Costumes are an important mean that represents the psychological and social characteristics of a wearer. Especially, in the hierarchical system, costume acts as a symbol of one’s social status more. The Korean costumes had been changing in the dual ...
Costumes are an important mean that represents the psychological and social characteristics of a wearer. Especially, in the hierarchical system, costume acts as a symbol of one’s social status more. The Korean costumes had been changing in the dual structure composed of our traditional costumes and Chinese costumes until the Joseon Dynasty. Official uniforms were provided from the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty to the decline of the Ming Dynasty. After the Ming Dynasty declined, official uniforms began to be manufactured in Korea.
Costumes of the royals separated social statuses, expressed authority and solemn manner, and represented the contemporary costume culture, implying culture, historical meanings, and symbols which have been considered important in the traditional society. Costumes of kings and queens who are in the highest social status are the most refined flower of the royal costume culture.
As a part of a research on the royal costumes in the Joseon Dynasty, this study was conducted to approach the localized and legislated costumes of kings and queens of the late Joseon Dynasty on which remains are relatively well preserved. Other purposes of the study were to reestablish the reproduction method of costumes of kings and queens in the late Joseon Dynasty and to suggest a direction of technology accumulation for the comprehensive composition of Korean costumes.
This study was conducted in both direct indirect ways by visiting to museums, analyzing literatures and articles, and making reference to costume remains, photos, and portraits in the late Joseon Dynasty. Based on the direct and indirect ways that include observation and an analysis on literatures, respectively, past costumes were accurately reproduced as much as possible.
The contents of the study are as follows.
First, the social and cultural backgrounds of the Joseon Dynasty including its late period are theoretically reviewed, the fact that the costumes of kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty were provided by the Ming Dynasty and their localization are studied, the types, compositions of costumes of kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty, their meanings, and characteristics are identified.
Second, literatures, remains, photos, and drawings related to the costumes of kings and queens of the late Joseon Dynasty were studied to select costumes to be reproduced. Kings and queens wore formal dresses by separating colors and patterns of costumes. The costumes of kings were divided into myeonbok (冕服), jobok (朝服), and sangbok (常服) by use and type and the costumes of queens are composed of beopbok (法服) and sangbok (常服). Their structures, types, characteristics, and meanings were identified.
Third, based on the result of the above study, the costumes of kings and queens in the late Joseon Dynasty are reproduced.
The researcher reproduces reproducible costumes such as the full-dress uniform, jobok, sangbok of kings, beopbok, and sangbok of queens in the late Joseon Dynasty using the sewing method. Their dimensions are directly measured, if remains still exist. If not, measurement data belonging to museums are referred. Hyeonui, jungdan, sang, and pyesul of gujangbok which is myeonbok of kings, are manufactured, referring to the Emperor Gojong’s costume belonging to the National Museum of Korea. In case of emperor’s sipijijangbok on which remains does not exist, its hyeonui, jungdan, sang, and pyesul are manufactured by referring to relics of Emperor Gojong’s gujangbok and photos of King Sunjong wearing it and a comparative analysis is performed. Even though the remains of king’s jobok does not exist, it is reproduced by confirming the portrait of Emperor Gojong and the photos of Emperor Gojong and King Sunjong and referring to the literatures including ‘Gukjooryeeui’ and ‘Gukjosokoryeuibo’ indicating that jobok has the same drawing as king’s myeonbok but does not have jangmun. In case of king’s sangbok, hwangryongpo and hongryongpo are reproduced by referring to the relics of Emperor Gojong of the Sejong University Museum and the relics of King Youngchin of the National Palace Museum of Korea.
Jeokeui, jungdan, pyeseul, hapi, and dae of queen’s beopbok are manufactured by referring to sipideungjeukeui of Empress Sunjeong in the Sejong University Museum and gudeungjeokeui of Queen Youngchin in the National Palace Museum of Korea. In case of queen’s sangbok, hwangwonsam and hongwonsam are reproduced by referring to the relics of Empress Sunjeong in the Sejong University Museum and the relics of Queen Youngchin in the National Palace Museum of Korea, respectively.
Cloths used to reproduce costumes are obtained by purchasing them in fabric stores that reproduced their products based on the data of the above remains or by ordering custom-made cloths. Cloths on which colors and ingredients are most proper are selected. Using the prepared cloths, costumes are designed and cut based on necessary dimensions. After that, they are reproduced using sewing or a sewing machine, if necessary through traditional sewing methods such as broad-stitching, half backstitching, vertical hemming stitching, blindstitching, rolled hemming, and blinded top stitching, and the finished works are suggested.
The results of identifying the social and cultural backgrounds of the Joseon Dynasty, reviewing the localization of costumes which were provided by the Ming Dynasty, studying the types and compositions of king and queen’s costumes, and reproducing them are as follows.
First, gujangbok hyeoneui of king’s myeonbok is composed of a single black suningapsa and 8.5-centimeter-wide black hems are attached inside sugu, seopseon, and mitdan. A white dongjeong made of the same cloth is also attached. The seam is folded in double-stitching and backstitched, and the inseam is French seamed. Jungdan is one-layer blue sunin. Its length is longer than hyeoneui and the width of sleeves is smaller than hyeoneui. As hyeoneui, black hems are attached on sugu, seopseon, and mitdan. A front three-pok and four-pok sang is attached on the end of the waist part. In case of pyeseul, long rectangular-shaped hems and bi are attached and a ring is hung on the top end. Sipijangbok is reproduced by referring to literature records and remains of gujangbok. It has different jangmun but same jungdan as hyeoneui. Its sang is different from sang of gujangbok, so that connected to the waist part with the upper and lining. The manufacturing method of pyeseul is same as gujangbok. Jangmun of sang and pyeseul are different from gujangbok.
Second, in case of jobok, gangsapo on which remains don’t exist, based on the records indicating that it is same as myeonbok but does not have jangmun, it is manufactured using the same dimensions, cutting, and sewing methods as gujangbok. Po is made of gangna (絳羅) and has no jangmun but a straight collar unlike gujangbok. Since there are no remains, it is manufactured with the same dimensions and manufacturing methods of hyeoneui of gujangbok, except the collar. In case of jungdan, red hems are attached at the end of collars, doreyon, and sleeves except of red hems, jungdan is made of silver silk(銀色 羅). Its sang and pyeseul are also made of gangna and manufactured with the same dimensions and manufacturing method gujangbok.
Third, hwangryongpo is made by cutting the danryeong upper made of yellow unbomunsa and the jikryeong lining made of scarlet unbomunsa and stitching their seams in multi layers. Its outer goreum are double, red and yellow, and dongjeong is made of scarlet thin silk. Ojoryongbo is attached on shoulders, chest, and back. Hongryongpo is composed of multi-layers of the danryeong upper made of red unbomunsa and the jikryeong lining made of navy unbomunsa. Its dongjeong is made of pale blue-green sukgosa. Its upper and lining are made in a single layer then they are made in double layers by sewing. It is also fixed along doryeon and seopseon with a seopseon hem.
Fourth, empress’s sipideungjeokeui is a single-layered blue cloth embroidered with jeokmun and ihwamun. Its front sides correspond to each other and jeokmun of seop towards the same direction as jeokmun of gil. Its collar, doryeon, and sugu are surrounded by jikgeumunyongmun (織金雲龍文) with 9.5-centimeter-wide red hems and are decorated with hwayeommun (火焰文). Red silk is attached on its lining and doryeon has no border. Jungdan is made of single-layered silver patternless silk and 8.5-centimeter-wide red hems are attached on the collar, doryeon, and sleeves. In case of doryeon, a hem is attached only on the surface. Rectangular pyeseul are surrounded with blue fabrics and red hems. Hapi is made by putting pale pink fabrics into purple mumundan. The shapes, cutting, and manufacturing methods of gudeungjeokeui are same as sipideungjeokeui, except the doryeon hem attaching method, but has different size. Since the facing direction of jeokmun of seop and gil, seop should be attached, paying attention to the direction of woven fabrics. In case of sipideungjeokeui, a hem is attached only on the surface of doryeon. However, hems are attached on both the upper and lining of gudeungjeokeui.
Fifth, hwangwonsam are made of the yellow upper and navy hems. Its red lining is connected to saekdongseon and its tip and doryeon is covered by navy hems. The inseam is four-layered sewed. It is multi-layered but its upper and lining are separately sewed. Multi-layered baeja facing collars are attached for the outer collar using jikgeumdan and the mokpan-collars made of the same fabric as the lining are attached for the inner collar. In addition, white dongjeong made of the same cloth as the lining is attached. A button is attached just on above the central bo of apgil. After putting the lining inside the upper, doryeon and inseam are fixed using blindstitching. The manufacturing method of hongwonsam is same as hwangwonsam except the shape of attached hems. Unlike hwangwonsam on which hems are attached on both the upper and lining, in case of hongwonsam, a hem is attached only on the lining. In addition, it has a different closure style; the closure of hongwonsam includes silk threaded bo strings on both sides whereas the closure of hwangwonsam is done with a button.
The study on reproduction of costumes of kings and queens in the late Joseon Dynasty is helpful to understand the reconstruction method and structural characteristics of royal costumes. In addition, the study suggested a direction of technology accumulation for the comprehensive composition of Korean costumes.
In-depth consideration on the past costume culture plays an important role as a basic and necessary stage to create new fashion. To lead the contemporary and future fashion cultures, studies on the past costumes are required. Considering that one of ways to take the superior position in competition in the global era is to reestablish and preserve the unique cultures, this study will be referred by those who are engaged in the fashion industry encompassing design and decoration as a source of inspiration for fashion design. In addition, the study may be used to create new fashion modes of future Korean costumes and contemporary costumes through further researches.