang-bok(12族冕12章服). To study how the regulations were put into practice, relics were uncovered from the periods being studied. A portrait of King Ik-jong(翼宗), remnants from King Ko-jong`s(高宗)Kon-bok, and a photograph of Emperor Sun-jong(純宗), all were in close adherence to the regulations outlined in the books. In China, Kon-myun was worn by emperors from the Han(漢) to the Ching(淸) Dynasties. the researcher investigated Kon-myun especially in the Ming(明) Dynasty. The Kon-myun regulations, as read in Tai-ming-hui-chan(大明會典), changed through all four periods. To study the faithfulness of practice to law Ding-ling(定陵), the tomb of Emperor Shin-jong(神宗) who ruled during a period of the Ming Dynasty, was unearthed and the remains of the Emperor`s Kon-myun were analyzed. The Kon-myun consisted of 12ryu-myun 18 chang-bok(12族冕18章服), and there were other differences in color, symbols, and wearing method when compared to the regulations. It can be condulded that the Chinese Kon-myun tradition was not in strict adherence to the regualtions established by law books. This is in contrast to the Korean Kon-myun tradition which showed little deviation. Further study is needed to understand why there was this difference in tradition and ritual.