Guide to South Korea and Korean Culture & Customs - A Comprehensive Introduction About Korea's Cultural Heritage

South Korea has become a popular international tourist destination in recent years. There is still a lot we don't know or comprehend about South Korea's cultural traditions and unique customs despite the fact that tourism is on the rise and the country is accepting more and more foreign visitors each year

Korea's rich cultural heritage, which includes music, art, literature, dance, architecture, dress, and cuisine, is a beautiful blend of history and contemporary. South Korea has a rich cultural history, the majority of which has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List to be preserved for future generations.

UNESCO Treasures in Korea 

As early as prehistoric times, Korea's people built a distinct culture based on their outstanding creative sensibility. Koreans benefited from the peninsula's geographical qualities by absorbing both continental and marine civilizations, as well as a wealth of resources, resulting in the development of distinctive cultures that are valuable to the rest of humanity, both historically and presently. Music, art, literature, dance, architecture, fashion and food are all examples of Korea's rich cultural legacy.

Seokguram Grotto 

A seated Buddha and 38 other Bodhisattvas adorn the walls of this man-made cave made of white granite. It is Seokguram's skillful integration of Silla's architecture, arithmetic, geometry, physics, religion, and art that makes his work truly unique.

The majestic entrance to Bulguksa Temple

Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju was built in 774 during the Silla (57 B.C.-A.D.935) period. Its architectural design has become the standard for temple construction. There are many outstanding treasures within and outside the temple grounds, including 

Seokgatap (Pagoda of the Historic Buddha) and Dabotap (Pagoda of Many Treasures).

Dabotap (Pagoda of Many Treasures) (left); and Seokgatap (Pagoda of the Historic Buddha) (right).

Jongmyo Shrine 

Jongmyo, the Royal Ancestral Shrine, was dedicated in 1395, three years after the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) was established. It enshrines the spirit tablets of its kings and queens.

Jongmyo-jeryeak

The elaborate memorial rites and the music, which accompanies them called Jongmyo-jeryeak, were designated as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. A ceremony is held on every first Sunday of May. 

Haeinsa (Temple) Janggyeongpanjeon 

Janggyeongpanjeon, two storage halls at Haeinsa Temple, are the repositories for the Tripitaka Koreana the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) version of the Buddhist canon.

Tripitaka Koreana 

Tripitaka Koreana is the oldest and most comprehensive compilation of Buddhist scriptures in existence today. It was carved on 81,258 woodblocks during the Goryeo Dynasty.  

It also developed the world’s first movable metal printing type, some 200 years before it was developed in the West. 

Changdeokgung Palace 

One of five palaces in Seoul, Changdeokgung Palace is free from the traditional symmetrical or lineal arrangement of structures and was designed instead in accordance with the surrounding topography.

It is a fine example of ancient Korean landscaping with a lotus pond, some 300-year old trees, and a pavilion all arranged in harmony with their surroundings.

Hwaseong Fortress 

Hwaseong Fortress was constructed over 34 months in Suwon, south of Seoul, in 1796. The fortress incorporated the very latest construction technology, theories of military defense and aesthetic principles to create the most advanced military stronghold Korea had ever known. 

It stretched over mountainous terrain, around an urban center and through flatland and included four major and several minor gates, command posts, observation towers, battlements, guard posts and bunkers. Most of the 5,743 meter exterior fortress wall still remains.

Gyeongju Historic Area and dolmen sites in the counties of Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa 

Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Kingdom for a thousand years. The area is called a “Museum Without Walls” because of the wealth of historical properties there. 

Dolmens are megalithic structures used as burial chambers and funerary monuments. Dolmen sites in Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa preserve these prehistoric stone relics.

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes 

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes together comprise three sites that make up 18,846 ha. The site, of outstanding aesthetic beauty, also bears testimony to the history of the planet, its features and processes.

Pansori

Pansori is a genre of musical story-telling, performed by a vocalist with drum accompaniment. These popular solo epic songs, characterized by expressive singing, stylized speech, and mimetic gestures, embrace both aristocratic and folk culture. 

Pansori is a compound word from “pan” (a public place where people gather) and “sori” (song). Performances can last up to eight hours, where a male or female singer  improvises on texts that combine rural Korean dialects with erudite literary expressions. The settings, characters and situations that make up the pansori are rooted in the Joseon period (1392-1910).

Gangneung’s Danoje Festival 

Gangneung’s Danoje Festival in Gangwon-do Province is the largest traditional festival in Korea and lasts nearly four weeks in the fourth to early fifth month of the lunar calendar. 

The music, dance, literature, drama and handicrafts associated with the festival are of high artistic value and have extraordinary worth in that the festival has continued for approximately a thousand years and reflects the history and life of commoners.

Hunminjeongeum  & Joseon Wangjosillok 

Hunminjeongeum was a primer for teaching Hangeul, the Korean alphabet created by the Joseon Dynasty's fourth ruler, King Sejong the Great (r. 1418-1450). The new alphabet was promulgated in 1446.  

Joseon Wangjosillok resulted from the tradition of preparing a historic record of each reign. It began in 1413 with the Annals of King Taejo (r. 1392-1398), the founder and first king of Joseon, and continued through the end of the dynasty in 1910. The Annals were drafted by historians in the Office for Annals Compilation (Chunchugwan), and to ensure preservation, copies were stored in special repositories situated in different parts of the country. 

Seungjeongwon Ilgi & Buljo Jikjisimcheyojeol 

The Seungjeongwon, the Royal Secretariat of the Joseon Dynasty, was responsible for keeping the Seungjeongwon Ilgi, a detailed record of the daily events and official schedule of the court, from Joseon Dynasty’s first king, Taejo (r. 1392-1398), to the 27th and last, Sunjong (r. 1907-1910). However, currently only 3,243 diaries exist. Recorded in the Seungjeongwon Ilgi is the largest amount of authentic historic information and state secrets of the Joseon Dynasty. It served as the primary source for the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, thus its historic value is even greater than the Annals itself. 

Buljo Jikjisimcheyojeol, compiled in 1372 by the monk Baegun (1298-1374), contains the essentials of Seon (Zen) Buddhism. The key words of the title, “Jikjisimche” were taken from a famous phrase about attaining enlightenment through the practice of Seon. A colophon on the last page of the book states that it was printed with movable metal type at Heungdeoksa Temple in 1377, about seventy years before the Gutenberg Bible was printed in Germany, making it the world’s oldest book printed with movable metal type. 

Uigwe 

A unique form of documentary heritage, the Uigwe is a collection of Royal Protocols for the 500-year-long Joseon Dynasty (1392- 1910). 

A comprehensive and systematic collection of writings and paintings, it provides a detailed account of the important ceremonies and rites of the Joseon court. Its particular style of documentary heritage cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Culture and Customs of Korea  

Before the Korean War in the 1950s, South Korea was a primarily rural culture; today, it is a highly industrialized and urbanized one. As a modern metropolitan society that has assimilated numerous cultural elements from around the world including terminology acquired from other languages, South Koreans have kept much of their traditional South Korean culture and traditions. Here are some interesting facts about South Korean culture to help you get a better understanding of the people who live there.

Art, crafts, food, and apparel are all examples of South Korean traditions and customs. The finest place to see them preserved is in a small rural town. 

Here are some interesting things to know about South Korean culture:

• Hangeul (The Korean Alphabet) 
• Printing Heritage / Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto 
• Jerye-ak (The Music of the Jongmyo Ancestral Rites) 
• Traditional Musical Instruments / Masks and Mask Dance-Dramas 
• Kimchi and Bulgogi (Two Healthy Korean foods) 
• Korean Ginseng / Hanbok (Korean Dress) 
• Jangsingu (Personal Ornaments) / Jasu (Embroidery) 
• Gardens / Dancheong (Decorative Coloring Used on Buildings) 
• Patterns / Folk Paintings 
• Paper Crafts / Korean Seasonal Customs 
• Rites of Passage / Shamanism 
• Taekwondo / Ssireum (Korean Wrestling) 

Hangeul (The Korean Alphabet) 

Koreans have developed and use a unique alphabet called Hangeul. It is considered to be one of the most efficient alphabets in the world and has garnered unanimous praise from language experts for its scientific design and excellence.

 

Hangeul is Korea’s unique writing system created by King Sejong in the 15th century. 

Hangeul was created under King Sejong during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). In 1446, the first Korean alphabet was proclaimed under the name Hunminjeongeum, which literally meant “the Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People.” 

LG Electronics inscribed Hangeul characters onto the cover of one of its cell phone models to promote Hangeul’s beauty. 

King Sejong, the motivating force behind Hangeul, is considered to be one of the greatest rulers in the history of Korea. Highly respected for his benevolent disposition and diligence, King Sejong was also a passionate scholar whose knowledge and natural talent in all fields of study astounded even the most learned experts. 

When King Sejong was not performing his official duties, he enjoyed reading and meditating. He could also be very tenacious at times and would never yield on what he thought was right. Love for the people was the cornerstone of his reign (1418-1450), and he was always ready to listen to the voices of the common folk. He was a ruler of virtue, with the welfare of the people dictating all policy formulations.  

King Sejong also established the Jiphyeonjeon, an academic research institute, inside the palace. Noted scholars from all academic disciplines gathered here to engage in lively discussions and also to publish a variety of books. 

A portrait of King Sejong, the leading force behind the creation of Hunminjeongeum

During his reign, King Sejong always deplored the fact that the common people, ignorant of the complicated Chinese characters that were being used by the educated, were not able to read and write. He understood their frustration in not being able to read or to communicate their thoughts and feelings in written words. 

The Chinese script was used by the intelligentsia of the country, but being of foreign origin, it could not fully express the words and meaning of Korean thoughts and spoken language. Therefore, common people with legitimate complaints had no way of submitting their grievances to the appropriate authorities, other than through oral communication, and they had no way to record for posterity the agricultural wisdom and knowledge they had gained through years of experience. 

A recent painting of young scholars of Jipheonjeon compiling books and concentrating on research activities during King Sejong's rule

King Sejong felt great sympathy for the people. As a wise ruler strongly dedicated to national identity and cultural independence, he immediately searched for solutions. What he envisioned was an alphabet that was uniquely Korean and easily learnable, rendering it accessible and usable for the common people. Thus, the Hunminjeongeum was born. In the preface of its proclamation, King Sejong states:

“Being of foreign origin, Chinese characters are incapable of capturing uniquely Korean meanings. Therefore, many common people have no way to express their thoughts and feelings. Out of my sympathy for their difficulties, I have invented a set of 28 letters. The letters are very easy to learn, and it is my fervent hope that they improve the quality of life of all people.” 

The statement captures the essence of King Sejong’s determination and dedication to cultural independence and commitment to the welfare of the people. When first proclaimed, Hunminjeongeum had 28 characters in all, of which only 24 are in use today. The 24 characters are as follows. The basic characters of the alphabet when Hunminjeongeum was first created numbered eight; they were the consonants “ㄱ, ㄴ, ㅁ, ㅅ, ㅇ” and the vowels “•, ㅡ, ㅣ” 

The Korean Alphabet 

The reason consonants and vowels were separated was due to their differing functions when two characters were combined to form a syllable.  This separation of consonants and vowels is replicated on computer key boards and phone touch pads, making typing in Korean very easy. Hunminjeongeum is basically a form of hieroglyph. Consonants, the initial sound characters, resemble a person’s speech organs. The shape of each character is based on the form of different sound articulation units. “ㄱ” (giyeok): To pronounce this character, part of the tongue touches the molar teeth and sticks near the uvula. The shape of the character is based on across-section view of this process.  

“ㄴ” (nieun): To pronounce this character, the front of the tongue curves and the tip of the tongue sticks to the upper gums. The shape of the character is based on a cross-section view of this process. 

“ㅁ” (mieum): To pronounce this character, the upper and lower lips are joined. The shape of the character is based on the form of the joined lips. “ㅅ” (siot): To pronounce this character, the tip of the tongue and the upper teeth are brought close together, and sound is created by blowing through the narrowed passage. The shape of the character is based on the form of the teeth during the process.  

“ㅇ” (ieung): To pronounce this character that is created by stimulating the uvula, the throat assumes a round shape, hence the form of the consonant.  Nine additional characters were made by adding additional strokes to the five basic consonants based on the strength of the sounds, as follows:

 

ㄱ -ㅋ 

ㄴ - ㄷ, ㅌ 

ㅁ - ㅂ, ㅍ 

ㅅ - ㅈ, ㅊ 

ㅇ - ㆆ, ㅎ

Yongbieocheonga: The work eulogizies the virtue of the ancestors for the House of Yi, the founding family of the Joseon Dynasty, likening them to a deep rooted tree and a spring of deep waters.

Honggildongjeon: Honggildongjeon (Tales of Hong Gil-dong, the first novel published in Hangeul) is a work of social criticism that scathingly attacked the inequities of Joseon with its discriminatory treatment of illegitimate offspring and its differences based on wealth.

Dongnipsinmum: The first edition of Korea’s first privately owned newspaper, the Dongnipsinmum (The Independent). Launched on April 7, 1896, the paper was the country’s first to use only Hangeul.

This separation of consonants and vowels is replicated on computer key boards and phone touch pads, making typing in Korean very easy. The photo above shows a model elementary school trying out digital textbooks. 

However, “ㆆ” is no longer used. The vowels, on the other hand, were created in the image of the sky, land, and man. That is ‘·’ resembles the roundness of the sky, ‘ㅡ’ represents the flat land and ‘ㅣ’ is the image of a standing man. The other vowels “ㅏ, ㅑ,ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ” are variations of these three basic vowels.  

The creation of the Hunminjeongeum was a remarkable accomplishment. Creating consonants based on a person’s speech organs and vowels based on the shapes of the sky, land, and man was truly a revolutionary and unprecedented process. King Sejong and the scholars of the Jiphyeonjeon, considered human sounds as being more than mere physical phenomena. They assumed that an invisible yet more powerful principle was the controlling force behind these phenomena. They adhered to the principle that human sounds and all universal phenomena are based on eum-yang (Chinese: yin-yang) and ohaeng (the five primary elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth). Hence, they thought it natural that there be a common link between sounds and the changing of the seasons and between sounds and music.  

A Korean syllable is divided into three parts: choseong (initial consonant), jungseong (peak vowel), and jongseong (final consonant). Jongseong was not separately created and was a repetition of the choseong. This is the basic framework that King Sejong and the Jiphyeonjeon scholars adhered to when creating the characters.  

As shown on the Korean Alphabet chart in the previous photo which clearly shows, Hangeul, with only 14 consonants and 10 vowels, is capable of expressing many sounds. Due to its scientific design, it is quite easy to approximate the sounds of foreign words by using Hangeul.

Efficient and beautiful: Hangeul characters express meaning literally and through the art of calligraphy. 

In particular, because of its simplicity and the rather small number of characters, Hangeul is very easy for children or speakers of other languages to learn. It is ironic that one of the greatest merits of the alphabet was once used by its critics as a reason to ban its use. Some scholars vehemently voiced their views against the “new” alphabet because of its learnability, and in derision, they called it Achimgeul (morning characters) or Amgeul (women’s characters). 

Achimgeul derisively implied it could be learned in one morning. For those scholars who had spent years in learning the complicated ideographs of the Chinese language, Hangeul did not appear to be worthy of learning. Amgeul meant that even women who had no academic training or background could easily learn the alphabet. In the Joseon era, there were those who considered the pursuit of academic studies and the subject of reading and writing to be the sole domain of a few privileged scholars. 

Such misconceptions were the result of confusing simple linguistic learning with more advanced academic studies. Without learning the basic alphabet, reading and writing would be impossible, let alone the study of more advanced subjects. Without being able to read and write, there can be no indirect communication of one’s feelings and thoughts. Surely, King Sejong’s intent was to enrich the lives of the people by introducing Hangeul, and not to make scholars out of all his subjects. 

Hangeul-decorated apparel produced by Korean designer Lie Sang-bong and 43 overseas designers were acclaimed at “Premiere Classe” and “Who’s Next,” two famous fashion shows in Paris

In subsequent history, Hangeul has been a mainstay of Korean culture, helping preserve the country’s national identity and independence. Illiteracy is virtually nonexistent in Korea. This is another fact that attests to the easy learnability of Hangeul. It is not uncommon for a foreigner to gain a working knowledge of Hangeul after one or two hours of intensive studying. In addition, because of its scientific design, Hangeul lends itself to easy mechanization. In this age of computers, many people now are able to incorporate computers into their lives without difficulties, thanks to a large number of programs written in Hangeul. 

Korean Printing Heritage 

 

In the cultural history of the world, the Korean people stand out for creating a brilliant tradition in printing. For example, woodblock printing began in the 8th century in Korea. The world’s first metal typeface was developed by Koreans more than 200 years before Gutenberg in Germany. 

Long before the use of letters, human beings used various symbols and signs to communicate and to keep track of records. The engraved symbols and pictures on the surface of stones used by the primitive ancestors of Koreans can be seen in the stone carvings discovered in Cheonjeon-ri, Ulsan. After letters were introduced, transcription greatly enhanced the effectiveness of indirect communication. Engraved in stone or metal, the symbols and letters could withstand the erosion of thousands of years, and rubbings could be taken from them for the education of future generations. 

Restored geumsok hwalja (Metal movable type) from the Goryeo era (918-1392)

After Buddhism was introduced to Korea in 372 during the Three Kingdoms period, transcription and engraving in stone or metal became a widespread practice to propagate the teachings of the Buddhist scriptures. The missionary zeal of the believers led to an enormous increase in the production of paper and ink-sticks. Thus, as early as the Three Kingdoms period, Koreans were transferring their knowledge in making paper and ink sticks to Japan. They were also exporting their products to China, where the paper later came to be well known as Silla paper, Goryeo paper, or Joseon paper, depending on the different periods in Korea. In short, with the religious fervor of Buddhism providing the impetus, the necessary ingredients for the early development of printing-paper, ink, and the message were well in place during the Three Kingdoms period.

Buddhist scripture called the “Mugujeonggwang daedaranigyeong” (Pure Light Sutra), found in the Seokgatap pagoda of Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, is believed to be the world’s oldest printed material.

  

Historical records indicate that woodblock printing was being practiced in Korea in the beginning of the 8th century. A Buddhist scripture printed from woodblocks dating to the Silla period was retrieved from Bulguksa temple in Gyeongju. The title of the scripture is Mugujeonggwang daedaranigyeong (Pure Light Dharani Sutra). It is presumed to have been translated into Chinese characters by a monk named Mitasan around the year 704. One record also indicates that it was placed within the stone pagoda of Hwangboksa temple in 706. Others place it as the scripture that inspired the construction of numerous pagodas in Japan. Since the pagoda at Bulguksa temple from where the scripture was retrieved was built in 751, the scripture itself must have been printed well before that year. Though it is small, the print reveals the characteristics of early woodblock printing in Korea, and attests to the lofty heights in cultural accomplishments that the Korean people at the time reached. It remains among the world’s oldest printed material.  

Meanwhile, Choi Chiwon, the great scholar of the Silla Kingdom, wrote in one of his many books that a collection of Silla poetry had been printed and sent to an envoy of Tang in China. The statement is testimony to the widespread use of printing during the Silla period.  

Printing further developed during the Goryeo Dynasty (918 - 1392). Having adopted Buddhism as the state religion, numerous Buddhist temples were built, and printing was promoted as a way to disseminate Buddhist teachings during the Goryeo Dynasty. Of them, the oldest remaining text is Bohyeop indaranigyeong, printed at Chongjisa temple in 1007. It exemplifies the highly refined craftsmanship of Goryeo woodblock printers.  

(Right Photo) Haeinsa temple is nestled part way up Gayasan Mountain, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam do Province.
(Left Photo) The other side of the main hall of Haeinsa. 

During the reign of Hyeonjong (1010-1031), the printing blocks for Chojodaejanggyeong (first trimmed Tripitaka) were carved (1011-1031).

Korea’s printing tradition is among the oldest in the world. The Daejanggyeong (Tripitaka Koreana) which was carved from 1236 to 1251 is preserved in Janggyeongpanje, a hall at Haeinsa temple.

Later the blocks for Sokjanggyeong, a comprehensive collection of the studies and footnotes on the Tripitaka were also made (1091-1101). The blocks for both works were burned to ashes during the Mongol invasion in 1232. The King ordered them remade, even under the hardships of a protracted war, which took place between 1236 and 1251. The resulting masterpiece the Tripitaka Koreana, has been preserved to this day at Haeinsa temple in Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do province. It contains the world’s oldest remaining woodblocks for the Tripitaka. They are also the most accurate and comprehensive, used by the Chinese and Japanese as the standard reference in Buddhism studies. Printing flourished in other temples during the Goryeo Dynasty as well, churning out Buddhist scriptures, collections of poetry and essays by monks. Confucian teachings, medical treatises, historical writings, poetry and essays by noted scholars were also carved in wood for printing.

  

Goryeo Dynasty printing is noted for its invention of metal typeface. The exploding demand at the time for quality printed materials could not be fully met with wood blocks alone. The innorative people of the Goryeo period overcame that challenge by inventing characters cast in metal. The exact date of the invention is difficult to identify. Some argue that it was during the 11th century; others say it was sometime during the 12th. One author writing on woodblocks in 1239 indicated that metal characters were around well before 1232. Furthermore, the famous scholar-official Yi Kyu bo (1168-1241) wrote in his masterpiece Donggukisang-gukjip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of Goryeo) that 28 copies of Sangjeongyemun (prescribed ritual texts) were printed with metal characters.  

(Left Photo) In the Donggukisang-gukjip, the author notes that printing with metal type was already being done in the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392).
(Right Photo) Jikjisimgyeong was printed with metal type during the Goryeo Dynasty.

One of Goryeo’s early metallograph works, Baekunhwasangchorok Buljo jikjisimcheyojeol or Jikjisimgyeong for short (the Selected Sermons of Buddhist Sages and Seon Masters) printed at Heungdeoksa temple in Cheongju in 1377, is kept at the French National Library in Paris. The book is proof that metal type was widely used during Goryeo. In the book Goryeosa (History of Goryeo), it is recorded that in 1392 King Gongtang gave the government office Seojeokwon (books and publications center) the responsibility of overseeing all matters related to casting metal types and printing books.  

Various metal types used in Joseon Dynasty.

1. Gyemija, the first metal type, made in 1403 during the Joseon Dynasty.

2. Gyeongjaja, made in 1420, corrected the defects of Kyemicha.

3. Gabinja, one of the best Korean metal characters, produced in 1434 (left). Byeongjaja made in 1516 (right).

During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), metal, wood, and even ceramic characters were used for printing. Metal types were also called Juja (cast characters) and were made of copper, zinc, iron, and other metals. The founder of the Joseon Dynasty, King Taejo, kept alive the operations of Goryeo’s Seojeo-kwon. During the time of King Taejong, a separate casting office–Jujaso or type casting center–was established (1403). The printed materials consisted largely of books and documents deemed necessary by the government. They were distributed to the central and local administration, village schools, scholars and officials. For further distribution, woodblock printing was employed, as copies from metal types were limited.  

The first set of metal characters made by the Jujaso during the Joseon Dynasty was the Gyemija characters, named after the year (1403) in which it came out. In 1420, it was refined into the Gyeongjaja characters. The third set, the Gabinja characters, came out in 1434. King Sejong mobilized the efforts of the scholars and engineers of astronomical implements employed at his court to create the set. The result was a set far more exquisite than the previous ones, which could print twice as many copies as the Gyeongjaja set. King Sejong also had his scholars and craftsmen develop printing characters for Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. 

The beauty and harmony of the printed Chinese and Korean characters attest to the preeminence of the Gabinja among all metal characters that were developed in Korea. Thus, the Joseon court had the set reproduced six times. In 1436, it produced the Byeongjinja, named after the year of its production. They were the first soldered characters in the world.

Afterward, numerous other character sets were developed based on various styles of writing; however, most were destroyed or plundered during the Imjinwaeran (Japanese invasions of 1592-1598). When they retreated, the invaders took with them countless ceramic artisans and type-casting craftsmen, who later provided the seeds for the flowering of printing in Japan. Amid the destruction of the war, it was difficult to secure the raw materials needed to make printing characters. But even then, the soldiers of Hullyeondogam (military training command of Joseon) printed books using wooden characters and sold them to raise money for the war effort. The characters were known as the Hullyeondogamja, and they were used until efforts resumed to make metal characters. 

 

King Kwanghaegun, the 15th monarch of Joseon, rebuilt the casting office and renamed it Jujadogam, and had it create the Muoja characters in 1618. That was followed by the Hyeonjon shillokcha characters, intended specifically to print the history of King Hyeonjong’s reign, as well as a number of other character sets. Altogether, during the Joseon period, some 40 metal character sets were created by the central government offices. Their names typically indicated the year in which they were made, the agency that made them or the individual who provided the prototype character forms.  

Needless to say, local administrations, temples, villages and schoolhouses were also active in printing. In the local regions, wooden

Making geumsok hwalja (Metal movable type) 

Making geumsok hwalja (Metal movable type) 

1. Selection of character pattern
2. Making millapja (waxed characters) 
3. Pouring melted metal
4. Finished printing type
5. Recreating the characters used in the Jikjisimgyeong

Metal typography and printing flourished during the Joseon Dynasty, but the technique of woodblock printing inherited from Goryeo also continued. In early Joseon, Buddhism persevered among the royalty even in spite of the official anti-Buddhism policy of the new dynasty and provided the support for the continued printing of Buddhist scriptures. During King Sejo’s time, Gangyeong-dogam, a special printing office was established to translate and print Buddhist works. The influence of the royal court could be seen in the delicate engraving on the printing blocks.  

But the largest portion of woodblock printing during the Joseon period took place at the local government offices, temples, or village schoolhouses. Equipped with the necessary manpower and material resources, temples were particularly active in producing Buddhist scriptures as well as poetry and essay collections and even Confucian writings. They were the professional woodblock printers of the time.

  

Woodblock printing remained quite popular throughout the Joseon Dynasty, as there was no limit to the number of copies that could be made and the blocks were easy to keep. But as the centuries passed by, the quality declined and the engraving became coarse.  

Gyeongguk Daejeon (Grand Code for Managing the Nation)

It is noteworthy that misprints are hardly ever found in Korea’s ancient books. This, however, is not surprising, since the system did not permit error. As indicated in Gyeongguk Daejeon (Grand Code for Managing the Nation) and other historical records, punishment of related workers was severe: for a single error found in an entire volume, everyone, from the top supervisor to the lowest level intern, was caned thirty times; five or more mistakes led to the dismissal.

  

Indeed, the Joseon Dynasty developed a uniquely rich tradition in printing: for five centuries, the government took the lead in creating metal characters, local entities kept alive the tradition of woodblock printing, and great books of impeccable type were printed. Throughout world history, it is difficult to find a comparable example.  

However, these days, Korea is a net importer as far as printing and publications are concerned, despite the honor of having been the world’s first user of metal type. There is a growing awareness among Koreans that the glory of the past should be revived.  

Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto 

(Left Photo) An autumn view of Bulguksa temple.
(Right Photo) Hundreds of granite blocks of various shapes and sizes were assembled to form the cave. The domed ceiling is capped with a round granite plate decorated with a lotus design.

 

Located about 16 kilometers southeast of downtown Gyeongju, the former capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), is Bulguksa, one of the largest and most beautiful Buddhist temples in Korea. Built on a series of stone terraces, Bulguksa temple appears to emerge organically from the rocky terrain of the wooded foothills of Mt. Tohamsan. This is because it was built in accordance with ancient notions of architecture and principles of geomancy that man-made structures should not be obtrusive but should harmonize with their surroundings. Bulguksa is both monolithic and intricate and takes on different guises as the light and shadows shift and the weather changes. 

Bird’s-eye view of Bulguksa Temple

Bulguksa traces its origin back to a small temple that King Beopheung (r. 514-540), Silla’s 23rd monarch and the first Silla ruler to embrace Buddhism, had erected for his queen to pray for the prosperity and peace of the kingdom. Its present structures, however, date to 751 when Kim Daeseong, a devoted Buddhist who had served as chief state minister, began building the large “Temple of the Buddha Land.” An able administrator with an eye for beauty, Kim directed the construction until his death in 774, a few years before the project was completed. Originally consisting of more than 80 buildings, 10 times the number surviving today, it was the center of Silla 

Ground plan of Bulguksa Temple

Buddhism and served primarily as a place to pray for the Buddha’s protection against invaders. The temple’s stonework including the foundations, staircases, platforms and several pagodas date from that time. Two large stone balustraded staircases that were constructed without mortar dominate the temple’s facade. The one on the right comprises a lower flight of steps called Baegun-gyo (Bridge of White Clouds) and an upper flight of steps called Cheongung-yo (Bridge of Azure Clouds) and the one on the left, two flights of steps called Chilbogyo (Seven Treasures Bridge) and Yeonhwagyo(Lotus Bridge). 

The staircases are called bridges because symbolically they lead from the secular world to Bulguk, the Land of the Buddha. Baegun-gyo leads to Jahamun (Mauve Mist Gate), the main entrance to Daeungjeon, the temple’s main sanctuary. The other staircase leads to Anyangmun (Pure Land Gate), the entrance to Geungnakjeon, another main sanctuary. The colorful Daeungjeon is not Bulguksa’s largest building, but it is certainly the most important as it enshrines a statue of Sakyamuni, the Historic Buddha. 

The gilt bronze image made in 1765 is flanked by Dipamkara, the Bodhisattva of the Past, and Maitreya, the Bodhisattva of the Future, and two arhats, or disciples, Ananda and Kasyapa. Ananda, the younger of the two, is a cousin of Sakyamuni and his habitual attendant. Kasyapa is a leading disciple. The building is decorated with colorful dancheong patterns that are not only a reflection of the Buddhist heaven but also an attempt to bring the harmony and unity of the cosmos to earth for easy access by humans. Horned dragons look down from the eaves of the roof. 

Bulguksa’s Dabotap (Many Treasures Pagoda)

Dominating the courtyard of Daeungjeon hall are two of Korea’s most beautiful pagodas: the 10.4-meter-high Seokgatap (Pagoda of Sakyamuni) and the 10.4-meter-high Dabotap (Many Treasures Pagoda), both built around 751. A mimicry of wooden structure dominates the motifs of both pagodas. It is recorded that Kim Daeseong had them built for his parents, which is perhaps why the Seokgatap is rather masculine and the Dabotap feminine in appearance. 

Seokgatap is characterized by simplicity and princely dignity whereas Dabotap is highly decorative. The simple, three-story Seokgatap represents spiritual ascent via the rules put forth by Sakyamuni, Buddhism’s historical founder, whereas the more complex Dabotap symbolizes the complexity of the world.  Geungnakjeon (Hall of Paradise), which is to the left of Daeungjeon, enshrines a gilt bronze image of Amitabha, the Buddha of the Western Paradise. A masterpiece of Buddhist sculpture, the lovely image is believed to have been made in 1750.

Daeungjeon, the main hall of Bulguksa, was rebuilt in 1765. The stone foundations for the building were laid out during the Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57-A.D. 935)

Behind Daeungjeon is the temple’s largest building, a 34.13-meter long lecture hall called Museoljeon. It is interesting to note that the name literally means no lecture, implying that truth cannot be obtained through lectures. Behind and to the left of this hall is Birojeon (Hall of Vairocana), where an imposing gilt-bronze image of Vairocana, the Buddha of All pervading Light, made during the eighth or ninth century, is enshrined. The mudra, or hand gesture of this image, symbolizes that the multitudes and the Buddha are one. To the right of Birojeon is Gwaneumjeon in which an image of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Mercy, is enshrined. The image was made when the temple was restored. 

The main hall enshrines a gilt wooden Buddha triad flanked by earthen images of the two disciples of the Historic Buddha

High up on the mountain behind Bulguksa temple is Seokguram, a man-made stone grotto designed around the worship of a principal statue of Buddha. One of Asia’s finest Buddhist grottos, it reflects the application of advanced scientific principles and precise mathematical and architectural concepts, not to mention great technical skills. It is also a testament to the enthusiasm, courage, and sacrifice of Korea’s early Buddhist monks who risked their lives to make pilgrimages to faraway India to learn firsthand about their religion and its traditions.  

This type of cave temple originated in India where two kinds were constructed: chaitya, a sanctuary or hall containing a sacred object to be worshipped such as an image of a Buddha or a small stupa; and vihara, a monastery or shelter for monks, often with a stupa or niches for images. Both chaitya and vihara were created by tunneling in stone mountains and carving on natural rocks. 

Seokguram bonjon bulsang (the 3.5-meter-high main Buddha) is a world cultural heritage that is especially spectacular in terms of the religiosity and artistry of its carving.

Seokguram follows the chaitya model but it was not created by tunneling; perhaps Korea’s granite bedrock precluded the type of tunneling and carving involved in the Indian cave temples. Instead, the cave, which is high up on the mountain some 750 meters above sea level, was artificially created using carved granite slabs. Kim Daeseong constructed Seokguram at the same time he built Bulguksa temple; at the time, the former was called Seokbulsa, literally Stone Buddha temple. It was designed to guide the Buddhist faithful into the land of the Buddha, to enable them to take a spiritual journey to the realm of nirvana.

A legion of bas-relief images of various guardian deities decorates the walls of the antechamber of Seokguram.

A legion of bas-relief images of various guardian deities decorates the walls of the antechamber of Seokguram.

Seokguram comprises a rectangular antechamber and a round interior chamber with a domed ceiling connected by a rectangular passageway. The antechamber represents earth and the round chamber, heaven. A large image of a seated Buddha is in the rotunda. It is placed in the rotunda in such a way that the first rays of the sun rising over the East Sea strike the urna, the jewel in the forehead. Thirty-nine figures from the Buddhist pantheon such as bodhisattvas, arhats and ancient Indian gods are arranged systematically on the walls of the antechamber, corridor and rotunda according to their functions and ranks, giving the impression of the Pure Land of the Buddha incarnate in the present world. Most of the images are in base-relief. 

 

The main rotunda as viewed from the antechamber.

Chiseled out of a single block of granite, the 3.5-meter-high main Buddha is seated cross-legged on a lotus throne facing the east, eyes closed in quiet meditation, a serene, all-knowing expression on its face. Its features gentle eyebrows, noble nose, long ears and tightly curled hairare exquisitely portrayed. The hands are poised in the mudra of calling the earth to witness. An image of power and serenity, it presents Sakyamuni at the moment of enlightenment. The personification of divine and human natures, an enigmatic combination of masculine strength and feminine beauty, the image represents Buddhist sculpture at the zenith of classical realism. Many art historians consider it to be one of the most perfect Buddhist statues in the world.

One of the miniature statues of seated Bodhisattvas and faithfuls ensconced in the 10 inches on the wall of the main rotunda of Seokguram.

Heritage List in December 1995. At the same time, the woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana and their storage halls at Haeinsa temple, and Jongmyo, the royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon Dynasty, were also added to the list.  

The World Heritage List is part of an inter-national program under which unique and irreplaceable cultural assets located in countries that are signatories to the World Heritage Convention are recognized for their universal value and registered in an effort to ensure their preservation and maintenance in the interest of all humanity. The World Heritage Committee recognized Bulguksa and Seokguram as masterpieces of human creative genius and as an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble illustrative of a significant stage in human history.

Jerye-ak (The Music of the Jongmyo Ancestral Rites) 

(Left) A traditional Korean orchestra playing at Jongmyo (the Royal Ancestral Shrine).
(Right) A performer beats the drum during the Jongmyo-jerye rite. 

 

Koreans, in keeping with Confucian tenets, continue to revere their ancestors and to honor their achievements. This is most clearly evident on the first Sunday in every May when the descendants of the Jeonju Yi Royal Family honor Korea’s past royalty in elaborate Confucian rites at Jongmyo, the royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon Dynasty. 

Dressed in black robes and colorful aprons embroidered with animals signifying their rank and wearing hats run through with long horizontal pins, elderly men offer libations of food and drink before the memorial tablets of the kings that ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. While they do so, young, scarlet-clad women perfectly aligned in a square of eight rows by eight rows slowly bend and sway. Each one gently lifts a foot shod in black felt and, turning first to the east and then to the west and the north, bends slightly. They alternately don a round red cap and a black one according to the sequence of the dances. They strike a symbolic ax against a wooden shield for the military dances and wave a flute adorned with a dragon head and pheasant feathers for the civil dances. The ilmu, as this kind of dance is called, is characterized by a repetition of simple and restrained movements expressing humility and reverence. It is performed to the accompaniment of orchestras of musicians clothed in magenta robes who coax exotic sounds from ancient instruments of stone, metal, wood, leather and silk. 

The dance performed at Jongmyo daeje (Great Rites at the Royal Shrine) is referred to as Ilmu (Line Dance).

It is a colorful pageant but probably not nearly as grand as in the days of old when the rites, called jehyang or jerye, were performed several times a year and lasted all day. The day’s rites traditionally began in the early dawn with the king selecting food offerings from choice cows, goats and pigs as well as the finest fruits, grains and honey brought to the capital from every province. 

Although today’s ceremony, which starts around ten o’clock in the morning, is of a much-abbreviated form, it is a rare opportunity to experience the pomp and ceremony that characterized the highly Confucian dynasty of Joseon. In the past, the king, the civil and military court officials, and other lesser nobles performed the rites with the court’s musicians and dancers providing the accompaniment. Today the members of the Jeonju Yi Royal Family Association perform the rites to the accompaniment of music and dance provided by musicians from the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts and dancers from the Korean Traditional Music National High School.  

(Left) A court musician playing the pyeonjong, a set of 16 bells.
(Right) Deungga in Jongmyo jeryeak - an all instrumental orchestra. 

As many as 19 different classical Korean and Chinese musical instruments including stone chimes, bronze bells, various drums and other percussion instruments, and wind and string instruments are used during the ceremony. They are arranged in two orchestras that perform antiphonally: the terrace orchestra or deungga situated on the terrace of the shrine; and, the ground orchestra or heon-ga, situated in the courtyard. During the time of Joseon, the deungga was made up of one singer and 36 musicians and the heon-ga, 72 musicians; nowadays the two orchestras number some 50 in all.  

Officials preparing for a rite at Jongmyo

The music, called jerye-ak, dates to the reign of King Sejong (r. 1418- 1450), who ordered the court’s music master to restore the ritual music to its original Chinese Zhou Dynasty form. The music had changed considerably since its introduction from China around 1116 when King Yejong of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) began using Chinese musical instruments and music at the royal ancestral rites. It is not known what type of music was used before then but historical records indicate that memorial rites for royal ancestors were performed as early as 6 A.D. at the court of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). King Sejong wanted to replace the Chinese music with native Korean music in the belief that the spirits of the deceased kings would prefer the music they had enjoyed while alive. He revised musical arrangements and ordered new compositions made but he faced opposition from his courtiers who insisted on using Chinese music. In 1464, King Sejo had Botaepyeong and Jeongdae-eop, two pieces composed by King Sejong, included in the score for the royal ancestral rites and they have been a part of the rites ever since. The deungga plays Botaepyeong, which praises the civil achievements of the kings, and the heon-ga plays Jeongdae-eop, which praises the kings’ military exploits. The songs invite the ancestral spirits to descend from heaven to enjoy the offerings and to grant blessings on their posterity. The songs also recount the kings’ achievements in founding the Dynasty and defending the country in order to encourage their descendants to follow in their footsteps. 

Jegwan (meaning one who presides over rituals) acting out memorial rights for a deceased members of the royal family

As the stately, though somewhat ponderous, music plays, the officiants offer wine in brass cups to each spirit three times. An invocation is read for each spirit with the offering of the first cup of wine. The wine and food offerings are placed on tables before the memorial tablets in the cubicles of the shrine. There are two wine cups for each occupant of the cubicles; for example, on the table before King Sungjong’s (r. 1907-1910) cubicle are six wine cups, two for the king, and two for each for his wives, Queen Min and Queen Yun. During the time of Joseon, the king offered the first cup of wine, the crown prince the second and the chief state minister the third.

Jongmyo-jerye is the biggest national royal ceremony.

Upon completion of the rites, the king drank wine taken from the altar of Taejo, the Dynasty’s founder, as a gesture of communion with his spirit. There are 19 cubicles in Jeongjeon and 16 in Yeongnyeongjeon, Jongmyo’s two main buildings. Jeongjeon, the main hall, houses the memorial tablets of the kings of outstanding achievements and those who left direct heirs to the throne. Yeongnyeongjeon, the Hall of Eternal Peace, houses the tablets of lesser monarchs and those who died without direct heirs or who were honored posthumously with the title of king. The spirit of each king is allotted a cubicle. On the far side of the cubicle is a high chair-like table on which the wooden memorial tablet bearing the king’s name is enshrined. In front of the table is a space just large enough for a person to make a deep head-to-floor bow. The cubicles also contain a list of each king’s achievements and his personal seal and favorite books as well as the memorial tablets of all his queens.

 

Taejo, the founder-king of the Joseon Dynasty; Sejong, who is credited with the invention of the Korean alphabet; and Kojong and Sunjong, the last rulers of Joseon, are among the kings enshrined in Jeongjeon. The child-king Tanjong and the last crown prince, Yeongwang, who died in 1970, are among those honored in Yeongwang. The tablets of the father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather of Taejo are also enshrined in Yeongwang, along with those of their wives. 

Jongmyo (the Royal Ancestral Shrine) was put on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1995. The shrine comes to life once a year when descendants of the royal family of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) gather to observe memorial rites for their ancestors.

An unusually long building with wings at either side and a straight, uninterrupted roof, Jeongjeon stands on a terrace and is fronted by a large raised cobbled plaza. It was first built in 1395 by King Taejo when he moved his capital from Gaeseong, a city in North Korea, to Hanyang, located in modern day Seoul. In keeping with the traditional Chinese model, it was situated to the southeast of the main palace, Gyeongbokgung, and the altar for the gods of earth and harvest, Sajikdan, was situated to the southwest of the palace so that the ancestral shrine would be on the king’s left when he sat on the throne and the Sajikdan altar on his right. Jeongjeon was enlarged during the reign of King Myeongjong (r. 1545-1567), destroyed during the 1592-1598 Japanese invasions, and rebuilt by King Gwanghaegun in 1608. It was enlarged by King Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776), again by King Heonjong (r. 1834-1849), and finally to its present size by King Gojong (r. 1863-1907). Forty-nine tablets are enshrined at Jeongjeon.

Rows of officials performing the Jongmyodaejae rites.

Yeongnyeongjeon is similar to Jeongjeon, but the center of the structure, which houses the tablets of Taejo’s ancestors, is raised higher than the wings. It was constructed in 1421 by King Sejong. Burnt down during the Japanese invasions, it was reconstructed by King Gwanghaegun in 1608 and later enlarged. Thirty-four tablets are enshrined there now.

(Left) An offical pouring wine to offer to the spirit of the King.
(Right) The King leaving the rites.

Both buildings are of a simple, austere architectural style marked by thick wood columns and sharply pitched roofs that are covered with traditional gray tiles. Ceramic animal figures, symbolic guardians of the buildings, adorn the ridges of the roofs.

  

Near the front of the courtyard of Jeongjeon is a structure called Gongsindang. It houses the tablets of 83 ministers of state and others recognized for meritorious service. Other structures inside Jongmyo include a place for the king and crown prince to bathe and dress in preparation for the rites, a building for the musicians to rest and rehearse in, and a kitchen for preparing the foods and utensils necessary for the memorial rites. The walkways leading to the various structures are raised in the center. The king would use the center and the lesser nobles the sides but nowadays the chief officiant of the rites uses the center.

Jegwan (meaning one who presides over rituals) bowing down in front of the shrine

Throughout the Joseon period, memorial rites were held five times a year for the spirits of the kings enshrined in Jeongjeon and twice a year for those enshrined in Yeongwang. The rites were abolished in the early part of the 20th century when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule but were resumed in 1969, though in the form of one large service. The Jeonju Yi Royal Family Association has held the service at Jongmyo on the first Sunday in every May since 1971.

 

Building shrines to honor deceased rulers was a time-honored tradition in ancient China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and other East Asian countries that were within the Chinese cultural sphere, where Confucianism developed into the fundamental ruling ideology. Royal ancestral rites were of great national importance, especially in China and Korea, where centralized monarchies prevailed for centuries.

  

Jongmyo is the oldest and most authentic of the royal shrines that have been preserved. Consecrated to the Joseon Dynasty and its forebears, it has existed in its current form since the 16th century and ritual ceremonies linking rites, music and dance are still held there, perpetuating a tradition that goes back to the 14th century. Jongmyo’s importance is enhanced by the persistence there of important elements of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the form of traditional ritual practices and forms, including the jerye-ak royal ancestral shrine music. For all these reasons, Jongmyo was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, recognized as a cultural asset for all humanity.

Traditional Musical Instruments in Korea  

 

Left: Detail of a musician playing the gayageum (12-string zither)
Right: Buk concert

There are approximately sixty traditional Korean musical instruments that have been handed down through the generations, each boasting a long and rich history. They include the gayageum (12-string zither) and the geomungo (six-string zither), both presumed to have originated before the sixth century; the three string and three bamboo instruments of the Unified Silla Kingdom; court instruments of the Joseon Dynasty; and numerous others that are still being played.

Concert by a Korean traditional music orchestra

  

Native or folk instruments played a major role in the development of music in Korea from early civilizations to the Unified Silla Kingdom (668- 935). The Three Kingdoms period(57 B.C.-A.D. 668) witnessed the first introduction of Central Asian instruments into the country. This, along with the subsequent import of Chinese instruments, most importantly from Tang China during the late Unified Silla period and from Song China during the Goryeo period (918-1392), sparked a significant rise in the number of available instruments. This, in turn, made it possible for musicians to experiment, thereby expanding the scope and depth of local music. With time, Chinese instruments imported during these periods were slowly integrated into local music, and by the time the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) was established, they had already become an integral part of Korean music. Traditional Korean instruments can be broadly divided into three groups: string, wind, and percussion instruments. 

Based on their function, they can further be divided into native (Hyang), Tang (of Chinese origin), and court ceremonial instruments.

String Instruments 

1. Native Instruments 

Gayageum (12-string zither): 

The gayageum is the most representative instrument of Korea. Its origin can be traced back to the Kingdom of Gaya in the sixth century, when the Silla Kingdom was ruled by King Jinheung. However, the actual production of the first gayageum is presumed to have been much earlier. The instrument is constructed with 12 strings supported by 12 moveable bridges. The gayageum can be divided into two groups according to the types of music played upon them. The sanjo gayageum is used in folk and improvisatory musical pieces such as sanjo (solo music with drum accompaniment) and sinawi (improvisational ensemble music). The jeongak gayageum is used in chamber music such as Yeongsan hoesang (mass at the sacred mountain) or to accompany lyric songs.  

Geomun-go (six-string zither): 

Along with the gayageum, the geomun-go is one of the most important Korean instruments. Instruments that appear to be early, primitive forms of the geomun-go have been discovered inside ancient Goguryeo tombs in various locations. The geomun-go that is used today is constructed with six strings and 16 frets, and is played with a plectrum. It is used to accompany lyric songs as well as in chamber music and sanjo (solo music with drum accompaniment).  

2. Tang Instruments (Instruments of Chinese origin)  

Haegeum (two-string fiddle): Although it was first imported from China, the haegeum has since been fully absorbed into the local culture. Today it is popularly used in various genres of Korean music. The instrument is played by inserting a resined bow between the two strings and rubbing it against the strings. It is currently used in jeongak (chamber music) and sanjo (solo music with drum accompaniment). 

In particular, the haegeum is an indispensable part of samhyeon yukkak, the ensemble consisting of string and wind instruments that are used to accompany dance.  

Ajaeng (seven-string bowed zither): The three types of ajaeng are the Jeongak ajaeng, the sanjo ajaeng, and the daejaeng. 

The Jeongak ajaeng is constructed with seven strings and is used in Tang music such as Nagyangchun (Spring in Loyang) and Boheoja (Walking in the Void) as well as in native music such as Yeomillak (Enjoyment with the People) and Jeongeup (A Song of Jeongeup City). 

The sanjo ajaeng has eight strings and is used exclusively in folk music such as sanjo and sinawi. 

The daejaeng is a large ajaeng with fifteen strings. While once widely used to play Chinese music during the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty, the daejaeng is no longer in use.  

3. Court Ceremonial Instruments

Geum (seven-stringed zither): 

The geum has seven strings and a base with thirteen marks inlaid with mother-of-pearl, which mark the place where to press down on the string. Used exclusively in court music ensembles during the Joseon Dynasty, the instrument is no longer used.

Seul (twenty-five string zither): 

This instrument has twenty-five strings with 25 bridges. Along with the geum, the seul was used exclusively in court music ensembles and like the former is no longer played.

4. Other Instruments

Yanggeum (dulcimer): 

A European instrument that was imported from China during the 18th century, the yanggeum has 14 quadruple brass strings stretched over and under two brass bridges. The instrument is played by tapping the strings with a small bamboo stick.

Wind Instruments

1. Native Instruments

Daegeum (large transverse flute): 

The daegeum is one of three bamboo wind instruments of the Unified Silla period. The type used during that period was the Jeongak daegeum. Another type currently used is the sanjo daegeum. 

The Jeongak Daegeum has 13 holes and is typically used for chamber music and song accompaniment. While similar to the Jeongak daegeum in overall construction, the sanjo daegeum is slightly smaller in size and shorter in length. The two types of daegeum differ in their application as well: sanjo daegeum is used in sanjo (solo music with drum accompaniment) and sinawi (improvisational ensemble music) or to accompany folk songs and dance. The two types show a variation in pitch of a minor third when played with three holes.

Sogeum (small flute): 

The sogeum is one of the three bamboo instruments along with the concert daegeum (large flute) and the junggeum (medium-sized flute). While popularly used until the Joseon Dynasty, there are no remaining relics or prototypes to verify the exact shape of the instrument. A model of the sogeum was reconstructed based on existing documents, and this is the type that is currently in use.

Hyangpiri (Korean cylindrical oboe): 

The hyangpiri has seven finger holes and is used to perform Jeongak such as Yeongsan hoesang and Jeongeup, and folk music including sanjo (solo music with percussion accompaniment) and wind orchestration.

Chojeok (grass flute): 

Made from blades of grass, the chojeok was widely popular among the common folk of Korea.

2. Tang Instruments (instruments of Chinese origin)

Dangpiri (Chinese oboe): 

Shorter than the hyangpiri but with a asty. With eight finger holes, the instrument is played by inserting a reed in the blowhole. It is most widely used in nongak (farmers music).

Tungso (vertical flute): 

The two types of tungso are the jeongak tungso and the folk tungso. The jeongak tungso has nine holes and while widely popular until the Joseon Dynasty, is no longer used. The folk tungso has five holes in all, one in the back, and four in the front. One has a reed membrane. The instrument is used in sinawi (improvisational ensemble music), sanjo (solo music with drum accompaniment) and the Bukcheong lion dance. 

Taepyeongso (conical oboe): 

The taepyeongso was imported from China in the late fourteenth century during the late Goryeo or early Joseon Dynasty. With eight finger holes, the instrument is played by inserting a reed in the blowhole. It is most widely used in nongak (farmers music).

3. Court Ceremonial Instruments

Saeng (mouth organ), U (large mouth organ), and Hwa (small mouth organ): 

The three mouth organs are similar in construction and only differ in the number of pipes. The saeng has 17 pipes, the hwa has 13, and the u, the largest, has 36. The only one still in use is the saeng used to perform both Chinese and native music.

So (panpipes): 

The three types are the 12-pipe, the 16-pipe, and the 24-pipe. The only one still being used in Korea is the 16-piped version, employed exclusively in court ceremonial music.

Hun (globular flute): 

The hun is created from baked clay and has five holes in all. It is used exclusively in Munmyo jerye-ak (ritual music performed at Confucian shrines).

Ji (flute with mouthpiece): 

The ji has five finger holes in all, one in the back and four in front. The intervals between the holes are irregular. The instrument is used exclusively in court ceremonial music.

Yak (small-notched flute): 

Played vertically, the yak has three finger holes and is used in court music.

Jeok (flute): 

Played vertically, the jeok has one blowhole and six finger holes and is used in court ceremonial music.

4. Other Instruments

Danso (vertical flute): 

First played during the late Joseon Dynasty, the danso has five finger holes. It is used in chamber music such as Yeongsan hoesang and also for solo perfomances.

Sepiri (slender cylind-rical oboe): 

The sepiri is a slenderized version of the hyangpiri and has less volume. The instrument is used in orchestral music where the string section provides the core performance. It is also used in chamber ensemble music such as Yeongsan hoesang and in lyric songs, gasa (vernacular narrative verse), and shijo (short lyric songs).

Percussion Instruments

1. Native Instruments

Jing (large gong): 

Made from brass and played with a mallet wrapped in cloth, the jing was originally used in military music. Currently, it is widely used in a variety of music including chwita (band music for royal processions), nongak, musok music (shaman ritual music), and Buddhist music.

Ggwaenggwari (small gong or hand gong): 

Similar to the jing in its form and construction, the ggwaenggwari is smaller in size. Unlike the jing, it is struck with a small unwrapped mallet and therefore creates a much sharper and high-pitched sound. The instrument is used in nongak and musok music (shaman ritual music). 

Culture classes help students from abroad pick up the beat of traditional music.

Pungmulbuk (folk drum): 

This is mostly used in nongak and unlike the janggo or janggu, (hourglass drum), the materials used on both drumheads are identical. The instrument is played by striking the drumheads with a stick made from hard wood.

Soribuk (vocal accompaniment drum): 

A modified version of th pungmulbuk, the soribuk is similar to the former in its shape and construction. However, the two differ in that the soribuk has tiny metal tacks embedded around the rim of both drumheads. It is mostly used to accompany pansori (dramatic narrative singing).

Pungmul Janggo (folk hourglass drum): 

The pungmul janggo has a wooden body with two drumheads made of hide. The instrument is played by striking the drum-heads with two sticks, one in each hand. It is mostly used in nongak and also as accompaniment to folk songs and japga (folk ballads).

2. Tang Instruments (instruments of Chinese origin)

Bak (clapper): 

The bak is constructed of six wooden slats which are spread apart and then struck together, creating a clapping sound. The instrument was used to perform Chinese music during the Goryeo Dynasty, in court ceremonial music during the early Joseon Dynasty, and then in native music during the mid-Joseon Dynasty. It is used today for Munmyo Jeryeak (ritual music performed at Confucian shrines) and court orchestral music and dance accompaniment.

Janggo or Janggu (hourglass drum): 

According to existing documents, the jeong-ak janggo has been used since the Goryeo Dynasty. It has a wooden body and is widely used in both Chinese and native music.

3. Court Instruments

Pyeon-gyeong (stone chimes) and Teukgyeong (single stone chime): 

The pyeon-gyeong is constructed of two rows with eight L-shaped stones in each row. Imported from China as a court instrument with the pyeong-yeong during the Goryeo Dynasty, the pyeon-gyeong was first produced domestically under King Sejong during the Joseon Dynasty. Its uses are identical to the pyeonjong. The teukgyeong is a single L-shaped stone and is used exclusively in court ceremonial music.

Pyeonjong (bronze bells) and Teukjong (single bronze bell): 

The pyeonjong is constructed of two rows with eight bells in each row. All the bells are identical in size and only differ in their thickness. The bells are played by striking them with a horn-tipped mallet held in the right hand. The instrument was first imported from Song China during the Goryeo Dynasty. The first domestic production of the pyeonjong was under King Sejong during the Joseon Dynasty. Today, it is used in both native and Chinese court music. The teukjong has a single bronze bell and is used exclusively in court ceremonial music.

Chuk (percussion instrument with a square wooden box and mallet): 

The chuk is one of the instruments used to signal the beginning of a performance. Imported from Song China during the Goryeo Dynasty, it is today used exclusively in ritual music performed at the Confucian and Royal Ancestor Shrine ceremonies.

Eo (tiger-shaped wooden instrument): 

The eo is a tiger-shaped wooden instrument with 27 saw-toothed ridges on its back. The instrument is played by scraping the ridges with a bamboo stick. It is used to signal the end of a performance and is currently used in ritual music performed at Confucian shrines. 

Masks and Mask Dance-Dramas 

Left: Bongsan Talchum- Sajachum (Lion Dance, directing lions to punish corrupt monks)
Right: Andong Hahoe Mask Play (a play designed to wish for peace in the village and a good harvest)

Masks are called tal in Korean, but they are also known by many other names such as gamyeon, gwangdae, chorani, talbak and talbagaji. Korean masks come with black cloth attached to the sides of the mask designed to cover the back of the head and also to simulate black hair. Talchum, which literally means “mask dance,” is not just a dance performed by masked dancers but also a drama with masked characters embodying persons, animals or supernatural beings.

Masks and mask dances developed in Korea as early as the Prehistoric age. The masks can be categorized in two kinds: religious masks and artistic masks. Some masks were enshrined in shaman shrines and revered with periodical offering rites. Other religious masks were used to expel evil spirits, like Bangsangsi, which until recently, were seen at the forefront of funeral processions to ward off evil spirits. Artistic masks were mostly used in dance and drama. However, these also had religious functions to some extent.

Most Korean tal are solid but some have movable parts like the eyeballs of the Bangsangsi mask, the mouth of the lion mask and the winking eyes of some masks in dance-drama. Of special note are the masks featured in a mask dance-drama developed in the Hahoe region. They are composed of two pieces, with the chin coming in a separate piece and attached to the upper part with strings. They have a great range of facial expressions.

A Hahoe Mask being carved

Tal are not only characterized by their respective roles but also reflect the expressions and bone structures of Korean faces. Their shapes are grotesque and greatly exaggerated, and their colors are deep and bright. This is because talchum, the mask dance-drama, was usually performed at night by the light of wood fires. Masks less powerful in expression and color would have failed to deliver the themes of the drama. 

A selection of Korean masks

Religious masks and masks for daytime performances were much less vivid. Masks are made of paper, wood, gourds and fur. Paper masks and gourd masks prevalent, because they are simpler to make and also because they are lightweight and thus convenient to dance with. 

Mask dance, or talchum, is a form of folk drama enjoyed by the common people.

Red, black, white and other primary colors are favored for effective characterization of the masks. The colors also identify the gender and age of the characters. An old person’s mask is black, whereas that of a young man is red and that of a young woman white. In the traditional philosophy of identifying colors with directions and seasons, black stands for the north and winter, whereas red stands for the south and summer. 

Bongsan Talchum — Chwibari-chum (Chwibari criticizes corrupted society)

In many of the talchum dramas, the young man always wins over the old in a symbolic gesture of the summer triumphing over the winter. In this sense, talchum is a vestige of fertility rites.

Left: Unyul Talchum (characterized by ridicule and contempt toward yangban, or upper class gentlemen) being grilled
Right: Gangnyeong Talchum (Malttugi Chum, part of Gangnyeong Talchum held during the Dano Festival, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month)

Most of the masks depict human faces but some represent deities, and there are also masks of animals, real and imagined. One interesting feature is that the masks of yangban, the upper class gentlemen, are almost always deformed in one way or another such as with harelips, sometimes cleaving both upper and lower lips, a lopsided mouth, a distorted nose or squinty eyes — a reflection of the commoners’ hostility toward the privileged class.

Talchum is still being handed down, developing into other types of plays such as Madanggeuk (Field Play).

Mask dance-dramas are basically a folk art naturally developed among commoners in Joseon society (1392-1910). They vary slighty according to region and performer but they all share fundamental characteristics. They are based on a sense of rebellion felt by the common people toward the oftentimes harsh reality of their lives. Their basic modes take the form of exorcism rites, ritual dances or biting satire that parodies human weaknesses, social evils and the privileged classes. Like the folk literature of the time, they appeal to audiences by ridiculing apostate Buddhist monks, decadent noblemen, and shamans. The conflict between an ugly wife and a seductive concubine is another popular theme.

Bukcheong saja nori (Bukcheong Lion Play, characterized by skillful and dynamic movements)

The mask dance-drama consists of several acts, but they are quite different from the acts in modern plays. They are a loose presentation of several different episodes in an omnibus style. Because the lines of the actors have been passed on in oral tradition, they are quite flexible and subject to improvisation. The dance also can be lengthened or shortened freely, so that the entire performance can take anywhere between three or four hours to the whole night until daybreak.

With regional variations, the mask dance-drama was generally performed on the First Full Moon, Buddha’s Birthday on the Eighth day o the Fourth Moon, the Tano Festival and Chuseok. It was also performed at festive occasions of the state or at rituals to supplicate for rain. Traditionally, the Korean mask dance-drama was always performed outdoors. During the Goryeo and Joseon periods, it was performed on an improvised stage called sandae or on a sloped incline so that the audience below could see well. There was a screened area used as a dressing room to the left of the stage, and musicians sat to the right. Actors were all males until gisaeng, female entertainers, joined them in modern times to take up the role of shamans and concubines. 

Yangju byeolsandae nori (featuring satire and humor)

Lively dance accompanied by vigorous music from three string and six wind and percussion instruments take up the major part of a mask dance- drama performance, with actors stopping to deliver their lines with a great deal of gesticulation. Many of the roles do not have any dialogue of their own but express themselves in pantomime, with the extraordinarily stylized masks conveying the dramatic impact of their characters. The dance enlivens the drama and functions to round out each scene but is also performed without any regard to the progress of the plot. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of Korean mask dance-drama is the enthusiastic participation of the audience. Toward the end of a performance there is little distinction between the actors and the audience as they join together in robust dance and bring it to a truly affirmative life-affirming finale. In Korean mask dance-drama, commoners traditionally could vent their frustrations through comic dramatization and enliven their lives with a collective experience of ecstasy. 

Kimchi and Bulgogi (Two Healthy Korean foods) 

 

Baechu kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish and Bulgogi, a marinated meat dish

Two foods that people have come to identify with Korea are kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish, and bulgogi, a marinated meat dish. Whereas kimchi is a staple dish that is eaten at every meal, bulgogi is more like a party food in that it is generally eaten on special occasions and when dining out or entertaining guests. Koreans tend to favor beef when entertaining or eating out, and bulgogi is one of the most popular beef dishes with Koreans and foreign visitors alike. 

Bulgogi, Korea’s most popular beef dish

The word bulgogi is commonly translated as Korean barbecue, though it literally means “fire meat” as bul is “fire” and gogi is “meat”. Beef is most often identified with bulgogi, but even pork, chicken, lamb, squid and octopus, for example, can be cooked bulgogi style as bulgogi, like barbecue, is a method of cooking. For the most common beef bulgogi, thin slices of meat, usually tenderloin, are marinated in a sauce made of soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, sesame seeds and other seasonings, and then cooked over a charcoal grill, usually at the table. The grilled beef slices can be eaten as they are or wrapped in a lettuce leaf along with slices of fresh garlic and green pepper and a dab of soybean paste, red pepper paste, or a mixture of the two, all of which are rich in vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting substances. 

In some restaurants, bulgogi is cooked on a dome-shaped pan that is placed over a charcoal brazier or a gas range. The pan has a trough around the edge to catch the tasty juice that cooks out of the meat so that it can be eaten with one’s rice. Bulgogi can also be cooked in a regular frying pan or on an electric skillet but most connoisseurs prefer the traditional charcoal fire. For pork and other types of bulgogi, a little red pepper paste is usually added to the marinade. This gives the bulgogi a spicy taste and aroma.

Recently, people have been finding that bulgogi is not only tasty and healthy but also very versatile. It has been adapted to today’s fast foods with some sandwich chains adding bulgogi burgers to their menus and a number of well-known pizza restaurants even adopting it as one of their pizza toppings. Bulgogi is an ideal picnic food and, with some slight changes in the thickness and size of the meat pieces, it can become a tasty hors d’oeuvre or buffet item. Kimchi is a pungent, fermented dish generally consisting of cabbage or turnip seasoned with salt, garlic, green onions, ginger, red pepper and shellfish. It is low in calories and cholesterol and very high in fiber. It is also very nutritious. In fact, it is richer in vitamins than apples. Had the coiner of the well-known saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” been Korean, perhaps he would have said “Some kimchi a day keeps the doctor away.”

Left: Galbi Ribs of beef or pork are sliced into easy to eat portions, then marinated in seasonings before being grilled.
Right: Neobiani This is a charcoal-grilled beef dish.

Whereas 100 grams of baechu kimchi, the most common variety, contains 492 units of vitamin A, 0.03mg of vitamin B1, 0.06mg of vitamin B2, 12mg of vitamin C and 2.1mg of niacin, a medium-size apple weighing 130 grams contains only 50 units of vitamin A and only a trace of vitamins B1 and B2, 3mg of vitamin C and a trace of niacin. Kimch also contains a number of organic acids, produced during the fermentation process, that help sterilize the digestive tract and aid in digestion. Kimchi has high levels of protein, calcium and iron that are derived mainly from the seafood such as oysters, squid, shrimp and anchovies that are used fo flavoring. 

Ingredients for kimchi such as Chinese cabbage, red pepper powder, green onions, garlic, ginger and many more seasonings

Kimchi is a good source of fiber and, depending on the ingredients, may contain many of the nutrients and naturally occurring chemicals that can help combat cancers of the mouth, throat, lungs, stomach, bladder, colon and cervix. Chinese cabbage, the main ingredient in baechu kimchi, has a higher protein content than many other vegetables and a significant amount of minerals and vitamin C, and its green leaves are rich in vitamin A. Radis roots, another major ingredient, are not only rich in vitamins but also diastase, an enzyme that promotes the digestion of carbohydrates. The radish stalks and leaves are also a good source of calcium, vitamin C and carotene. Green onions, a must in almost every kimchi recipe because of their taste and flavor, are a good source of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium. 

Making Baechu kimchi

Water-cress, rich in calcium and vitamins A and C, is also used in most recipes for its rich flavor and aroma. Indian mustard leaves, which are also widely used because of their aroma, are rich in minerals, especially calcium and iron, and in vitamins A and C. Sponge seaweed, which is known to be helpfu in preventing heart disease, is another common ingredient that produces a cool, crisp taste. It is especially rich in calcium and iodine and has a unique aroma. Garlic, which is eaten in many ways including raw, is an essential kimchi ingredient as well as a mainstay of the Korean diet. It even figures in the national foundation myth. Dangun, who, according to legend, founded the Korean nation in 2333 B.C., was born from the union of a heavenly god, Hwan-ung, the son of the God of All and ruler of Heaven, and a bear, who became a woman after eating 20 cloves of garlic and a bundle of mugwort. Recent studies show that garlic may help prevent stomach cancer and reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Korean Kimchi¡'One of World’s Five Healthiest Foods

It is the red chili peppers, however, that make kimchi a truly remarkable health food and different from the ju and osinko of China and Japan that are often likened to kimchi but are really just Chinese cabbage or radish pickled in salt. Chili peppers not only give kimchi its distinctive spicy flavor and appetizing color but also contain an element called capsicin that prevents the taste of kimchi from turning by checking the decomposition process. It also checks the acidifying process to which vitamin C is exceptionally vulnerable and keeps the vegetables fresh so that the eater experiences the sensation of biting into crispy fresh vegetables. Capsicin also has another remarkable property that is only activated in kimchi; it can break down fats in the body. 

These properties and the large doses of vitamins A, B and C make peppers truly remarkable. But chili peppers have not always been a major ingredient in kimchi. Koreans did not know the chili pepper until the late 16th century or early 17th century when Portuguese traders based in Nagasaki, Japan, who, having brought it from Central America, introduced it to the country. Early historical records of kimchi making do not mention red peppers  or garlic. Various spellings of the dish appear but they all share the sam meaning: vegetables soaked in salt water. One of the earliest, if not the earliest, descriptions of kimchi making is in a work by Yi Kyu-bo (1168- 1241), a noted literary figure during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), in which he describes the preparation of turnips for storing for food for winter. A more detailed description of kimchi appears in a recipe book written in the late 1600s but the first mention of kimchi seasoned with red pepper is in a cookbook printed in 1765. Recipes closely resembling today’s kimchi appear in two cookbooks published in the early 1800s.  

The Donggukisang-gukjip (The Collected Works of Minister Yi Gyubo), published in 1251, describes kimchi.

Regardless of when red pepper was added to kimchi, it was an epochal event. The addition of red peppers not only enhanced the taste of the otherwise salty vegetables and kept them crunchy like fresh ones but also turned kimchi into a healthful, vitamin-packed food that can play a vital role in preventing disease. Of course, over the years kimchi has become even more nutritional with the addition of more and more ingredients, such as carrots, pears, chestnuts, pine nuts, abalone, and seaweed. There are basically two kinds of kimchi, seasonal and winter, with numerous varieties of each. The seasonal varieties are made with whatever vegetables are available and are for short-term storage. The winter varieties, made with mostly cabbages and turnips, are for long-term storage to provide vegetables during the cold winter months. 

Housewives making kimchi

Baechu kimchi is the most prevalent type. To make it, Chinese cabbages (baechu) are first trimmed,  split down the middle and put in brine to soak. When they are soft, they are rinsed in cold water and drained. Meanwhile, julienne cut radish strips are mixed with a red pepper paste made of red pepper powder and water. To this are added crushed garlic, salt, thinly sliced green onions, and a variety of other seasonings, depending on the region and the cook’s budget, to make a stuffing. The stuffing is packed between the layers of cabbage leaves and each cabbage is wrapped with a few leaves. 

A group of foreigners make kimchi during a kimchi Festival.

Finally, the cabbages are stacked in a crock, jar or other appropriate container, covered with salted cabbage leaves, pressed down firmly and covered. The storage temperature of the gimjang kimchi, as winter kimchi is called, should be well controlled throughout the winter to prevent over fermentation and thus souring. The traditional way of doing this is to bury the crocks of kimchi in the ground but, because this is not always possible for urbanites, specially designed kimchi refrigerators have come into use in recent years.

Winter kimchi is usually made in late November and early December when the weather is quite nippy. At the time, women gather in groups throughout the country to turn mountains of cabbages and turnips into kimchi to feed their families throughout the cold winter months. However, kimchi is not made in as great quantities as it used to be. Whereas an urban family of five made 20 to 30 cabbages into winter kimchi even up to the 1980s, now people generally buy kimchi from a store. The decline in home production is due to several factors: hothouse vegetables are available year-round, female employment has greatly increased, apartment living makes large scale production unfeasible, and factory-made kimchi can be purchased in supermarkets as there are now many companies that produce it for local consumption as well as for export.

Let’s eat Korea Food: Bibimbap, Samgyetang, Sinseollo, Japchae, Gujeolpan 

In addition to being eaten as a staple side dish, kimchi is also used in a variety of cooked dishes. The most common is kimchi jjigae, a hot, fiery stew made by boiling kimchi with pork. Kimchi is also stir-fried with thin strips of pork and eaten with fresh tofu, or dubu as bean curd is known in Korean. It is also dipped in a flour-based batter and fried. To most Koreans, a meal without kimchi, no matter how lavish, is incomplete or even unthinkable. It spikes the rice, titillates the taste buds, and, perhaps, keeps the doctor away. It is an ideal health food as well as diet food, and with its increasing appearance on supermarket shelves, it is fast becoming an international food enjoyed around the world.

Korean Ginseng 

Left: Ginseng fruit | Right Korean ginseng is the world’s finest in quality and effectiveness.

Ginseng is a medicinal plant purported to have wondrous palliative powers. 

Although it grows in other countries as well, it is widely cultivated in Korea where the climate and soil produce the world’s finest specimens. It is a perennial herb that belongs to the Araliaceae family. Scientifically, it is known as Panax schinseng Nees.

A ginseng plant usually grows to be about 60cm tall. The subterranean stem is short, and stands either straight or slightly tilted. The root looks similar to that of a Chinese bellflower, with a single stalk growing out the stem. Three or four leaves grow at the end of the stalk. Light-green flowers blossom in April. When the flowers wither away, they are replaced by round, reddish fruit.

To distinguish it from ginseng grown in other parts of the world, Korean-grown ginseng is specifically called “Goryeo ginseng” named after the ancient dynasty of Goryeo from which the nation’s current Englis name “Korea” is derived. Even in the old days, Korean ginseng used a different Chinese character for “sam” (meaning ginseng): “‡” was used for other types, while “‚” was reserved for Korean ginseng.

Configuration of Korean Ginseng

Ginseng grown in the wild, deep in the mountains, is known as sansam (mountain ginseng). It is, however, found only rarely, and cultivated specimens meet nearly all of the demand these days. Goryeo ginseng’s sterling reputation began with sansam. In the old days, the search for it was almost a spiritual endeavor for those dwelling in the nation’s mountainous regions. Even today, there are those who spend their lives wandering around deep valleys for the mystical plant. They are known as simmani or simmemani (both mean “gatherer of wild ginseng”).

Sansam, known as a mysterious cure-all, is also frequently depicted in paintings portraying immortals.

The territory of the kingdom of Goguryeo (37 B.C.-A.D.668) extended north to the Liaodong region of China, Manchuria, and the coastal provinces of Siberia. Wild ginseng grew in these regions as well as on the Korean Peninsula. Goguryeo had a virtual monopoly on the supply of ginseng in those days. The preeminence of Goryeo ginseng has continued ever since. In modern times, Koreans have developed unique cultivation, treatment, and merchandising techniques to preserve the nation’s honor as the home of the world’s finest ginseng. The constitution of ginseng changes with climate and soil conditions. Thus, the quality of Goryeo ginseng is different from those of other types, so much so that it has its own scientific name. 

Flower of ginseng, Ginseng fruit and a farmer with harvested ginseng

Ginseng grown in America is called American, western, Gwangdong, Hwagi, or Po ginseng; Panax quinquefolium Linne is the scientific term. Japan’s ginseng is Panax japonicum C.A. Meyer, and China’s Panax notoginseng (Burk) F.H. Chen. They all belong to the araliaceae family, but are fundamentally different from Goryeo ginseng. Siberian ginseng, which is widely sold in Europe and America these days, also belongs to the same family, but not to the Panax (ginseng) genus. It is the root of a shrub, known by its scientific name, Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim.

Ginseng farm

Ginseng is very sensitive to climate and soil, and is thus extremely difficult to cultivate. Different locations of cultivation make for vastly different shapes, qualities, and medicinal powers. Hence, Korean ginseng is considered by many to be unmatched in its excellence. Ginseng cultivation in Korea began centuries ago, according to historical materials found in Korea and elsewhere. Pents’ao kangmu (Korean: Bonchogangmok; Encyclopedia of Herbs), 52 volumes on the medicinal properties of plants, minerals and insects, was begun in 1552 and published in 1590 by a Ming Chinese scholar named Li Shizhen. It details how people at that time grew and traded ginseng. 

Some ancient Korean compilations of folk wisdom and mythology indicate that even as early as the fifth century, ginseng had begun to be cultivated from strains collected in the wild. Another record refers to the existence of ginseng cultivation in the eighth century during the Silla Kingdom (57B.C.- A.D.935). Still another states that ginseng cultivation was widely practiced in the days of King Kojong (1213-1259) during the Goryeo Dynasty.

In sum, these materials indicate that ginseng cultivation originated in the area around Mt. Mohusan in the township of Dongbok in an area which is now a part of South Jeolla province. It was quickly picked up by the enterprising merchants of Gaeseong, the capital of Goryeo, who introduced Dongbok ginseng to the residents of the capital; the area around Gaeseong quickly became the center of ginseng cultivation.

Ginseng, grown with hard work and devotion, is traded in a market.

Korean expertise in cultivation, coupled with optimal weather and soil conditions, has made Korean ginseng a prized product on the global market. The following are the optimum conditions for ginseng cultivation.

1. Temperature: 9-13.8°C yearly average; 20-25°C during the summer. Physiological defects appear at around 35°C.
2. Precipitation: 700-2,000mm yearly (1,100-1,300mm optimum). Relatively little snowfall desirable.
3. Lighting: diffused lighting at 1/8 to 1/13 of the strength of natural outside light. Direct sunlight is detrimental to ginseng.
4. Soil: sandy top soil and clay deep soil with plenty of potassium.
5. Location: 5-15° slope facing north/northeastern direction. (Or level land that drains well)
6. Other conditions that simulate the environment for ginseng grown in the wild, such as a thick accumulation of decaying foliage.

Extensive use of chemical fertilizers makes the soil unnatural and thus unfit for ginseng. By nature, the climate and soil of the Korean Peninsula meet all of the above conditions. Thus, ginseng can be grown in almost all regions of the country.

Six-year-old ginseng is steamed and dried to make red ginseng

The medicinal powers of ginseng are extensively discussed in numerous historic materials. In Shennung pents’ao ching (Korean: Sinnong Bonchogyeong; Shen Nung’s Pharmacopoeia), China’s oldest written book on herbs, it is noted that ginseng protects the digestive system, calms the nerves, clears the eyes, and, if taken over a long period of time, makes the body light and agile.

Korean ginseng resembling the figure of a human being

Ginseng is used as a restorative or tonic, rather than as a cure for a particular illness. Traditional East Asian medicine officially lists the following effects of ginseng: strengthening of organs; stimulation of the heart; protection of the stomach and enhancement of stamina; and calming of nerves. As such, it is routinely prescribed to people with weak digestive systems and poorly functioning metabolisms. People with stomach discomfort, chronic indigestion, heartburn, emesis, and poor appetite can greatly benefit from ginseng.

Research on the properties and effects of ginseng continues to this day.

Scientific research on the effects of ginseng took off in the 1950s in both pharmaceutical and clinical studies, lifting the shroud of mystery that had surrounded the plant for thousands of years. Korean scholars have made great contributions to scientific inquiries into ginseng. They have consolidated the nation’s reputation as the home of ginseng in every aspect of cultivation, treatment and merchandising, and even research.

Acccording to existing studies, the primary component that gives ginseng its medicinal quality is saponin, which reduces fatigue, enhances the body’s productivity, stimulates the development of sexual glands and brings down blood sugar levels. In recent theoretical analyses, ginseng’s basic medical action is presumed to be that of an adaptogen, enhancing the overall resistance of the body and facilitating its normalization and recovery from a state of illness. More specifically, ginseng facilitates the production of glucocorticoid, an adrenocortical hormone, strengthening the ability of the adrenal cortex to deal with various kinds of stress to the body.

Participants in the Geumsan Ginseng Festival proudly show the ginseng roots they have unearthed.

By stimulating the cerebral cortex and choline, ginseng also brings down blood pressure, facilitates breathing, reduces excess sugar in the blood, assists the actions of insulin, increases red blood cells and hemoglobin, and strengthens the digestive tract. Active research is underway to prove that ginseng also facilitates the formation of bio protein and DNA, and suppresses cancer.

Indeed, science is confirming the age-old belief that ginseng is the elixir of life. Thus, ginseng is a central ingredient in numerous prescriptions in traditional East Asian medicine. In Korea, where the veracity of its wondrous powers was accepted long before modern science came into existence, it is also drunk as a tea or a liquor. 

Hanbok (Korean Dress) 

Paper dolls of a traditional bride and groom and A breast-tie of Jeogori (woman’s jacket)

A walk down almost any street in Korea will reveal that today’s Korean wardrobe ranges from jeans and street fashion to tailored suits and chic designer creations. 

However, of all the outfits one is likely to see, the most striking is without a doubt the Hanbok, the traditional costume worn by Koreans of all ages, but now mainly seen on traditional holidays and when attending social affairs with a Korean overtone.

Hanbok is noted for its combination of straight ligns and few curves. A woman's Hanbok in particular looks graceful thanks to the combination of a tiny jeogori (jacket) and billowing chima (skirt).

The Hanbok is characterized by simple lines and no pockets. The women’s Hanbok comprises a wrap-around skirt and a bolero-like jacket. It is often called chima jeogori, chima being the Korean word for skirt and jeogori the word for jacket. The men’s Hanbok consists of a short jacket and pants, called baji, that are roomy and bound at the ankles. Both ensembles may be topped by a long coat of a similar cut called durumagi. The traditional-style Hanbok worn today are patterned after the ones worn during the Confucian-oriented Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). 

Yangban, a hereditary aristocratic class based on scholarship and official position rather than on wealth, wore brightly colored Hanbok of plain and patterned silk in cold weather and of closely woven ramie cloth or other high-grade, light-weight materials in warm weather. Commoners, on the other hand, were restricted by law as well as finances to bleached hemp and cotton and could only wear white and sometimes pale pink, light green, gray and charcoal.

Models show off Hanbok’s traditional and modern beauty at a fashion show

Young women wore red chima and yellow jeogori prior to marriage and red chima and green jeogori after the wedding when bowing to their parents-in-law and when paying respect to them upon returning from the honeymoon. Today, however, women usually wear pink Hanbok for engagement ceremonies, Western-style wedding dresses and the traditional red skirt and green jacket after the wedding when greeting their in-laws after the honeymoon. On other occasions, they wear Hanbok of almost any color and fabric including embroidered, hand-painted, or gold-stamped silk, Yangban women wore wrap-around skirts 12 pok (a width of cloth) wide and lapped them on the left side whereas commoners were prohibited from wearing chima of more than 10 or 11 pok and were required to wrap them on the right. Under the Hanbok, women generally wore, and most still do, a pair of long bloomers, a long, one-piece slip worn somewhat like a high-waisted, one-piece dress, and a jacket-like piece a little smaller than the jeogori. The fullness of the chima allows the wearing of any number of undergarments, a big plus given Korea’s cold winters, and makes it wearable during pregnancy. 

A family wearing Hanbok

Nowadays, skirts of two and a half widths of cloth are generally worn; however, today’s cloth is about twice as wide as in ancient times. Most of today’s chima have shoulder straps for ease in wearing. For proper appearance the chima should be pulled tight so that it presses the breasts flat and the slit should be just under the shoulder blade. The left side of the chima should be held when walking to keep it from flapping open and revealing the undergarments. Old women often hold the left side up beside the left breast.

Flower-embroidered silk shoes worn by upper-class women

Most jeogori have a snap or small tie ribbons on the inside to hold it closed. The long ribbons of the jacket are tied to form the otgoreum, a bow that is different from the butterfly-like bow of the West. The otgoreum is very important for it is one of three things by which the beauty and quality of a Hanbok is judged. The other two are the curve of the sleeves and the way the git, a band of fabric that trims the collar and front of the jeogori, is terminated. The ends of the git are generally squared off. A removable white collar called dongjeong is basted over the git.

A fully dressed woman.| An illustrated instruction on how to make a dress, published in 1827. | A coat-like shawl worn by a Joseon woman to cover her face when she went outside. | Gisaengs (female hostesses and companions, skilled in social graces, song and dance) going for a picnic in the spring.

As the Hanbok have no pockets, women and men both carried all types of purses, or Jumeoni. These were basically of two major types: a round one and a pleated, somewhat trapezoid one, both closed with a drawstring. These were embellished with elaborate knots and tassels that varied according to the status and gender of the bearer.

A visitor to Korea tries on a Hanbok

Although some of the basic elements of today’s Hanbok and its accessories were probably worn at a very early date, the two-piece costume of today did not begin to evolve until the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D. 668), when the kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla dominated the Korean Peninsula. This is clearly evident in the paintings that adorn the walls of fourth to sixth century Goguryeo tombs.

Young couple in elegant Hanbok

The murals feature men and women dressed in long, narrow-sleeved jackets with the left side lapped over the right, trousers and boot-like footwear. Such garments were pro-bably inspired by the harsh northern climate and terrain and a nomadic lifestyle centered on horse riding.

Baekje and Silla had similar costumes. Mandarin robes dauryeong introduced from neighboring Tang China were adopted for wear by royalty and officials in 648 by Silla, the kingdom that eventually unified the peninsula in 668. The robes were worn over the native costume. Noble women began to wear full-length skirt-trousers and wide sleeved, hip-length jackets belted at the waist, and noblemen, roomy trousers bound in at the ankles and a narrower, tunic-style jacket cuffed at the wrist and belted at the waist.

Traditional Hanbok and accessories

In 935, Silla was replaced by a new dynasty called Goryeo, from which the name “Korea” is derived. Buddhism, which Silla had already made the national religion, flourished along with printing and the arts, especially celadon ceramics. During the Goryeo Dynasty, the chima was shortened and it was hiked up above the waist and tied at the chest with a long, wide ribbon, which has remained the fashion ever since. The jeogori was also shortened and its sleeves were curved slightly. At the same time, women began to wear their hair in plaits on top of their heads.

In 1392, the Joseon Dynasty replaced Goryeo. It was founded by an ex-Goryeo general named Yi Seong-gye and his descendants ruled Korea for over 500 years. The early Joseon Dynasty kings made Neo-Confucianism the ruling ideology and, with its emphasis on formality and etiquette, dictated the style of dress for the royal family and all the members of the court as well as for aristocrats and commoners for all types of occasions including weddings and funerals. Integrity in men and chastity in women became the foremost social values and were reflected in the way people dressed. Men’s Hanbok changed very little but women’s underwent many changes over the centuries.

In the 15th century, women began to wear full, pleated skirts that completely concealed the lines of the body and long jeogori. With time, however, the jeogori was gradually shortened until it just covered the breasts, making it necessary to reduce the fullness of the chima so that it could be extended almost to the armpits and this remains the fashion today.

Models wearing modern-style Hanbok

Today’s designers are increasingly seeking inspiration in the Hanbok and other costumes of their ancestors to create fashions with a uniquely Korean flair that can meet the demands of today’s lifestyles. They are incorporating the lines and cut of the Hanbok and other ancient clothes and accessories in their designs and employing traditional fabrics such as hemp and ramie. In fact, many department stores now have boutiques specializing in such clothes and shops specializing in a new generation of Hanbok for everyday wear are springing up nationwide.

Without a doubt, the Hanbok, with roots stretching back many centuries, and designs it inspires will continue to grace the streets of Korea for many years to come.

Jangsingu (Personal Ornaments)

 

Norigae, a Hanbok ornament | Hanbok decorated with pendants

The term jangsingu refers to various objects worn for ornamental purposes. In Korea, the original purpose of these ornaments was not only to enhance physical beauty but also to bring good luck and to drive out evil. 

The ornaments were also symbols reflecting the social status of the wearer. The history of these objects dates back to ancient times. Tubular-shaped jade and necklaces made of animal bones were discovered among historical remains dating back to the Neolithic Age, and numerous relics from the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C-A.D 668) include exquisitely detailed ornaments made of gold, silver and gilt bronze.

An ornamental comb decorated with gold and jade inlay, Unified Silla period. | Youngchin wangbi Dae samjak norigae (large pendant with triple ornaments)- worn on the breastsash of coat or waist of skirt (Joseon Dynasty) | National Treasure No.159- a golden chignon (hair ornament) manufactured during the era of Baekje, which was excavated from Tomb of King Muryeong. | Bonghwang-shaped ornament- relics of Goguryeo presumed to be used for decorating clothes

The most representative Korean ornaments include headdresses and hair accessories, necklaces, earrings, chest pieces, bracelets, court hats, rings, and pendants. Primitive hairpins and combs made of animal bones are some of the hair ornaments that date from prehistoric times. Hair ornaments from the third and fourth centuries were more delicate and splendid, and include combs, rod hairpins, and clasps used to hold hair together. Combs discovered inside the ancient tombs of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. - A.D. 935) were made of lacquered wood, and the teeth were fairly thin and long. A hair clasp discovered inside the tombs of King Muryeong (r. 501-523) of Baekje resembles an elegant bird in flight with a head section followed by three long branches detailed to look like the billowing tails of a bird. Hairpins from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) are even more delicate and exquisite in their details, with a Chinese phoenix or rooster heads carved on the head parts.

Another object from the Goryeo Dynasty is the topknot hairpin, which was used by men to hold their topknots in place. In addition to this practical purpose, it also served as an ornamental piece. Magnificent gold topknot hairpins from the Goryeo Dynasty came in various shapes and sizes.

During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) a national policy was declared imposing limits on the use of personal ornaments. Tight restraints on the use of gold and silver brought about a deterioration in the artistic value of the ornaments produced during this period and in the quality of craftsmanship in general. However, as a result, the production of ornaments using materials other than gold and silver flourished, and their use became widely popularized.

1. A daenggi was a piece of gold-impressed cloth used to hold a woman’s hair in a braid, Joseon Dynasty. 2. Hair picks used to hold women’s hair in place (Joseon Dynasty). 3. Magnificent binyeo (hairpins) 4. Tteoljam lavishly decorated with cloisonné, pearls, and other precious gems, Joseon Dynasty.

During the Joseon Dynasty, the use of rod hairpins was severely restricted, with social status dictating the use of different materials and shapes. Women of the royal court and high society wore rod pins made of gold, silver, pearls, jade, and coral, while those of lesser status were limited to ones made of wood, horn, nickel alloy, and brass. The head shapes of the rod pins were also different according to social status. The queen and women of the royal court and high society wore pins shaped in the images of dragons and Chinese phoenixes, while common folks were allowed only plain pins or those shaped like mushrooms. The head shapes and materials of the pins also varies according to the season.

Several new shapes of ceremonial hair decorations including the cheopji and tteoljam, as well as hair picks and daenggi (ribbons) emerged during the Joseon Dynasty. The cheopji is a type of hairpin that women wore with ceremonial dress to enhance their beauty. It came in the shape of a phoenix or a frog. The phoenix-shaped pin was reserved for the queen’s exclusive use, and the frog-shaped pin was for common folks. Tteoljam was worn by women of high society on ceremonial occasions. It came in round, square, and butterfly shapes and a variety of other forms. The pieces were lavishly decorated with cloisonné, pearls, and other precious gems.

Hair picks refer to all the ornamental pieces worn in chignons other than the rod pins. These include plain picks with pointed ends and practical ones that could be used as ear picks and also for parting one’s hair. Chrysanthemums, lotus, apricot blossoms, and butterflies were some of the more popular shapes, and the picks were decorated with coral, jade, precious stones, cloisonné, and pearls. A daenggi (hair ribbon) was a piece of gold-inlaid cloth that was used to hold a woman’s hair in a braid. The ribbons came in a variety of shapes and sizes. 

1. White gem finger rings (Joseon Dynasty) 2. Necklace (Silla) 3. Gold and silver bracelets 4. Gold cap from 5th to 6th century (Silla Kingdom) 5. Gold taehwanisik (earrings with thick loop), Silla Kingdom

Along with these hair decorations, Koreans traditionally favored the use of earrings as ornamental pieces. The use of earrings also dates back to prehistoric ages, and they became more lavish and detailed with time. Earrings from the prehistoric ages included those made from animal bones or curved jade. Relics from ancient remains clearly indicate that even during this early period, Korean earrings came in a variety of shapes.

In particular, it is interesting to note that during the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C. - A.D 668), earrings were popular with both men and women. Earrings from that period can be divided into three groups according to their shapes: a single loop, a loop attached to the post, and those with multiple loops with lavish decorations dangling from one loop.

Materials used for earrings included gold, silver, and gilt bronze, with gold being the most popular. Among the relics of the Goryeo Dynasty are pure gold earrings. Some are simple in design with three connected loops, while others are decorated with round beads. While the use of earrings wasn’t as popular during the Joseon Dynasty, the period is noteworthy in that it brought about a revolutionary change in the way earrings were worn.

Until then, earrings were worn by piercing a person’s earlobes and inserting the studs but it was now possible to simply clasp them onto the ears. Sometimes five-colored tassels were used to complement the simple ornamentation of the earrings. These types of earrings were reserved for ceremonial purposes and were not for everyday use.

The use of necklaces in Korea dates back to prehistoric times. During that period they were constructed from a variety of materials including animal teeth, bones, tubular jade, and jade stones. From the third to the seventh centuries, the use of necklaces grew more popular. The shapes became more diverse as well, and necklaces were worn as a single strand or in multiple (two, three, four, or six) strands. The more popular materials were gold and jade.

Chest ornaments are objects worn on the chest for decorative purposes and differ from necklaces according to their lengths. During prhistoric times, primitive chest ornaments were made by drilling holes into seashells and connecting them with a piece of string. Chest ornaments of the Silla Kingdom eventually became much more lavish and exquisite in detail. In particular, the chest ornament discovered inside the Geumnyeong-chong (Tomb of the Golden Bell) is spectacular in its beauty and is lavishly decorated with 152 glass beads. Another piece found inside Hwangnamdaechong(The Great tomb at Hwangnam) is also exquisitely decorated with gold, silver, glass and jade.

One article of ornamentation that was widely popular throughout the history of Korea is the bracelet, whose use dates back to ancient times. Early bracelets were primitive, made from seashells, but with time the use of a variety of materials such as bronze, jade, and glass became more widespread. Bracelets, along with earrings and rings, were the most popular ornaments during the Three Kingdoms period. The discovery of numerous bracelets from this period attests to this fact, and most of these were made from jade, glass and metal.

The finger ring was another popular piece of ornamentation throughout the history of Korea. As early as in prehistoric times, Koreans are known to have used rings for decorative purposes. A ring made from a piece of bronze plate was dug up from an ancient tomb dating back to prehistoric times, which testifies to its early use.

From the Silla Kingdom, numerous silver rings have been discovered, and the lavish and exquisite details on these pieces clearly attest to the high quality of craftsmanship of this period. Representative rings of the Goryeo Dynasty are a gold ring decorated with agate and another with green gemstones. Others include a pure gold ring with an embossed arabesque pattern, a silver ring with a jagged design, a silver ring with exquisite engravings, and a plain copper ring without any ornamental design.

During the Joseon Dynasty, rings were the most popular ornaments along with pendants. The materials used to make these rings were also diverse; they include gold, silver, cloisonné, jade, agate, amber, green jade, pearl, and bronze. 

Gold crown (Silla Kingdom) | Geumjegwansik (gold ornaments for diadems)

Court hats and crowns were worn by the king and government officials. In addition to their ornamental purposes, they served to represent the wearer’s social status. The higher a person’s position, the more lavish the hat. During the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) period, each kingdom with its different social structure developed a unique style of court hat. Among those of Goguryeo, the most outstanding is the gold court hat created in the image of a burning flame. This gold hat was constructed by attaching nine ornaments, each shaped to resemble a burning flame, on a gilt bronze plate. 

A bride wearing jokduri, a crown-like headpiece for women | Hwagwan - official hat worn by women when wearing formal dress (Joseon Dynasty)

Two identical ornaments were then attached to either side of the hat for additional decoration. A gold court hat excavated in Hwaseong-ri in Daedong-gun boasts a frontal ornamental piece resembling a half-moon. A gold court crown discovered in an ancient tomb in the Pannam area of Naju dates back to the Baekje Kingdom. This crown is decorated with lavish ornaments on the broad front band and on each side. The most impressive crowns of Baekje are the ones discovered among the relics inside the tomb of King Muryeong. The decorations on these crowns, presumed to have been worn by the king and queen, were cut from thin gold plates and created in the images of glowing haloes.

An artisan making gat (traditional hat for men)

Among the most widely known crowns of Silla is one with five ornaments attached to a narrow band. Additional decorations on the three main ornaments on the front and on each of the sides resemble tiny twigs branching out of a tree, thereby creating cascading images of small mountains. During the Goryeo Dynasty, crown styles were deeply influenced by the Chinese: Myeollyugwan was a square, flat crown with dangling strings of small precious stones that was worn by the king with formal attire; Wonyugwan was a dark, silk hat with a jade ornament worn by the king when meeting his court; Poktu was a formal hat worn by those who had passed the highest civil service examination when receiving their appointments; and, Samo was a round, black silk hat worn by civil and military officials, and is donned these days by the groom in a traditional wedding ceremony. Court hats similar to those worn by the Chinese were still popular during the Joseon Dynasty. It was not until mid-Joseon that the gat, a uniquely Korean hat woven from horse-hair, emerged. Jade buttons and decorative egret shapes and strings were attached to the gat for ornamental purposes. Women’s hats also grew more lavish as jewels were attached to flower hats and bridal tiaras, rendering them more appropriate for special ceremonies. 

Visitors to Korea try making knots to be used for ornaments.

The most representative item of personal ornamentation from the Joseon Dynasty is the pendant. Pendants, worn by women on the outer bows or inner bows of their blouses or on their skirts, were very popular during this period. Materials included metals such as gold, silver and bronze and gemstones such as white jade, green jade, agate, red jade, blue stones, pure jade, rough diamond, and malachite. The use of precious stones and shells including amber, coral, pearl, and tortoiseshell was also common. 

The pendants also came in a variety of designs with some resembling animals such as bats, turtles, butterflies, ducks, goldfish, cicadas, and terrapins while others were shaped like plants including peppers, eggplants, clusters of grapes, acorns, and walnuts. Often the shapes were taken from objects that were part of everyday life, with some pendants resembling bottles, pouches, bells, gourds, drums, hourglass drums, and spectacle cases.

Another personal item women carried was the ornamental dagger. These were used for decorative purposes as well as for self-defense. The cylindrical dagger and others shaped like the letter “Z”, squares, and octagons are only a few of the variety of shapes representative of this period. 

Jasu (Embroidery) 

 

Jasu sagye bungyeongdo, folding screens handed down from the era of Goryeo

The making of jasu, or embroidery, appears to have begun in the prehistoric era when the human race first started to make clothes. People used needles made out of bones of fish or animals to sew and weave animal skins and the bark or leaves of trees. Later, as civilization gradually developed, clothes were made, and with the advent of metal needles, embroidery emerged.

From then on, jasu developed as an art form used to decorate textiles, and it, like the embroidery of other cultures, reflects the nation’s particular living environment, customs, and religion. Korean jasu has a long history. As time went by, it expressed a Korean form of ideal beauty. Along with weaving and sewing, jasu was a method of cultivating beauty in every corner of daily life. Sincere efforts went into every stitch and required delicate dexterity. The full expression of certain Korean characteristics is embedded in jasu.

Women embroider patterns on their dress

Among Korean prehistoric excavated relics, a bangchucha (a spindle cart) that was made out of earth or stone, big and small bone needles and stone needles, and needle pouches were found. Based on the finding of such weaving tools, it is clear that weaving and sewing existed during that period. Throughout the Bronze and Iron Ages, metal equipment for farming developed, thereby remarkably improving the farming industry.

In Korea, ma (hemp) and ppong (mulberry) trees were cultivated; myeonpo (cotton cloth) and mapo (hemp cloth), as well as hapsa (twisted thread), were also produced. The development of weaving became the fundamental prerequisite for the development of jasu. Jasu later came to represent the status and rank of the ruling class in the form of decoration on clothes, flags, or, wagons.

During the Three Kingdoms period, overall production technology developed greatly. Accordingly, looms were improved and textile skills advanced; not only was a variety of textiles produced, but their quality also improved. Naturally, jasu became popular. A trace of jasu that was embroidered with golden thread was found among the relics in the Cheonmachong (tomb for an unknown king of the Silla kingdom) in Gyeongju, a good example that shows the status of jasu culture during that period.

The oldest gold and silver needles ever discovered in Korea were found at Punhwangsa temple.

During the Unified Silla period, horse saddles and things related to everyday life, not to mention clothes, were decorated with jasu. Buddhist jasu was also commonly created. Particularly during the 9th year (834) of King Heungdeok’s reign, a prohibition on certain clothing styles was pronounced to strictly regulate the usage of textiles according to the golpum (aristocratic rank) system. During this period, due to the prosperity of Buddhist institutions, much of the nobility eagerly gave donations for the construction or decoration of temples. As such a phenomenon accelerated, King Aejang prohibited construction of new temples and allowed only the repair of existing temples to be done to prevent the waste of materials. Usage of golden threads in Buddhist items was also prohibited. This indicates that high quality silk and jasu had been used even in decorating objects in the beopdang, the main halls of Buddhist temples.

Flower embroidery used on an ornament | Beautiful embroidery on sleeve cuffs

Gongbang (artisan shops) existed that were in charge of weaving, dyeing, and sewing. Artisans exported silk to China, and dyeing techniques were greatly improved at this time. Developments in dyeing techniques became a major factor that enabled the diversification and delicate coloring of textiles and threads.

1. Doltti - a belt wrapped around the waist of a baby on its first birthday to wish for longevity. 2. Pilnang – a pouch for ink brushes 3. Sugwi jumeoni – pouches designed to store money or personal belongings. 4. Hyangnang – pouches used for decoration purpose in the high society 5. Jasu crane, Joseon Dynasty 6. Sujeojip (case for spoons and chopsticks) with embroidery symbolizing good fortune and longevity

In the Goryeo Dynasty, jasu became excessively luxurious. Jasu of that era can be classified into boksik jasu, giyong jasu, gamsang jasu, and Buddhist jasu. Boksik jasu refers to jasu embroidered to decorate clothing. Dress was strictly regulated according to social status and rank. For example, during the 3rd year (1034) of the reign of King Deokjong, children and women were prohibited from wearing golden ornamental hairpins or embroidered silk clothes. During the 9th year (1043) of Jeongjong’s reign, ordinary men and women were prohibited from decorating silk with dragon or phoenix patterns along with golden stitches.

Also, during the 22nd year (1144) of King Injong’s reign (1144), the King prohibited the use of golden thread in clothing and jade decoration in bowls. It can be inferred that during that era boksik jasu was more than simply delicate and refined; it became excessively luxurious.

The queen and noblewomen of that time enjoyed red clothing with jasu decorations. The guardsmen who escorted the king largely wore silk clothes with flowers in five colors or bird patterns, and their belts were also often decorated with embroidered flowers in five colors. Giyong jasu embroidery decorated various materials used in the king’s palace.

Jasu pattern on Hanbok

Gamsang jasu was embroidery that developed as a type of artistic work. Such jasu decorated various ornamental materials and was prevalently used in folding screens in the bedroom or living room. Korean word for “Buddhist” jasu was embroidery related to Buddhism. 

During the Goryeo Dynasty, Buddhism, as a means of defending the nation and promoting prosperity, was supported as the national religion. As a result, more than in any other era, Buddhist institutions became very prosperous, and jasu was heavily used in statues of Buddha or in various temples.

During the Joseon Dynasty, marked changes occurred in many aspects of the country: political, economical, social, and cultural. Due to the government’s early advocacy of an agriculture-first policy as its basic principle and the suppression of commercial industry, the handicraft industry did not develop. As a result, farmers concentrated on the production of food as their main activity, and crafting hand-made artworks became a secondary business. In spite of such circumstances, however, the production of clothing remained prominent. Accordingly, the textile industry as related to the production of clothing, as well as weaving and dyeing, generally became filled with women. Female workers were encouraged to perform such work to increase productivity. It was also emphasized as a central virtue for every woman.

1. Jasu cushion used by the Empress, Joseon Dynasty 2. Hyungbae, embroidered insignia on the breast and back of an official robe of the royal family, decorated with a dragon or phoenix 3. Official robe of Joseon Dynasty with Hyungbae attached to the chest 4. A study of hyungbae, the embroidered emblems of official rank, is helpful in understanding the development of embroidery during the Joseon Dynasty.

The legislation of the hyungbae (official insignia) system in the early Joseon Dynasty was indeed noteworthy. Such a system, which was related to the development of jasu, required the systemization of government offices’ manual work. The organization of gwancheong (governmental offices) manual work developed from the Three Kingdoms era through the Goryeo Dynasty. It peaked during the 15th century, which was the early stage of the Joseon Dynasty.

Hyungbae refers to the embroidered emblems that represented the rank of the government’s civil and military officials. They were first implemented during the first year (1453) of King Danjong’s reign. Later, after several modifications, hyungbae were improved and the emblems gradually became more luxurious.

As a type of publicly-used embroidery, hyungbae jasu is good reference material in understanding the development of embroidery of that period. Artisans who were mobilized to produce textiles and related items such as hyungbae, were among the most skilled people in the nation; they were placed in the central and regional governmental offices and devoted themselves to this field. They were responsible for the production of clothing and other textile products and embroidery decorations that were used by the royal family and high-ranking governmental officials.

Besides these organizations, there was an additional organization called the subang (embroidery room) that was exclusively responsible for the embroidery of clothes and miscellaneous materials for the family of the king. Upon completion of a certain level of education and expertise, women were selected to enter the palace to work in the subang, and were registered accordingly; they exclusively produced jasu to meet the demands of the palace. During the Joseon Dynasty, interrelations among various artisan organizations and the subang provided the cornerstone of the palace jasu, which is also called gungsu. The gungsu tradition was sustained until the end of the Joseon Dynasty, and due to the standard format and the advanced skills of the artisans, the embroidery was delicate and perfectly executed.

In contrast with gungsu, was minsu (folk embroidery), which was produced by the common people. Unlike gungsu, which was highly specialized, minsu was a domestic skill passed down through the family or the region, and women in the household were in charge of its execution. As a result, in comparison with the standardized gungsu, minsu reflected the characteristics of the individuals who created it.

Sipjangsaengdo palgok jasu byeongpung, embroidered folding screens (Joseon Dynasty).

If Korean traditional jasu is classified according to function, it can be divided into byeongpung (folding screen) jasu, boksik jasu (decorative clothes and accessories used in the home), and Buddhist jasu. Embroidered folding screens played an important role in major events in life. For example, they were widely used at congratulatory banquets, such as those for anniversaries, birthdays — especially the 60th birthday — and engagements and for mourning ceremonies and other rites.

The sipjangsaeng are ten natural objects symbolizing long life: the sun, clouds, mountains, water, pine, bamboo, crane, deer, turtles and the mushroom of immortality.

Embroidered folding screens were not only used in the various rooms of the home, but also in temples and shrines, as well as in palaces, guest houses and lecture rooms. The byeongpung jasu, therefore, exhibited a great variety. The majority of screens, however, were of flowers and birds, the sipjangsaeng, or 10 longevity symbols, and subok, or Chinese characters for “long life” and “happiness.” For flower and bird screens, the peony, chrysanthemum, water lily, plum tree, and paulownia trees were matched with a couple of pheasants, a mandarin duck, phoenixes or ducks to symbolize a happy family. The sipjangsaeng are ten natural objects symbolizing long life: the sun, clouds, mountains, water, pine, bamboo, crane, deer, turtles and the mushroom of immortality.

Patches decorating both ends of pillows

There were many other embroidery designs, usually pertaining to lucky omens and education. Educational subjects, however, faded away from their original intention and later adhered to simple subjects. Hence, in jasu, emphasis was centered on creating beauty rather than on education. Embroidered screens, like painted screens, consisted mostly of eight panels, followed by 12, 10, 4 and 2 panels; there were even 20-panel screens.

The embroidery on the queen’s state ceremonial dress symbolizes her high social status and authority.

Boksik jasu refers to embroidery on clothes and accessories. Particularly during the Joseon Dynasty, dress styles were highly differentiated according to class and rank, and patterns used in jasu followed such distinctions. To represent high social status and authority, dresses worn in the palace usually had golden stitches or colored threads. Jasu was done in two styles: one was embroidering on the surface of the clothes directly, another was attaching jasu appliqué to the clothes. The former was used for the king’s state ceremonial dress and various ceremonial dresses for the king’s family members; the latter included miscellaneous dress embroidery, such as the embroidered patches on the breast and the back of official uniforms.

Hwarot, the ceremonial dresses for the women of the palace, were luxuriously decorated with embroidered flowers and symbols of luck and longevity.

On a hwarot, which was the ceremonial dress for the women in the palace, patterns of various flowers, such as peonies chrysanthemums, mushrooms of immortality, and herbs, as well as various lucky omens and patterns of longevity were luxuriously embroidered. The clothing of males in the royal family and government officials did not have embroidery directy on the surface of the cloth; instead hyungbae decorated with patterns of cranes or tigers was attached to everyday clothing. Pyojang, an emblem which was attached to the dress of the king and queen, on the other hand, was differentiated from hyungbae and called bo; its embroidery consisted of dragons or phoenixes.

For the most part, common people were not allowed to wear embroidered clothes, except for a hwarot, or ceremonial dress, at the time of their wedding. Other materials that were embroidered included children’s hats, vests, and belts. In particular, embroidered clothing for children used various colors and matching patterns to express their innocence.

Exhibit goers admire a traditional folding screen

Jasu also decorated numerous items used in the home. It would be impossible to list them all, but they include pillow cases, eyeglass cases, cushions and pouches for such things as tobacco, spoons and chopsticks and brushes.

Unlike embroidery for purely decorative purposes, Buddhist jasu, which decorated temples and Buddhist statues, was created out of religious devotion. They were executed with extreme care by artisans of extraordinary expertise. Accordingly, there are many masterpieces that are preserved to this day in temples and museums.

Bojagi (Wrapping Cloths)

Bojagi (wrapping cloths) made by sewing together many pieces of cloth. | Bojagi was not only practical, but also very artistic.

The word bojagi, or po for short, refers to square hemmed cloths of various size, color, and design, which Koreans used to wrap, store or carry things. 

Bojagi was not only a practical and versatile item in the daily lives of Koreans, but also an object of art. Po attests to the artfulness that Koreans seek even in the most mundane aspects of their everyday lives.

The use of bojagi in Korea dates back to time immemorial, and historical records show many ways in which they have been used. Although bojagi were created for everyday use, they also added flair and style to various ceremonies and rituals. During the Joseon Dynasty, the patterns and designs became particularly colorful. Because they are so easily folded and take up such little space, they eventually became a colorful part of everyday

1. Instruments used for sewing-thimble and pin cushion 2. Different types of gift-wrapping with cloths 3. Koreans still make wrapping cloths to use in their daily lives.

Korean customs and practices. Bojagi’s place in Korean culture began in part with the folk religions of ancient times, when it was believed that keeping something wrapped was tantamount to safeguarding good fortune. A typical example would be the use of bojagi to wrap wedding gifts. Elaborate needlework is applied to such wrapping to wish the bride and groom much luck in their new life together.

Sumokmunsubo — subo used mainly as hollyeyongbo (wedding bo)

Patchwork bojagi particularly reflects Korean artistic flair. Bojagi was born out of the habit of Korean housewives to make good use of small, otherwise useless pieces of leftover cloth by patching them up into useful wrappers. As time went by, the patchwork itself became a highly creative and artisti craft.

Embroidery of various figures and characters also adds to the beauty of bojagi. The handicraft can often reach the beauty of levels of high artistic accomplishment. Embroidered bojagi is known as supo, the prefix su meaning “embroidery.”

Korean Gardens 

 

Korea has developed a unique garden culture during its long history. This is Buyongjeong located in Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul.

Korean gardens attempt to recreate the natural landscape with hills, streams and fields. They are usually small in scale but strive towards an ideal harmony of nature and man. The principal idea is to blend the structures into nature with the least possible disturbance of the environment, because, in the Korean mind, nature is already a perfect and absolute entity that regenerates and sustains life.

In the long tradition of garden-making in Korea, adding man-made elements to the purest of spaces is considered a violation and something to be approached with utmost care and reservation. The essential idea behind the Korean art of garden-building is to make the space look more natural than nature itself. In many cases, what appears to be the work of nature turns out, at a closer look, to be the result of very conscious efforts. Korean gardens are characterized by submission to nature in an attempt to attain beauty and functionality.

Korea has a long history of gardens. The oldest records date to the Three Kingdoms period (57B.C.-A.D.668) when architecture underwent notable development. An important early history of the Korean nation, Samguksagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) provides numerous pieces of evidence of royal palace gardens.

Gungnamji (Pond South of the Palace), located in Buyeo, the old capital of Baekje

The earliest suggestion of a garden in the book is attributed to the Goguryeo Kingdom (37B.C.-A.D.668). It says that in the sixth year of the reign of King Dongmyeong, the founder of Goguryeo, mysterious peacocks swarmed into the courtyard of the royal palace. In the second year (414) of the reign of King Jangsu, the same source claims that curious birds flocked to the royal palace, another indication that the palace had a garden to attract such birds.

The book implies that Baekje (18B.C.-A.D.660) had gardens of higher aesthetical standards by saying that, during the reign of King Mu (r.600-641), a pond was made to the south of the royal palace with the source of water supply located 8 km away. Willow trees were planted along all four banks of the pond, which had in the center a miniature island named after a legendary mountain in China where Taoist immortals were said to dwell.

Anapji pond, located in Gyeongju, the capital of Silla

Remains of the pond are found today in Buyeo, the old capital of Baekje. It is called Gungnamji, or the Pond South of the Palace. There is also a record stating that in 655, King Uija had the palace of the Crown Prince extensively renovated and a pavilion named Manghaejeong, or the Sea Watching Pavilion, built to the south of his palace. The sea here is assumed to have meant the Gungnamji pond surrounded by willow trees, located to the south of the main palace.

In Silla (57B.C.-A.D.935), the founding monarch Pak Hyeokgeose built a palace in the capital city of Geumseong, in modern-day Gyeongju, in 32 B.C., according to the Samguksagi. The book also says that, during the reign of King Cheomhae Isagum (r.247-267), a dragon appeared from a pond located to the east of the royal palace, and willow trees that lay to the south of the capital city arose by themselves.

Fantastically shaped rocks were placed around the pavilion to give elegance to the garden

The best preserved of all ancient palace gardens is Anapji pond in Gyeongju, which was recently drained for excavation and restoration. Built as part of the detached palace of the Crown Prince during the reign of King Munmu (r.661-681), the artificial pond had five buildings along its 1,330 meter-long shore each situated to command a full view of the pond. Of the five, three pavilion-like structures have been restored.

Anapji has curved embankments on the northern and eastern sides, somewhat resembling the shoreline of a river. The southern end is perfectly straight while the western side is angular. All of the four sides are lined with dressed stones. In the middle of the pond are three small islands alluding to Taoist sanctuaries.

One of the most famous gardens during the Unified Silla period was Poseokjeong, where poetry and music could always be heard.

In an entry dated A.D. 674, the Samguksagi records that “a pond was made with mountain-islands, flowering plants were grown, and rare birds and strange animals were raised in the palace.” It is believed that plants such as orchids, peonies, lotuses and azaleas, and birds and animals like swans, peacocks and deer were kept in the palace. On the shore and around the islands are simulated beaches made of rocks.

The beauty of Hwallaejeong (a two-story hexagonal pavilion), an exemplary mansion of the Joseon Dynasty, stands out thanks to its harmony with surrounding lotus flowers.

When Anapji was drained and excavated in 1975, many relics dating from the Unified Silla period (668-935) were found. They included a wooden frame which is believed to have been designed to grow lotus in a limited area in the pond. The entire floor of the pond was covered with pebbles to keep the water clear. On the whole, Anapji and the surrounding garden were designed in a microcosmic style to symbolize the dwellings of Taoist fairies. The entire area was so arranged as to create the effect of a landscape painting.

A view of Hyangwonjeong of Gyeongbokgung in spring

Another important Silla garden in Gyeongju is the one at the site of a detached palace in the southern valley of Mt. Namsan. At the site of its Poseokjeong pavilion, believed to have been built in the eighth century, is a water channel in which wine cups were floated during royal feasts. The channel defines an abalone-shaped area The garden must have been a lovely sight in days gone by, with thick bamboo groves, beautiful streams and dense woods of pine and zelkova trees. During Goryeo (918-1392), the pleasure-seeking King Uijong had various beautiful pavilions constructed in a royal villa in 1157 as part of a project to build a simulated fairyland. He ordered one of the pavilions to be covered with fine celadon roof tiles, which was criticized as an excessive luxury by officials.

Juhamnu of the Huwon Garden in Changdeokgung Palace where lotus flowers were planted in stone water holders

The art of garden-making in the Joseon period (1392-1910) is best exemplified by the Huwon Garden of Changdeokgung Palace (also known as Biwon, or the Secret Garden) in Seoul. Comprising some 300,000 square meters of the entire 405,636 square meters of the palace property, the garden is tastefully laid out with picturesque pavilions and halls, lotus ponds, fantastically shaped rocks, stone bridges, stairways, water troughs and springs scattered among dense woods, all essential elements of a traditional Korean-style garden.

One of the kings’ traditional fishing ponds in Huwon garden | From inside Buyongjeong looking out (below)

Amisan garden in the back of Gyotaejeon, once the royal bed-chamber of Gyeongbok-gung Palace, provides another attractive example of Joseon-era palatial gardens. It has four brick chimneys adorned with beautiful patterns, stone water holders and fantastic rocks placed among the plants on the terraced flower beds. Not far from Amisan garden, in the northern section of the palace, a two-story hexagonal pavilion named Hyangwonjeong stands in the middle of a lotus pond. A beautiful wooden bridge spans the pond to the pavilion.

Banghwa suryujeong — Built in the late Joseon Dynasty, the delicate pavilion stands exquisitely atop a cliff.

In Damyang-gun, located in Korea’s south-western Jeollanam-do Province, a woodland garden named Soswaewon (Garden of Pure Mind), built by a 16th-century nobleman, offers a fine example of Joseon literati gardens combining Confucian idealism and Taoist naturalism. Approached by a long, arched gateway of a thick bamboo grove, the garden has a rapid stream burbling down a rocky valley by pavilions, a lotus pond and a water mill. It is adorned with a variety of trees and shrubs including paulownias, plums, pines, maples, plantains, gingko trees, orchids, chrysanthemums and lotuses-all favorite plants among ancient Koreans for both their appearances and symbolic meanings. The idyllic atmosphere of the place inspired many writers and poets.

Korean gardens allow visitors to enjoy nature as it is. Soswaewon (Garden of Pure Mind) at Damyang-gun in Jeollanam-do Province.

In Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province, near the east coast, Seongyojang, or the Mansion of Ferry Bridge, maintains much of the stylishness of the Joseon upper-class home gardens of the early 19th century. The mansion is comprised of outer quarters for the men of the family, inner quarters for women and children, and the servant quarters, each surrounded with low stone walls with little landscaping. There is a square lotus pond near the entrance, with a pavilion perched on the shore and a miniature mountain-island in the center, in a style reminiscent of a lotus pond in the Huwon Garden in Seoul.

Dancheong (Decorative Coloring Used on Buildings) 

 

The coloring used on Soyojeong, Changdeokgung Palace | Ceiling of Magoksa daegwangbojeon, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do Province

The use of dancheong in Korea dates back many centuries, and the skillful techniques developed long ago are preserved intact today. 

Dancheong refers to Korean-style decorative coloring used on buildings or other items to convey beauty and majesty, and is done by applying various patterns and paintings in certain areas. Five basic colors are used: red, blue, yellow, black and white.

In addition to its decorative function, dancheong was applied for practical reasons as well. It was used to prolong the life of the building and conceal the crudeness of the quality of the material used, while emphasizing the characteristics and the grade or ranks that the building or object possessed. Dancheong also provided both a sense of conformity to certain traditions and diversity within those traditions.

Ordinarily, dancheong refers to the painting of buildings made of wood. Coloring of other buildings or objects may be found as well to bring majesty to a stone building, statue or artifact. Due to the absence of buildings that date from ancient times, the history of Korean dancheong can only be traced via murals in old tombs during the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D. 668). Particularly, in murals of old tombs from the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668), there remain diverse colored patterns which show the appearance of dancheong and architectural characteristics of that period. Along with those murals, colored pictures and lacquerwork excavated from tombs also demonstrate elements of dancheong.

In murals of old tombs from the Goguryeo Kingdom, diverse colored patterns show the early appearance of dancheong.

According to historical records of the Three Kingdoms, only nobility with the rank of seonggol (possible heirs to the throne in the royal family) could use the five colors during the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 668). Unfortunately, no building decorated with dancheong from that era remains today. Only through evidence from architectural remains excavated in Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla Kingdom, can it be deduced that dancheong during that period was quite delicate and beautiful.

In the Gaoli tujing (Goryeodogyeong, Illustrated Account of Goryeo), written in the 12th century by the Chinese scholar Xu Jing (Seogeung), it is noted that Goryeo people enjoyed building royal palaces. According to the text, the structure of the palaces where the king stayed was constructed with round pillars and a square headpiece. The ridge of the roof was colorfully decorated and its configurational structure appeared as if it were about to ascend to the sky. This description suggests the size and majesty of the palaces of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Xu Jing’s book also included a description of the luxurious dancheong work, stating that “the handrail was painted in red and decorated with vine-flowers; the coloring was very strong, yet gorgeous, thereby making the palace stand out among other royal palaces.”

Dancheong of Songgwangsa Temple. Colorful dancheong, where diverse and vivid colors intertwine.

Buildings from the Goryeo Dynasty that remain standing today exhibit bright and soft coloring and the dancheong there shows that th techniques used during the Three Kingdoms period were further improved during the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Korean dancheong work was further developed and diversified. The general characteristics of dancheong during that period were a more expressive style, a complex unit pattern and decorative composition, along with more luxurious coloring.

Dancheong on eaves at Jeondeungsa Temple

There were a number of different types of dancheong: Even in one particular building, patterns might be differentiated according to the part of the building they were located in. Nevertheless, dancheong patterns were systemized in consistent order. The system of patterns was categorized into four different types based on the structural characteristics and positions within the decorative composition. These four types included morucho, byeol-jihwa, bidanmunui and dandongmunui.

Crane pattern dancheong of Beopjusa Temple- Byeoljihwa used to decorate dancheong is mainly found in Buddhist structures.

Morucho, also called meoricho, was a pattern used in painting both ends of supporting beams or corners of a building (such as the tips of eaves). Although the pattern of morucho differed based on the era and the building, its basic patterns consisted of a green flower, water lily, pomegranate, bubble, and whi (feather), although it should be noted that the whi pattern was not featured in Goryeo era dancheong. 

Using one sample pattern, morucho was repeatedly used in all the same parts of a building. Naturally, it occupied the largest amount of space and was the most noticeable. Morucho was therefore the basic dancheong pattern used in almost all types of buildings. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Morucho developed quite diverse styles, showing the vivid characteristics of Korean dancheong techniques.

Byeoljihwa refers to decorative painting that utilized a storytelling technique and occupied the gap between two morucho. It differed based on the characteristics of the buildings and was not used in constructing palaces; instead, it was most often employed in temples or government buildings such as Gwandeokjeong on Jeju.

The content of byeoljihwa consisted of auspicious animals (such a dragons, horses, lions, and cranes), the sagunja (“the Four Gentlemanly plants” or plum, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo), or scenes from Buddhist sutras. Though unrelated to the content of the sutras, the prevailing state of society of the time was also often depicted in temple byeoljihwa.

Bidanmunui refers to the diverse coloring of rare and elegant designs or geometric patterns, and was used in various parts of the building, particularly in temples, while dandongmunui involves the design of a single flower plant or animal, or the application of a single geometric or other pattern in one section.

The colors of dancheong reflected the characteristics of the period During the Goryeo period, parts of a building exposed to outside sunlight, such as pillars, were painted in red, while protruding corners of eaves or ceilings not exposed to sunlight were painted in greenish-blue, so as to enhance the contrast of brightness and darkness. This application was known as the sangnok hadan (green-top, red-bottom) principle.

During the Joseon Dynasty, red, orange, blue, yellow, green, and seokganju colors were used profusely. Seokganju, also called juto, denotes red clay or ocher that yields a dark red or reddish brown pigment typically used for dancheong and pottery. This pigment, basically composed of ferric oxide or ferrous sulfate, is noted for its resistance to sunlight, air, water and heat. It was also mixed with white pigment, Chinese ink color and other ingredients to derive various other colors. The colors were separated by insertion of white lines, thereby enhancing the distinctiveness of the pattern’s outlining and coloring.

Dancheong at Haeinsa Temple

Ordinarily the order of colors used was determined by the characteristics, size, and appearance of the building. Usually, however, two to six colors were used following a set of rules. For instance, when a gradual reduction of colors was derived from six colors, colors immediately after the first and immediately before the last colors were eliminated to achieve a 5-4-3-2 order. Coordination of colors for dancheong consisted primarily of juxtaposing different and complementary colors. A technique of alternating a warm color with a cold one was used to make the different colors more distinct from each other. Traditionally, typical pigments employed for dancheong were derived from pyeoncheongseok, a kind of copper ore for dark blue and navy blue colors, and from malachite for dark greenish blue. These pigments were preferred because of their vividness, durability and relative serenity. In addition, the vermilion pigment produced from clay, also a popular color for dancheong, was mostly imported from China’s western regions and was hence highly valued.

Dancheongjang, artisans skilled in the work of dancheong, engaged in their craft.

The painting of dancheong was done by dancheongjang, artisans skilled in the work of dancheong. A dancheongjang artisan was referred to by a number of titles: hwasa, hwagong, gachiljang, or dancheongjang. When the artisan was a monk, he was referred to as a geumeo or hwaseung.

Harmony between urban buildings and dancheong

For construction of palaces, dancheong was done by a government official, the Seongonggam. Seongonggam artisans exclusively carried out dancheong work for palaces and other places, such as guest houses and government buildings. Temples, on the other hand, had their own resident dancheongjang. In addition to performing dancheong work, however, the temple artisans also engaged in production of other works, including Buddhist painting and sculpture. Although there were two different categories of dancheongjang for palace and temple painting, the technical procedures related to dancheong work were the same. The patterns and coloring systems were therefore identical for the two categories.

Dancheong of Naejangsa Temple. Faded dancheong reveals the grain of wood.

At the beginning of a project, a pyeonsu, or head artisan, was chosen by the initiating party of the construction project. The pyeonsu then selected the format of dancheong for the pertinent building and chose the patterns to be used. From the mixing of colors to instruction about construction procedures, the pyeonsu was responsible for the completion of dancheong in its entirety. Upon the beginning of dancheong work, a sample pattern was created for use in generating the same pattern of the pertinent parts of the building. This procedure was called chulcho. A bluish-green color was used as the base color, after the pattern was placed on the desired spots of the building. This is done by pounding a powder sack over a paper transfer on which the design was outlined with pinholes. This work was referred to as tacho.

Dancheong at Gyeongbokgung Palace. The collective effect of the dancheong is one of faded yet serene beauty.

After completing the above procedures, coloring could finally commence. When coloring, each artisan painted only one color. The number of artisans employed in painting equalled the number of colors used in the design. Through such construction procedures, dancheong work was executed with admirable efficiency. 

Traditional Korean Decorative Patterns and Ornamentation

Patterns decorating the doors of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye-gun | Hanbok sleeves filled with beautiful patterns

Patterns were devised by people to decorate their homes as well as everyday items including dress, furniture and various handicraft objects Traditionally, patterns were thought to be not only useful for ornamentation but also to symbolize human thoughts and philosophical and aesthetic pursuits.

Patterns often have their origins in early ideographs. They began as a means to express basic needs and feelings about one’s surroundings and developed into a universal form of decorative art. Patterns can be largely divided into four main kinds based on motif-geometric patterns and patterns of plants, animals and other natural objects.

Geometric patterns in most cases consist of dots and lines forming symmetrical shapes. They include triangles, squares, diamonds, zigzags, latticeworks, frets, spirals, sawteeth, circles, ovals and concentric circles. It is interesting to note that most of these geometric patterns have their roots in primitive religious beliefs.

One example is the fret design. The lightning pattern, which for primitive society depicted rain, represented people’s wish for rainfall. A triangle symbolized reproduction and a woman’s genitalia, and thus hope for childbirth. A swirl, resembling a whirlwind or a fern-brake, symbolized death and the boundlessness of the universe.

Motifs of Korean primitive art as shown in a rock carving in Goryeong.

Among favorite plant motifs were trees, flowers, fruits and grass. Animal designs engraved on stone or bone implements were related to the food-gathering activities of primitive people such as hunting and fishing. Stone Age rock carvings feature animal designs such as fish, whales, tigers, antlers and human figures. Natural objects include landscapes, rocks, waves and clouds. Next, ritual implements, weapons and personal ornaments from the Bronze Age show more diverse patterns executed with advanced technique.

Paleolithic sites on the Korean Peninsula have revealed some traces of early patterns. It is believed, however, that patterns were first used on everyday objects during the Neolithic Age. The comb patterns on Neolithic earthenware are among the earliest examples. Abstract delineation grew increasingly popular with time, so that most Bronze Age mirrors were engraved with fine lines that formed triangles, circles, concentric circles, radii and star shapes.

A ceiling painting in Ssangyeongchong (the tomb of Double Columns) from the Goguryeo Kingdom. A full-blown lotus flower is seen at the center.

More naturalistic patterns were employed in the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D. 668) and motifs inspired by animism appeared in the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668) as is evident in the tomb murals of the period. A typical example is that of the four guardian spirits — the blue dragon of the west, the white tiger of the east, the red peacock of the south and the black turtle-snake of the north. These four Taoist symbols of auspiciousness and authority appear over and over in all forms of Korean art.

Linear renderings of symmetrically arranged quasi-abstract phoenixes and dragons can be seen in many Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) ornaments. But trees, antlers and bird wings, evidence of Siberian shamanistic traditions, are central to the motifs found in the crowns or pottery of Silla. The swirling cloud and flame motifs of Chinese origin often decorate the personal ornaments and jewelry of Silla aristocrats. Honeysuckles and lotus flowers adorn the crowns of the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C.-A.D. 660).

1. Various patterns of Sumaksae (roof-end tile) — a decorative tile placed at the end of a roof’s eaves atop wooden structures (Silla and Unified Silla era) 2. Yeonhwamunjeon — a Baekje-era clay brick with carved patterns 3. Sansumunjeon (Treasure No. 343) — brick with incised landscape (Baekje) 4. Various patterns of Sumaksae (roof-end tile) — a decorative tile placed at the end of a roof’s eaves atop wooden structures (Silla and Unified Silla era) 5. Inmyeon munui wadang (Eolgool munui sumaksae) — Unified Silla

A combination of Buddhist designs with shamanistic, Taoist and Confucian motifs is found in the arts of all periods. Lotus flowers, clouds, lightning and swastikas can be seen in nearly every Buddhist structure or painting, either singly or in various configurations.

Following the unification of the peninsula by Silla, allied with Tang China in the seventh century, patterns grew more colorful and gorgeous with influences from China and Central Asia. Arabesques in the Tang style and Korean native style flower designs, called posanghwa, were of a more luxurious mode than the traditional honeysuckle and lotus patterns.

Delicate inlaid patterns on celadon vase from the Goryeo Dynasty | Buncheong flask with peony design

Delicate inlaid patterns on celadon, metalware and mother-of-pearl chests were one of the crowning achievements of decorative art in the Goryeo period (918-1392), which was characterized by a flowering Buddhist culture. Inlaying was a technique of carving out a desired pattern on the surface of a piece of pottery or metal ware and filling in the recession with clay or gold or silver before coating the surface with glaze or lacquer. In particular, Goryeo artists displayed adroit craftsmanship in bronzeware with silver inlay, which served as the foundation for the widely acclaimed inlaid celadon and mother-of-pearl articles in later years.

Since ancient times, Koreans have used various patterns to decorate different objects. The ten longevity symbols above decorate a wall from the late Joseon period.

Naturalistic themes of leisurely, idealized life embellish many Goryeo celadon and lacquered articles. Line drawings of water fowl, willows, reeds, chrysanthemums, cranes and clouds attest to the refined poetic taste of the Goryeo nobility. Other favorite motifs included plum, orchid, and bamboo, which, together with the ubiquitous chrysanthemum, constituted the “four gentlemen” plants symbolizing the virtues of learned men of noble demeanor.

 Sipjangsaeng (ten symbols of longevity) chimney at Janggyeongjeon, Gyeongbok-gung Palace.

Many Goryeo celadon vases, incense burners and kundika bottles were skillfully adorned with drawings of water birds floating on willow-lined streams, carefree urchins frolicking among lotus leaves and wild geese flying against the clear autumn sky. With the advent of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), which adopted Confucianism as the basic creed for state administration and public ethics, the Buddhist-influenced, subtle and tasteful Goryeo-style decorative art gave way to relatively simpler styles reflecting the frugal lifestyle of a Confucian-dominated society. A preference for the simple and mono-chromatic is evident in the arts of this period.

The Joseon literati painting, characterized by simple but deft brushwork rendered in ink, finds a pleasant echo in the underglaze cobalt decoration of blue-and-white porcelain ware. Favorite motifs in both these genres included landscapes, flowers and birds, grapes, and the ever popular “four gentlemen” plants.

The coarse but charming buncheong ware deserves attention as a significant transitional stage connecting the elegant Goryeo celadon and the simple and pragmatic Joseon porcelain. Coated with white slip and glaze, the utilitarian stoneware vessels are ornamented with carefree peony scrolls, fish with humorous expressions and stamped tiny chrysanthemum heads, among other frequently used motifs.

Flower-patterned latticeworks, with rhythmical and symmetrical shapes, create a very harmonious look. Latticeworks are frequently found in temples.

Despite an obvious predilection for monochromic simplicity, the wooden bracketing systems, pillars and beams of palace and temple structures provide rare examples of dazzling decoration with patterns of all imaginable motifs rendered in the five cardinal colors of red, blue, yellow, white and black. Dragon and phoenix motifs adorn the ceilings of the throne halls of palaces, symbolizing the king’s supreme authority.

The ten longevity symbols constituted a major theme of folk painting, and of the decorative motifs of handicraft objects used by people of all social classes. The ten objects, including rocks, mountains, water, clouds, pine trees, turtles, deer, cranes, the fungus of immortality and the sun, made appealing motifs for folding screens, lacquered chests, ceramics and embroidery on clothes and other fabric items for daily use.

In the same strain of the Taoist world view, Chinese characters denoting longevity (su), happiness (bok), many sons (danam), and wealth and high social status (bugwi), were widely used in stylized or pictorial forms. These characters embellish various articles of everyday use such as pillow pads, spoon cases or wooden wardrobes.

USB memory sticks decorated with patterns of Silla Dynasty

Attesting to the deep-rooted, Taoist-Confucian tradition among Koreans is the frequent use of the taegeuk pattern and the eight trigrams symbolizing possible situations and processes of the interaction between the two contrasting but mutually complementing elements of eum (yin) and yang.

The taegeuk pattern, consisting of two whirling elements, symbolizes the “Great Ultimate,” or the primary source of all reality. The two whirls stand for eum and yang, the cosmic elements of tranquility and activity weakness and strength, dark and light, and male and female.

Chu Hsi, the Chinese philosopher who founded Neo-Confucianism, said that the Great Ultimate is like the moon. It is one object, but its light is scattered upon rivers and lakes. Thus, he said, the Great Ultimate is both the sum total of all principles and principle in its oneness.

As seen in the Korean national flag, the pattern features yang in red at the top, and eum in blue at the bottom, symbolizing heaven and earth, respectively. Similar patterns of dualism are found on the doors of temples and shrines, clothes, furniture and daily objects such as fans or spoons.

Korean Folk Paintings 

 

A common drinking scene from the Joseon Dynasty | Females swung on a swing on the 5th day of the Fifth Moon or Dano.

Folk painting comprises the so-called “functional” pictures widely used by commoners in old Korea to decorate their home or to express their wishes for a long, happy life. Folk paintings, normally unsigned, often depict the same motifs as those of the so-called “orthodox” paintings including landscapes, flowers and birds, but abound with humor and simple and naive ideas about life and the world.

Korean folk paintings depict the age-old customs of the Korean nation. Their repeated themes well represent the unique lifestyle of the Korean people, their dreams, wishes and artistic imagination. 

Though folk painting, typified by simple compositions of stylized motifs and bright primary colors, is usually considered a low form of art, it does not necessarily mean that all paintings in this genre are technically inferior t those categorized as standard painting.

Folk painting actually includes a wide variety of paintings rangin from those by high-caliber professional painters at the royal court to those by wandering monks and unknown amateur artists. Some pieces demonstrate marvelous artistry, but some are considerably less skilled and sophisticated. The earliest examples of Korean folk painting, or minhwa, date from prehistoric times.

The figures on the walls of Muyongchong (the Tomb of the Dancers) from the Goguryeo Kingdom

Pictures and patterns in the folk style are found in artifacts from all periods, including Neolithic rock carvings, early bronze articles, the murals and bricks in the tombs of the Goguryeo period (37 B.C-A.D.668), and handicraft objects from the Goryeo (918-1392) and the Joseon periods (1392-1910). It may be said that folk painting has its roots in animal patterns on the primitive rock carvings, the four Taoist guardians and immortals in the tomb murals, pictures of the ten longevity symbols, hunting scenes and bricks ornamented with landscape designs.

A family of the late Joseon Dynasty engaged in weaving and starching

Folk paintings were produced by artists who obviously belonged to a relatively low social class in traditional Korea. But their paintings were used by people of all social strata, from the royal household and temples down to the farmers in remote villages. The paintings were needed for rites in various religious denominations like shamanism, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, and for decoration of public facilities and private homes. They were intended mainly to stand for the common wishes of the public to repel evil spirits and to invoke good fortune, or to depict dail customs and moral concepts.

Consequently, folk paintings may be divided largely into two categories: religious paintings and nonreligious paintings. 

Religious paintings depict shamanist, Taoist and Buddhist themes as well as Confucian precepts for ancestor worship and moral discipline. 

Non-religious paintings include genre pictures, portraits, illustrations of ancient episodes, documentary pictures, maps and astronomical charts. 

Folk paintings may be classified into the following categories by theme:

1. Tao-shamanist paintings

The royal throne had a picture of the sun and the moon rising over a mountain of five peaks as a backdrop, symbolizing longevity.

Longevity symbols: 

Pictures of the ten longevity symbols figure most prominently among folk paintings of this category. The ten longevity symbols, including the sun, clouds, mountains, water, bamboo, pine, crane, deer, turtle and the mushroom of immortality, are often presented all together in a single picture. Also representing the predominant wishes for a long life are pictures of pine and crane, cranes or deer in large groups, and cranes and peaches presented with sea waves. It is of special note that the royal throne had a picture of the sun and the moon rising over a mountain of five peaks as a favorite backdrop.

Directional guardians and the 12 zodiacal symbols: 

Ancient folk paintings often depict the five directional spirits and the animal gods symbolizing the 12 zodiacal signs as an expression of the desire to disperse evil spirits and invoke happiness. The five directional spirits are the blue dragon of the west, the white tiger of the east, the red peacock of the south, the black turtle-snake of the north and the yellow emperor of the center. As time passed, the red peacock was substituted with a phoenix or a mythical animal called the kirin, and the black turtle-snake with a turtle.

The 12 zodiacal signs are represented by the mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Magpie and tiger — the tiger is one of the most prevalent motifs in Korean folk paintings

Tiger: 

The tiger was among the most popular motifs in Korean folk painting. Likely originating from the mythical “white tiger” guardian spirit of the east, the tiger was often personified in Korean folklore. A notable characteristic about the tiger as featured in Korean folk traditions is how it is seldom portrayed as a ferocious beast but as a friendly and sometimes even funny and stupid animal. The tiger appears as a docile companion and messenger of the mountain spirit in many folk paintings. It often appears with a magpie on a pine tree, a rooster or a lion. The magpie in Korean folkore is an auspicious bird believed to bring good news.

Chochungdo — This decorative work was thought to imbue a sense of tidiness, a supposed characteristic of women.

Immortals: 

As symbols of the Taoist ideal of harmony with nature as a way to achieve an eternal life, immortals have been important motifs in Korean folk tradition over the centuries. Immortals, often portrayed as hermits in the mountains, were also believed to help mortals to live happily, content with good health, wealth and many children.

Hwajodo — painting used to decorate a bridal room or the inner room of a house. | Minhwa — folk painting that demonstrates a connection between Buddhism and shamanism.

The mountain spirit and dragon king: 

The popular mountain spirit and dragon king motifs have their origins in two famous figures in Korean history, Dangun and Munmu. Dangun is the legendary progenitor of the Korean people who is said to have turned into a mountain spirit in his old age; King Munmu of the Silla Kingdom is said to have become the dragon king after death, and his remains were buried in the East Sea in accordance with his will. The mountain spirit is portrayed in folk paintings as a benevolent old man with a white beard, accompanied by a tiger messenger. 

The dragon king is usually depicted as a mighty animal flying amidst the clouds over a sea of high waves. The pictures of the mountain spirit and the dragon king motifs are housed at shrines in the mountains or by the sea as the guardians of peace and prosperity of the nation. Also appearing frequently in ancient folk paintings are various other Taoist or shamanistic deities as well as famous kings, generals, ministers or their wives.

Buddhist paintings:

Buddhist temples and hermitages across the country are rich archives of folk paintings, ranging from large icon images for ritual use to illustrations for sutras and anecdotes about famous monks and their portraits. These temple paintings are noted for simple compositions and bright colors.

Hyoje munjadobyeong (Munjado, character design) — this character design can be classified as Confucian painting.

Confucian paintings: 

Confucianism, based on the teachings of Confucius and other sages, developed in Korea as an important intellectual and moral belief system. It also incorporated the nation’s unique shamanistic and Taoist concepts of ancestor worship and respect of nature. Folk paintings in this category included character designs of the popular themes of loyalty and filial piety, pictures depicting the life stories of renowned scholars, and depictions of a carp jumping up from the river to transform into a dragon, symbolizing the aspiration for distinguished academic achievement and a successful career in officialdom.

Hyoje munjadobyeong (Munjado, character design) — this character design can be classified as Confucian painting.

Decorative paintings: 

The vast majority of ancient folk painting were used for decorative purposes. These paintings generally repeat popular motifs with relatively poor techniques, but attest to the nation’s religious tradition harmonizing various faiths such as shamanism, Taoism, Buddhism and Confu-cianism. 

Ancient Korean folk paintings have the following characteristics: 

A husband and wife chase away a cat trying to make off with a young chicken.

1. First, they demonstrate an unequivocal yearning for happiness. They stand for the universal desire to chase away evil spirits and to enjoy a long life blessed with good health, affluence and social success.
2. Second, folk paintings attest to the honesty and simplicity of Korean people. The paintings are unrefined, sometimes even childish and crude. Yet they demonstrate the nature of Korean people, prone to simplicity and unpretentiousness.
3. Third, the folk paintings show the deep love of Koreans for nature, humankind and the deities. They are full of humanity, peace and warmth of heart, which are seldom found in more orthodox paintings.
4. Fourth, the folk paintings, with their bold compositions, dynamic brushwork and intense colors, are thought to display the indomitable will and courage of an agrarian society oppressed by the upper class and foreign invaders.
5. Fifth, the paintings abound with humor and satire. They manifest the mental rigor of a people who are able to wisely surmount difficulties. Pains and sorrows are sublimated into joys and happiness through the use of rich humor and satire.
6. Sixth, folk paintings have a unique style which was derived from the indigenous artistic flair of the Korean people.

Children draw their own folk paintings on fans.

Korean Paper Crafts

Paper lotus flower decorations | Cabinet decorated with hanji featuring a pressed floral pattern. The pattern is created by pressing dried leaves, flowers grass collected from nature.

Koreans have a centuries-old history of paper-making and have long enjoyed using indigenous high-quality paper. Korea’s oldest paper, called maji, was made from hemp. Maji is produced using roughly the following process: scraps of hemp or ramie cloth are soaked in water for some time and then shredded into tiny pieces. 

These pieces are pulverized in a grindstone to produce a slimy pulp, which then is steamed, cleansed with water, ground and placed in a tank. This raw material is pressed onto a frame and sun-dried while being bleached. This method of papermaking was most popular during the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.- A.D. 668).

In Baekje (18 B.C.- A.D. 660), one of the Three Kingdoms, paper thus made in this way served as a chief medium for documenting historical events in the second half of the fourth century. Notably, Damjing, a Korean Buddhist monk and painter of Goguryeo (37 B.C - A.D. 668), another of the Three Kingdoms, introduced techniques of papermaking to Japan in 610, the 21st year of the reign of Goguryeo’s King Yeongyang.

All this testifies to the advanced state of papermaking that Korea had already developed by the early part of the seventh century.

These paper cords made of Hanji are used to make other objects. | Korea’s unique paper Hanji is firm and strong yet soft.

In the Goryeo era (918-1392), Koreans began to make paper from mulberry bark, or dangnamu, which made it possible to produce paper in large quantity, and in the 11th century, Korea began exporting paper to China. Between the 23rd year (1145) of King Injong’s reign and the 18th year (1188) of King Myeongjong’s reign, mulberry trees were grown virtually all over the Korean Peninsula as the private paper manufacturing industry became a thriving business. The government encouraged papermaking by setting up a jiso, an administrative agency designed exclusively to promote the production of mulberry paper. 

Eventually, Goryeo succeeded in producing fairly thick and sturdy paper whose obverse and reverse sides are both quite smooth and glossy. In later years, Korea’s papermaking techniques further advanced, leading to the production of Hanji, traditional Korean paper.

Hanji craftworks: Comb box and dressing stand, Box for colored thread, Jewelry box, Stepped chest of drawers, Colorful figures of children at play made out of Hanji

Along with the indigenous and ingenious development of papermaking, Korea has established a deep-rooted tradition in the versatile use of paper. Among numerous traditional items of papercraft were such household goods as wardrobes, cabinets, chests, boxes, calligraphy desks, writing-brush holders, candlestands, room curtains, mats, cushions, comb holders and comb cabinets, trays, bowls with lids, basins, jars and food coverings. Other popular papercrafts included tobacco pouches, spectacle cases, dippers, quivers, soldiers’ armor, fans, umbrellas, apparel, footwear and hats, as well as artificial flowers, lanterns, and kites.

Scooping up paper in the process of making Hanji | Removing bamboo screens from paper

It is hard to tell exactly when Koreans began to produce this plethora of items from paper, many of them for household use. However, historical documents indicate that the popular use of paper items dates as far back as the Three Kingdoms (57 B.C.-A.D. 668). This period left many books documenting important historical and other data. During that period, Korea introduced the method of papermaking to Japan and exported its famous paper to China.

Closet made of Hanji

Interestingly, the great compilation known as the Samgukyusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) notes that Koreans enjoyed making and flying kites made of paper, a clear indication that papercraft had already been developed to a considerable extent in Korea at the time of the document’s writing.

In the early period of Joseon, under the reign of King Taejo, a decree was proclaimed to emphasize austerity in daily life. Accordingly, artificial flowers made of paper replaced virtually all floral decorations at the sites of royal and private banquets and other functions from the beginning of the Joseon era. Artificial flowers most commonly used during the pre-Joseon period of Goryeo were made of wax or silk cloth. During the reign of King Sejong (r.1418-1450), the use of paper flowers, in lieu of other kinds of artificial flowers, was further extended to Buddhist rites and festivals.

Modern-style Hanji-covered lamps

As the demand for paper increased rapidly, the royal court of King Sejong established a special office in charge of papermaking, leading to mass production of paper. During the early period of Joseon, the royal court supplied troops guarding the remote northern frontiers with jigap, armor made of specially treated paper. This armor was not only waterproof, but also effectively protected the soldiers from the severe cold during winter. More importantly, this armor was sturdy enough to serve as a protective covering against arrows, spears, swords, or other weapons.

During the period of King Injo, jigap was steadily improved, often using scraps of paper and waste paper as raw materials. Jigap also inspired the invention of civilian attire made of treated paper.

As time passed, paper gained increasingly wider usage. For example, fans made of silk, widely used by Korean nobles, gave way to fans made of paper. In the middle period of Joseon, when tobacco began to be imported, tobacco pouches made of paper appeared and became the vogue. Other paper products made of old books and other used paper also made their debut. 

Frugality was considered a virtue in daily life. True to the spirit, Koreans came up with many other ways to make good use of scraps of paper. Paper recycled from scraps was used as lining for the walls of rooms. Scraps of paper were made into a string that was durable enough to be used as a ring (in lieu of a door knob) attached to a door or as a clothesline.

In the early 18th century, Koreans began to produce cushions and mats made by weaving paper cords dyed in various colors. Subsequently, a variety of other household and personal items made of paper cords emerged. According to Korean folklore, if one collects hair that falls during combing and burns it outside the front door of one’s home in the twilight of Lunar New Year’s Day, it will ward off diseases and other evils. This folk custom made popular a bag made of oiled paper for storing such hair. Also popular for the same reason was a comb cabinet.

Making fans with Hanji, top, and fans with taegeuk designs

In most cases, paper made from mulberry bark was used for traditional paper crafts. More specifically, second-hand mulberry paper — calligraphy-practice sheets, scraps left over from bookmaking or papering walls or the pages of old books — was especially favored. Traditional paper that was dyed various colors and oiled was also used. Korea’s traditional papercrafts can be divided into three major categories depending on the way the paper is used and on the shape of the items created. These categories are jido gibeop, jiho gibeop and jiseung gibeop.

In jido gibeop, many sheets of paper are pasted together. This multilayered, sturdy paper is then shaped into a desired form. The products thus made ranged from tobacco pouches and workbaskets to needle cases and comb cabinets. Also in this category are paper products made by pasting many layers of paper on both the outside and inside of a pre-shaped bamboo or wooden frame. Products made through this technique included wardrobes and trunks.

Making a lotus lantern with Hanji for Buddha’s Birthday

Colored paper was used mainly for such products as wardrobes and trunks used by women. Favorite colors were blue, red, yellow, green and purple, all obtained from natural dyestuffs manufactured at home. Often, colored paper was cut into the shape of a butterfly, a bat, a mandarin duck, the double-letter Chinese character meaning happiness, or the Buddhist left facing swastika and pasted onto paper products to wish for good luck.

Jiho gibeop is the technique of using “paper clay” to make such kitchen items as bowls with lids and large scooped bowls. Paper clay is made from scraps of paper that are soaked in water and then crushed and mixed with an ample dose of glue.

Jiseung gibeop applies to the technique of making paper cords and weaving them into a broad range of household goods such as baskets, mesh bags, jars and trays. Other popular items made by weaving paper cords included stationery cases, mats, cushions and curtains. Still other paper cord products included quivers, dippers, powder flasks, footwear, washbasins and chamber pots.

Some paper cord products including small calligraphy desks and trays were reinforced with wooden bars to withstand the weight of the goods placed on them. Jiseung gibeop, developed during the Joseon period, is a unique technique that enabled craftsmen to put otherwise useless scraps of paper to good use.

Classes are taught in making different items out of Hanji.

Most of these Korean paper products were properly varnished to enhance their appearance and durability while making them waterproof. Since the use of lacquer for varnishing was discouraged under government regulations, the most commonly used varnish was sichil, a mixture of unripened persimmon juice, rice glue and perilla oil. Colored papercrafts were often covered by liquified agar and beobyeonyu, a mixture of litharge, talc and alum boiled down in perilla oil.

All in all, Korean papercraft has been long an ingenious part of the nation’s creative and versatile folk culture. 

Korean Seasonal Customs 

 

Children in beautiful Hanbok play Jegichagi (shuttlecock game played with the feet). | Kites carry people’s New Year wishes into the air.

The expression “Korean seasonal customs” refers to ceremonial acts that are customarily repeated regularly during the year. Sesi, or days of festivity, act as a stimulus in life and accelerate the rhythm of the yearly life cycle so as to help one move on to the next cycle.

Korean seasonal customs are based on the lunar calendar. The sun was not believed to imbue any seasonal characteristics; the moon, on the other hand, was believed to embody these seasonal characteristics through its waxing and waning in unity with the passage of time. As a result, it was easy to observe and appropriately evaluate seasonal changes based on lunar variations.

Farming, however, was based on the twenty-four jeolgi or “turning points.” In summary, Korean seasonal customs followed the phases of the moon, while farming followed the 24 solar terms.

Neolttwigi (seesaw play) — a girls’ game, thought to have started as a way to see over the family’s high garden wall.

Korean seasonal customs tended to deal with sin-gwan (view of god), jusulseong (nature of sorcery), jeomboksok (nature of fortune-telling), and minsok-nori (folk games). The gods included the ilwolseongsin (god of the sun, moon, and stars) in the sky, the sancheonsin (god of the mountains and rivers), the yong-wangshin (the dragon king), the seonangsin (a tutelary deity), and the gasin (god of home). These gods were waited upon for they were believed to be able to manipulate a person’s luck and fortune. The days of performing sacrificial rites are festive ones, and people pray for the gods’ protection and conquest of demons on these days.

Ways of praying for good fortune, which were also acts of praying for the safety of the populace as a whole, included “selling away the heat,” “nut cracking” (nuts eaten on the 15th day of the First Moon to guard oneself against boils for a year), “chasing away mosquitoes,” “treading on the bridge” (walking over a bridge under the first full moon of the year to ensure one has strong legs and will never be footsore), or “hanging a lucky rice scoop.”

In Korea’s originally agricultural society fortune-telling was performed to predict whether the forthcoming harvest would be good or bad; depending on the prophecy, a good harvest was prayed for. Accordingly, in the first lunar month, when farming begins, fortune-telling was performed by listening for the sounds animals made and studying changes in the weather.

In the first lunar month, families gathered around to play yut and hoped for continuing strong family ties. | Instruments for yunnori — yut and mal (marker)

If cows lowed or the weather was clear on the Lunar New Year’s Day or on the 15th day of the First Moon, it was believed that a year of abundance was ahead. When the sun was red, a drought was believed to be forthcoming. A northward wind meant a bad year, and the southward wind was believed to bring a year of abundance. In the cas of folk games, whether a town’s year would be good or bad was foretold by playing yut (a game using four wooden sticks) and staging a tug of war bout.

As a result, Korean seasonal customs could directly influence the policies of a nation, and at the same time, were an important determining factor in the character of the Korean people and the structure of their consciousness. Nowadays, however, with the influence of Western culture and changing lifestyles, Korean seasonal customs are slowly diminishing in social relevance. During the First Moon, period New Year’s Day — the biggest holiday of the year — and the 15th day of the first moon were celebrated. 

On New Year’s Day, Koreans enshrine their ancestral tablet and hold a charye. A charye is the holding of an ancestor memorial service on festive days, with food and wine offered in sacrifice to the ancestral tablet. Ordinarily, ancestor memorial services were held for ancestors up to four generations back; for ancestors further back, ancestor memorial services were held only once a year at their graves. Sebae (a formal bow of respect to one’s elders) is a younger person’s bowing to an older person as the first greeting in the new year. Sebae is done by kneeling down and bowing politely. After performing sebae comes seongmyo. Seongmyo is a visit to the ancestal graves to bow and inform ancestors of the new year.

Sebae is a younger person’s bowing to an older person as the first greeting in the New Year.

Seongmyo was a custom for dead ancestors that was equal to doing sebae for living people; it was an absolutely necessary act of etiquette for the descendants of the ancestors. On New Year’s Day and the first 15th days of the first lunar month, there are various times when good fortune is prayed for throughout the year. During the first 15th days, each house bought a good luck rice scoop mesh dipper and hung the dipper — with taffy, matches, or money in i — on the wall.

On the night before the 15th day of the First Moon, a straw effigy called a jeung was made and then thrown into a stream. This was to signify throwing away hapless fate and greeting a fortunate year. On the morning of the 15th day, drinking wine to “clear the ears” and cracking nuts were customs that were enjoyed.

People eat nuts on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar to guard themselves against boils for the year.

By cracking and eating hard-shelled nuts (such as chestnuts, walnuts, pine nuts or ginko nuts), it was believed that one would not suffer from ulcers. By drinking wine to clear the ears, it was believed that one would receive good things to hear; in other words, one would hear good news often during that year.

One of the most well-known Korean Seasonal Customs was treading on a bridge before and after the 15th. When crossing a bridge in the evening, one crossed a bridge the number of times equal to one’s age; by doing so, it was believed that one could stay healthy and not suffer from leg pains throughout the year.

One Korean seasonal custom that cannot go unmentioned is fortunetelling. It was customary to attempt to foretell one’s fortune or how good or bad the harvest for the year would be in particular, tojeong-bigyeol was very popular among commoners because of its monthly explanation of fortune and its supposedly high accuracy.

Most Korean families hold an ancestor memorial service on festive days, with items offered in sacrifice to the ancestral tablet.  |  Freshly harvested grains and fruits were used during ceremonies to honor one’s ancestors.

In the first lunar month, each village performed dongje. Dongje refers to a ritual ceremony that was performed as a unit by the entire village. Sansinje (a ritual service for the god of mountains), byeolsinje (a service for the special god), street ritual services, and a service for the dragon king are examples of dongje.

Ipchun, the onset of spring, usually comes in early February. Ipchun was believed to signal the beginning of the spring season. During this time, each household wrote a poem about the onset of the spring and pasted it on a pillar or on the front gate of the house. The first of the Second Moon was called Yeongdeung Day. Yeongdeung was the goddess of the wind, and it was believed that if it was windy, she was bringing her daughter; if it was rainy, she was bringing her daughter-in-law.

The 3rd day of the Third Moon was considered the day on which the swallows returned. As spring gradually brought, warming weather, people went out to the fields and ate a cake made in the shape of a flower. If sauce was made on this day, it was supposed to taste better; if a pumpkin was planted, many pumpkins would grow; and if any medicinal substances were taken, one would hopefully live a long life without disease.

People celebrate Dano swinging on a swing, wrestling in traditional ssireum style or eating seasonal foods.

The 8th day of the Fourth Moon is Buddha’s birthday. It was also called Buddha’s bathing day. On this day, people visited temples and prayed for the happiness of the dead while lighting lanterns. The 5th day of the Fifth Moon is Dano. On this day, women washed their hair with iris-infused water and swung on a swing, while men engaged in traditional Korean style ssireum wrestling.

The 15th day of the Sixth Moon is called Yudu. On this day, people washed their hair in water that was flowing eastward, in the hope of eliminating bad happenings, and performed an ancestor memorial service with freshly harvested fruit and rice cakes.

Between the Sixth and Seventh Moons, there was the midsummer heat. During this period, people sought mineral water, enjoyed river fishing, and cooked nutritious dishes, such as samgyetang (a type of chicken soup with ginseng). 

The 7th day of the Seventh Moon is Chilseok, when Gyeonu (the Herdsman) and Jingnyeo (Vega) were believed to meet each other o Ojakgyo bridge. On this day, people dried their clothes and books under the sunshine. Wives and children performed a sacrificial ceremony at the well (for abundance of water) and chilseongje (an ancestor memorial service for the Big Dipper God) to pray for prosperity.

The 15th day of the Seventh Moon is called Baekjung or Jungwon. Various fruits and vegetables are abundant during this time. Baekjung means serving 100 different things on the table for a memorial service. In the farmland, a ceremonial feast was prepared for the laborers in recognition of their work, and they were allowed a day off to enjoy the time.

For Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving day), songpyeon is made with freshly harvested grains.

The 15th day of the Eighth Moon is Chuseok, Thanksgiving Day. Along with New Year’s Day, Chuseok (also called the Harvest Moon Festival) is the biggest holiday in Korea. With freshly harvested grains and fruits, ancestor memorial services are performed, and visits to one’s ancestors’ graves are made. One of the dishes prepared for this day that cannot go unmentioned is songpyeon (rice cake). Songpyeon are stuffed with freshly harvested sesame, beans, redbeans, chestnuts, or Chinese dates. The songpyeon are then steamed over pine needles. 

Ganggangsullae, a Korean circle dance, is performed on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month.

Traditionally, on the night before Chuseok, all family members sat around and made songpyeon, while looking upon the full moon. Single men and women tried their best to make the songpyeon as pretty as possible. It was believed that one would meet a good-looking spouse if one were able to make good-looking songpyeon. During Chuseok, people share wine and food, besides playing various kinds of fun games. Games such as so nori (bull fighting), geobuknori (turtle play), ganggangsullae or ganggangsuwollae (a country circle dance), and ssireum (Korean wrestling) were performed, creating a lively atmosphere.

The 9th day of the Ninth Moon is Jungyangieol or simply junggu. On junggu, people cooked pancakes with chrysanthemum leaves or made wine with mums. In groups, people went to the mountains or entered valleys to see the foliage, and enjoyed the day by eating food and drinking wine. Folks believed that beginning from junggu, mosquitoes would begin t vanish, swallows to fly south, and snakes and frogs to enter the ground for hibernation.

The Tenth Moon was called Sangdal, or the time when the moon reaches its annual zenith. The moon during that month was considered  sacred, and a ceremonial service was usually performed directed toward the sky. At home, people set the table with sirutteok (a steamed rice cake) to appeal to the household god for peace in the household, and refilled the grand jar of the tutelary spirit (of house sites) with newly harvested grain.

The Eleventh Moon was called Dongjittal; rice gruel (prepared with red beans mashed and strained) was made and served on the table which held ancestral tablets. The rice gruel was also thrown against the front gate and wall. This custom originated from trying to repel falsehoods and was believed to keep away demons.

The last day (Keumeum) of the last month was called Jeseok or Jeya. It was a must for people with debts to pay them off prior to the beginning of a new year. On this day, people bowed in greeting to elders and performed suse, or a cleaning of the entire house. The bowing was intended to be a report to the elders that one had safely spent the year without any accident. For suse, the house was lit by a torch at various places to symbolically prevent the approach of minor demons.

On Dongji, rice gruel is served in the traditional belief that it keeps away misfortune throughout the coming year.

Also, while housewives prepared food to treat the New Year’s guests, men cleaned in and outside the house. In other words, they were getting rid of the past year’s minor demons and misfortunes and were preparing to begin a new year with a pure spirit. Additionally, if one slept on this night, it was believed that one’s eyebrows would turn white; therefore, it was customary for people to stay up all night. When a sleeping child was found, his or her eyebrows would be painted by someone with white powder; the next morning people would tease the child by saying that the color of his or her eyebrows’ had changed into white.

Korea’s Korean Seasonal Customs are part of old traditions rooted in life experiences. Therefore, Korean Seasonal Customs include an abundance of native wisdom.

Rites of Passage - Gwanhonsangje (coming-of-age, marriage, funeral, ancestor worship) 

A groom delivers paired wooden geese to the bride’s family. | A bride in traditional wedding clothes rides in a gama, a sedan chair.

An individual encounters many different stages in the course of life. A child grows up to become an adult, gets married, raises a family, becomes old, and after death is mourned by his/her offspring. 

In Korea, the stages that an individual goes through in life and the accompanying changes in his/her social status have significant meaning. The confusion that is likely to follow such changes is taken in stride through a series of rites of passage that are collectively called Gwanhonsangje (coming-of-age, marriage, funeral, ancestor worship).

In the Confucian society of traditional Korea, the coming-of-age rite signaled that the individual was officially a responsible member of society. Marriage reaffirmed the importance of the family as the basic unit of society. The funeral rites to mourn the passing of a family member and to overcome the resulting crisis in family life were austere and complex. The ancestral rite to pay homage to the family’s forebears was aimed at strengthening unity and harmony among family members and relatives.

During the traditional coming-of-age rite, a boy has his long hair tied into a knot and a traditional hat placed on his head. | A girl, during the same rite, has her braided hair rolled into a bun and fixed with a hairpin.

The Confucian coming-of-age rite, transforming a child into an adult, was simple. For the boy, it consisted of tying his long hair into a topknot, and placing a gat (traditional cylindrical Korean hat made of horsehair) on the boy’s head. The ceremony was performed when he reached his fifteenth to twentieth birthday. For the girl, it involved rolling her braided hair into a bun and fixing it with a long ornamental hairpin called a binyeo when she reached her fifteenth birthday.

Among commoners, the rite, as sponsored by the village dure (farming cooperative), tested the boy’s physical strength by having him lift a designated rock. If the boy proved his strength, he was considered worthy of his mettle, and thus an adult.

A bride and groom in traditional wedding garments stand ready to be married.

Marriage in Korea was traditionally decided by the senior elders of the two families, and the ceremony was performed in accordance with prescribed formalities: once a matchmaker confirmed the agreement to marriage by both families, the bridegroom’s family sent to the bride’s family a letter indicating the groom’s sajudanja (“four pillars,” indicating the year, month, day, and hour of his birth, which are presumed to determine his fate and fortune). The bride’s family decided on a wedding date and notified the other side, which was followed by the groom’s family sending the ceremonial wedding dress and gifts to the bride.

After the wedding ceremony, parents of the groom throw nuts onto a cloth held by the bride and the groom, hoping for the family’s good health, long life and prosperity.

Unlike in China, the wedding ceremony in Korea is traditionally performed at the bride’s home. It begins with the groom presenting wooden wild geese to the bride’s family. The groom then exchanges bows with the bride, and shares with her a drink of wine in a gourd dipper. After the ceremony, the newlyweds usually spend two or three days with the bride’s family (but the stay was known to last as long as a year in some cases). Upon arriving at the groom’s house, the bride offers deep bows and gifts to the groom’s parents and relatives, which symbolize the beginning of her new life with her in-laws.

The traditional Korean wedding ceremony was an honoring of the ancestors and a public display that continuity in the family line was assured. The family, which was created by marriage, was considered the basis of social life, and it was a social obligation of the partners to the marriage to lead prolific and prosperous lives. Meanwhile, the funeral rites to mourn the loss of a loved one were played out in complex formalities and procedures in traditional Korea.

During the Joseon period when Confucianism took root as the guiding moral and ethical system, funerals became particularly elaborate as an undertaking not limited to the immediate family but extended to the entire clan. Much of this tradition is still practiced today.

Traditional Korean funeral procession

The purpose of a funeral service is to enable the bereaved family to overcome the sense of loss and fear and to smooth the transition to daily life without the deceased. The passing of one’s parents is always particularly sad. For Koreans, the funeral — including the monetary contributions to the deceased family and the assigned duties and roles — symbolizes the full extent and nuances of the family bonds. Traditionally, mourning lasted for three years, following a strict set of protocol involving a series of prayer rites interspersed over the period. The intervals between the prayers, including the offering of food to the deceased and rites to conclude the burial, would be lengthened over time until the end of the three years, atter which the principal mourners would doff their ceremonial garb and other tokens of bereavement and return to their normal daily lives.

Sije — a seasonal ancestral rite

Koreans have handed down a rich tradition of ancestral memorial rite through numerous rituals that honor the spirits of their ancestors and seek their blessings for the living descendants. The rites provide a connection between the dead and the living. Unlike in the West, Koreans of old believed that the world after death is not entirely separate from the present world but exists on the same continuum. To worship one’s ancestors, and to give them continuity in life through offspring was considered the primary filial responsibility. To this day, devout Confucianists offer services for their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents on the anniversaries of their deaths. In addition, the ancestors are offered a charye (tea rite) on the morning of folk holidays such as the Lunar New Year’s Day. 

They are also offered a sije (time rite) at their grave sites. It is sometimes said that these rites breed clannishness and exclusivity; however, they also nurture intergenerational bonding and pride.

 

Shamanism in Korea 

Flags of shamanism to ward off evil spirits Shamanist rituals involve experiences of ecstasy through dance. | The influence of shamanism can be found in Korean modern dance.

Shamanism is a folk religion centered on a belief in good and evil spirits who can only be influenced by shamans. The shaman is a professional spiritual mediator who performs rites. Mudang, in Korean, usually refers to female shamans, while male shamans are called baksu-mudang.

When shamans dance, they enter a trance, and their souls supposedly depart their body for the realm of the spirits. By falling into a state of ecstasy, the shaman communicates directly with the spirits and displays supernatural strength and knowledge as the spirits’ mouthpiece. The shaman plays the role of an intermediary between human beings and the supernatural, speaking for humans to deliver their wishes and for the spirits to reveal their will.

The extraordinary gifts of the shaman allow him or her to be naturally distinguished from others in society. The belief that the shaman communicates with the spirits traditionally gave that person a certain authority. In ancient societies, probably from the time of tribal states, the shaman assumed the role of a leader as his or her supernatural powers contributed to the common interest of the community.

A great variety of spirits are worshiped in the pantheon of shamans, such as the mountain spirit, the seven star spirit, the earth spirit and the dragon spirit. In addition to these spirits in nature, the shaman may also serve the spirits of renowned historical figures including kings, generals and ministers.

Shamanism is depicted in Munyeodo, a painting by Shin Yun-bok, Joseon Dynasty.

Shamans are divided largely into two types according to their initiatio process — those who are chosen by the spirits and those who inherit the vocation from their ancestors The shamans who are chosen by the spirits are believed to be endowed with supernatural powers to heal and to divine. They communicate wit the spirits and speak for them in rites. The costumes used by these possessed shamans vary widely, and include some 12 to 20 different kinds, representing the various spirits they embody. Percussion instruments are played in fast, exciting rhythms to accompany the shaman as she or he falls into a state of ecstasy by dancing.

Procession escorting guksaseonghwang, main deity of Gangneung Dano Festival, designated as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO

Shamans of this type experience without fail the so-called sinbyeong, an illness resulting from resisting the call of the spirits, as an unavoidable process of initiation. The shaman candidate usually faints and has visions, and similar symptoms. Then, in a vision or a dream, the spirit who has chosen them appears and announces their being chosen, a call necessary for shamans to acquire their powers.

The illness supposedly causes the future shaman to suffer for months, or even years. Statistics say that the illness lasts about eight years on the average, but in some cases, it may last as many as 30. In an extremely unstable psychological state bordering lunacy, the person can hardly eat and sometimes roams around in the fields and mountains. The illness, which defies modern medicine, disappears all of a sudden when the person finally gives way to the compulsion and becomes a shaman.

In coastal areas, gut (shamanic ceremony) is held on various occasions including wishing for safe returns of vessels and abundant fishing.

An initiation rite is then held under the guidance of a senior shaman assuming the role of a godmother or a godfather. The novice shaman learns all the necessary skills of a professional shaman from the senior shaman before practicing on his or her own. The apprenticeship lasts for about three years in most cases, though it may vary depending on individual talent.

The shaman needs to serve and assist specific spirits. They are the spirits of nature and the spirits of renowned historic figures. A table prepared by a shaman for the jhanggunshin.

Those who become shamans by inheritance do not possess transcendental powers, and their role is restricted mostly to the performance of rites. The rites they officiate at do not involve ecstasy for communion with the supernatural, and no specific spirits are worshiped.

A Seseupmu is a shaman who inherited the vocation from his or usually her ancestors.

These shamans do not keep altars, and for each rite they set up a sacred passageway for the descending spirits. During a rite, the shaman does not embody the spirits but takes on a separate role. These shamans use simple costumes of two or three kinds. But they use more colorful music, including not only percussion but also string and wind instruments as well. Both the music and the dance are much slower than those performed by the “possessed” shamans.

Shaman rites are classified into three kinds based on their style. The simplest form is offering prayers while rubbing one’s palms. Rites of th possessed shamans are characterized by an ecstatic state in which the shaman is temporarily deified or embodies the spirits. Rites of the hereditary shamans also involve communion with the supernatural but the shaman and the spirits keep their separate identities.

Ssitgimgut — held to guide spirits of the dead to a better land, held in Jeollanam-do Province

In the shamanistic world view, human beings have both a body and a soul, or even several souls. The soul, which provides the vital force of life for the body, never perishes. After the body dies, the soul lives forever in the after life or is reborn in a new body. Shamanism classifies souls into those of living persons and those of dead persons. The souls of dead persons are personified, too. 

These souls are believed to be formless and invisible but omnipotent, floating aroun freely in the void with no barriers of time or space. 

Taekwondo 

Children engaged in Gyoroogi (sparring) to upgrade their skills | Supyeong ilja-chagi (horizontal single line kick), an attacking techinque of Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a sport which originated in Korea and is now practiced worldwide. Taekwondo uses the whole body, particularly the hands and feet. It not only strengthens one’s physique, but also cultivates character via physical and mental training. Coupled with techniques of discipline, taekwondo is a self-defense martial art.

The evidence of taekwondo’s existence as a system of defence using the body’s instinctive reflexes can be traced back to ceremonial games that were performed during religious events in the era of the ancient tribal states. During religious ceremonies such as Yeonggo and Tongmaeng (a sort of thanksgiving ceremony), and Mucheo (Dance to Heaven), ancient Koreans performed a unique exercise for physical training. This exercise was the original inception of taekwondo.

A taekkyeon (an older name for taekwondo) match painted on a mural from the Goguryeo era (37 B.C.-A.D. 668).

With this historical background, taekwondo (also known by its older name, taekkyeon) secured its status as Korea’s traditional martial art. During the Three Kingdoms period, taekkyeon became a required military art; the martial art was emphasized to enhance national defense and battle capabilities, and was practiced in the Musadan (a military organization), which was responsible for national defense.

The aforementioned traditions were continuously developed during the Goryeo period. The value of taekkyeon as a martial art for the defense and prosperity of the nation was acknowledged, and as a consequence, its standards were raised, leading to further systemization and popularity.

With the advent of explosives and the appearance of new weapons by the end of the Goryeo era, however, taekwondo, which had been highly supported at the national level during the beginning and middle periods of the Goryeo Dynasty, went into a steady decline. As a result of its weakened function as a martial art, the sport was transformed into a folk game at one point. According to records in the Goryeosa (History of Goryeo, 1454), people who gambled on taekkyeon for money or material goods were punished with 100 strokes of a paddle; a house owner who provided boarding or gambling money to gamblers also received the same punishment. Such records imply that taekkyeon was enjoyed as a folk game by many people and was deeply rooted in Koreans’ lives.

The basic movements of taekwondo are included in Muyedobotongji (Comperhensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts), written during the Joseon era (1392-1910).

Later, during the Joseon era, military arts regained their prominence due to political circumstances in the early period of the Dynasty’s foundation and the need for national defense. People who were skilled in taekkyeon received preferable treatment, and taekkyeon was recognized as a military art. Documents show that during the selection of military soldiers by the Uigumbu (the military high command) during the 10th year (1410) of King Taejong’s reign, persons who had beaten three rivals in taekkyeon matches were selected to become bangpyegun (shield carriers). In the following year, skills in taekkyeon were applied as a major criterion for recruiting soldiers. This practice attracted to the military service many of the gwanno, male provincial government slaves, who by virtue of their work were mostly well versed in the martial art.

However, once the country’s organizational structure was solidified, the importance of the martial art was again deemphasized due to the unavoidable strengthening of the power of the literati. This trend was reversed when the country was beset by travails such as the Imjinwaeran (the Japanese invasion of Joseon) in 1592 and the Byeongjahoran (the Manchu invasion) in 1636. At the national level, the Hullyeondogam (Military Training Command) was established to support martial arts.

A group of taekwondo athletes perform a jumping kick in front of the National Assembly building.

With the passage of time methods of national defense changed, along with peoples’ altitudes. Consequently, taekkyeon became primarily a folk game rather than a military art. With Japan’s undisguised intention of invading Korea, however, taekkyeon emerged as a national pastime. The fact that it was already established as a folk game, coupled with Koreans’ consciousness of belonging to a homogeneous nation distinct from the Japanese, fueled their passion for the art.

During the the Japanese colonial period, taekkyeon was suppressed. Nevertheless, it was secretly passed on among certain taekkyeon masters even during this time. After national independence in 1945, taekkyeon underwent a renaissance, aided by restored personal freedoms. It was during this period that a new word, “taekwon” was coined and began to be widely used.

Concurrently, the characteristics of the master-trainee relationship in taekwondo changed to emphasize the characteristics of taekwondo as more of a sport than a martial art. With the foundation of the Korea Taekwondo Association in September of 1961, taekwondo was recognized officially as s sport.
In 1962, the Korea Taekwondo Association became a member organization of the Korea Amateur Sports Association, and the following year taekwondo was chosen as a regular entry for the National Sports Festival.

Soldiers giving a tile-breaking performance.

In 1971, the Korea Taekwondo Association established criteria to guide those practicing taekwondo. The criteria include areas of etiquette and attitude, articles to follow in daily living places and in practice halls, dress code and personal appearance guidelines to be followed when conversing with or visiting someone. The Gukgiwon was opened in 1972 to function as the central practice hall and competition stadium for taekwondo.

Main techniques of taekwondo

The first World Taekwondo Championship was held in Seoul in 1973, at which time the World Taekwondo Federation was founded. The World Taekwondo Federation eventually became a member of the GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), and was chosen as an official entry by the Committee for the International Soldiers Meet (CISM) in 1976. Today, the World Taekwondo Federation has 184 member countries, and 3,000 masters have been dispatched to these countries to instruct approximately 60 million trainees worldwide.

2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist Hwang Gyeong-sun, left, attacks her opponent.

The sport’s steady progress and growth were responsible for taekwondo’s selection as an exhibition sport for the Olympic Games at the General Assembly of the International Olympic Committee on July 15, 1980. During the General Assembly of the International Olympic Committee in 1981, taekwondo was also chosen for inclusion in the 10th Asian Games. Having been selected as an exhibition sport for the 1988 Olympic Games, taekwondo firmly established its presence in the international sports arena.
The First International Taekwondo Academic Conference, which was held in Seoul in December 1983, also greatly contributed to the development of the sport. Partially as a result of the heightened worldwide interest in taekwondo stemming from this event, it was decided during the International Olympic Committee meeting held in Sydney, Australia, that taekwondo would be an official entry in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Former Olympic taekwondo champion Moon Dae-sung was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) athletes’ commission during the Beijing Olympics.

Children in a taekwondo class shout in the horse-riding stance.

The training methods of taekwondo can be differentiated into gibondongjak, pumse, gyeorugi, dallyeon, and hosinsul. Th gibondongjak (basic movements) refer to dynamic elements of the use of hands and feet and are the basis of taekwondo. They include chigi (striking) techniques using the fists and the outer edge of the hand. Pumse refers to training that is done alone with an imaginary counterpart. Here, one seeks to master effective techniques of attacking and defensive movements so as to improve one’s readiness, muscular power, flexibility, ability to shift one’s center of power, control of breathing, and speed of movement. Types of pumse include Taegeuk (1-8 jang) and Palgwae (1-8 jang) for non-grade-holders, and Goryeo, Geumgang, Taebaek, Pyeongwon, Sipjin, Jitae, Cheonggwon, Hansu, and Ilyeo for grade- holders. Gyeorugi, the application of pumse to an actual situation in order to demonstrate techniques of attack and defense, is divided into two parts: machueo-gyeorugi and gyeorugi.

Machueo-gyeorugi refers to a synchronized demonstration of given attack and defense techniques, while gyeorugi refers to the free application of those techniques to an opponent’s vulnerable areas. The latter enhances one’s spirit of fighting and courage.

Dallyeon involves strengthening body parts such as one’s hands and feet through the use of various equipment, in order to increase one’s power for attack and defense. Hosinsul consists of techniques to defeat a rival’s attack and to effectively counterattack.

Taekwondo matches are held according to weight categories. These categories include finweight, flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, welter-weight, middleweight, and heavyweight. The time allotted for a match is three three-minute rounds, with a one-minute rest period between rounds.
The competition floor is a square with sides of a total length of eight meters. The competition surface is covered by a mat. For the safety of the competitor, protective pads for certain parts of the body, such as the torso and head, are worn over the taekwondo uniform. One examiner, one chief referee, and four officials act as officiating judges.

Ssireum (Korean Wrestling)

Ssireum is a form of Korean traditional wrestling. Competitors try their skills during folk competitions. | The triumphant winner

Ssireum, a Korean traditional form of wrestling, is a type of folk competition in which two players, holding on to a satba (a cloth-sash tied around the waist), try to use their strength and various techniques to wrestle each other to the ground.

The history of ssireum began at the same time that communities began to form. In primitive societies, people unavoidably had to fight against wild beasts, not only for self-defense, but also for obtaining food. In addition, it was impossible for these communities to avoid coming in conflict with other groups of different blood ties. 

As a result, people ended up practicing different forms of fighting to protect themselves. During this period, when grappling was a predominant method of combat, various wrestling techniques were born.

With the advancement of human intelligence and political and economic development among local communities in Korea, ssireum developed into a military art. It can thus be said that ssireum’s elevated status as a military art was a natural outcome of social development.

Ssireum gained widespread popularity during the Joseon Dynasty. Ssireum, as depiced in a genre picture by Kim Hongdo. Late Joseon period.

By the beginning of the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.- A.D.668), ssireum was already established as a military art. This is substantiated by the murals in the Gakjeo-chong which is believed to have been constructed in the 4th century. Drawn on a stone wall in the main chamber was a vivid scene depicting ssireum. The mural contains   scene showing two men wrestling, with a referee judging the match. The location of the drawing implies that ssireum was a major part of Korean life during that period. 

Ssireum’s status continued into the Goryeo period (918-1392). A record in Goryeosa (History of Goryeo ) states that in the mid-fourteenth century King Chunghye ordered soldiers to compete in ssireum and observed the match during a banquet. It was during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), however, that ssireum gained increasingly widespread popularity.

Evidence of this is depicted in the genre pictures of Kim Hongdo, which frequently featured scenes of ssireum competitions; it is clear that by the Joseon era ssireum had become well-known as a folk competition in addition to being a military art.

Virtually every country has seasonal folk celebrations that express the unique characteristics of that country, and Korea is no exception in this regard. Ssireum contests, which could be held virtually anywhere or anytime, were a frequent part of the various celebrations held throughout the year. Many ssireum competitions occurred during Dano (the May Festival), but also during other holidays as well. On holidays such as the 3rd day of the Third Moon, the 8th day of the Fourth Moon, Buddhist All Souls’ Day, the 15th of the Seventh Moon or the Harvest Moon Festival during the Eighth Moon, townsfolk gathered to compete in ssireum matches as a way of sharing their joy and releasing mental and physical tensions from the strenuous farming work that lasted from spring until fall.

The surrounding atmosphere became festive with the beginning of ssireum matches. On days when ssireum matches were held, gambling games such as yut (a four-stick game like parcheesi) and various card games, which were ordinarily prohibited, were allowed. Upon demonstration of a fine ssireum technique or announcement of the winner, the people would raise a shout of joy, and pungmulnoli (farmers’ music and dance) was performed.

The final winner of the ssireum tournament was customarily awarded a bull, which was not only a symbol of strength, but also a valuable asset in an agricultural society. Because farming was primarily accomplished by a bull’s strength at that time, it was a most meaningful and generous award in every respect. Ssireum matches include group and individual matches. The competition schedule is determined by a drawing in the presence of the individual team’s representative, while victory is determined by a player or a group’s winning two out of three rounds of the match. The decision is made by the executive official after gathering opinions from the officials of the competition committee.

The time limit for the match differs according to category, which includes elementary, middle school, and high school and above (including college and general public). A match for the elementary and middle school categories is set for two minutes. If there is no winner, a two-minute extended round is held after one minute of rest. For matches in high school and higher categories, matches last for three minutes. If a winner is not decided, an extended match is held after a minute of rest.

Ssireum uses various techniques. Some of them are shown in the pictures: Ammureup chigi, Apdari teulgi, Ammureup dwijipgi, Jaban dwijipgi, Andari geolgi

Upon exhaustion of the second match time limit when the first match’s winner has already been determined, the winner from the first match becomes the winner of the competition. If there is no winner during the first match, the winner from the second match wins. When the score after the first two rounds is 1-1 and a winner is not decided in the third round match due to expiration of the designated time limit, a player who has received a warning or citation loses the competition. If neither of the players has received a warning or citation, the lighter player becomes the winner.

Ssireum employs techniques using different parts of body.

During the match, a player who touches the ground with any part of the body above the knee or steps out of the ring is defeated. If a player purposefully pushes his opponent outside the ring or steps outside due to his own mistake, a warning is given. However, when the match is completed outside the ring as a result of a player’s natural progression in a ssireum move, the player whose move determined the end of the match becomes the winner.

Children engage in a ssireum match on the sand.

Squeezing the neck, hitting with the head, twisting the arms, kickin with the foot, punching with a fist covering the eyes, and other actions that hinder the opponent’s performance become grounds for revocation of the right to further participate in the competition. The judging panel consists of one chief referee and three sub- referees. In addition to judging the match, they are also responsible for administration of issues pertinent to match. The chief referee moves in and out of the ring and is expected to announce his judgments in a speedy and accurate fashion. Sub-referees are positioned outside the ring, one on the left and an other on the right. To ensure the fairness of the chief referee’s decisions, sub-referees observe the match thoroughly. If an unfair judgment is announced or the chief referee is unable to make a decision upon completion of a match, they can request a revocation of the decision or a rematch. Sub-referees can also recommend the immediate cessation of the match when injury is likely to be incurred by a player due to the match itself or outside conditions.

With the development of consistent rules and guidelines, ssireum has continued to progress from a traditional sport and self-defense method into a well-loved folk competition and popular modern sport that is a part of the lives of Koreans today.