Hanbok (한복) (4261102177)
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The hanbok () is the
traditional clothing Folk costume, traditional dress, traditional attire or folk attire, is clothing of an ethnic group, nation or region, and expresses Cultural identity, cultural, Religious identity, religious or national identity. An ethnic group's clothing may a ...
of the
Korean people Koreans are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnicity, ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. The majority of Koreans live in the two Korean sovereign states of North and South Korea, which are collectively referred to as Korea. As ...
. The term ''hanbok'' is primarily used by South Koreans; North Koreans refer to the clothes as (). The clothes are also worn in the
Korean diaspora The Korean diaspora consists of around 7.3 million people, both descendants of early emigrants from the Korea, Korean Peninsula, as well as more recent emigrants from Korea. Around 84.5% of overseas Koreans live in just five countries: the Unit ...
.
Koryo-saram Koryo-saram (; ) or Koryoin () are ethnic Koreans of the post-Soviet states, former Soviet Union, who descend from Koreans that were living in the Russian Far East. Koreans first began settling in the Russian Far East in the late 19th century. ...
—ethnic Koreans living in the lands of the former Soviet Union—also retained a hanbok tradition. Koreans have worn hanbok since antiquity. The earliest visual depictions of hanbok can be traced back to the
Three Kingdoms of Korea The Three Kingdoms of Korea or Samhan (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) competed for hegemony over the Korea, Korean Peninsula during the ancient period of History of Korea, Korean history. During the Three Kingdoms period (), many states and statele ...
period (57 BCE to 668 CE) with roots in the Proto-Koreanic people of what is now
northern Korea North Korea is located in East Asia in the Northern half of Korea, partially on the Korean Peninsula. It borders three countries: China along the Yalu (Amnok) River, Russia along the Tumen River, and South Korea to the south. Topography and d ...
and
Manchuria Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...
. The clothes are also depicted on tomb murals from the
Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...
period (4th to 6th century CE), with the basic structure of the hanbok established since at latest this period.The Dreams of the Living and the Hopes of the Dead-Goguryeo Tomb Murals, 2007, Ho-Tae Jeon, Seoul National University Press The ancient hanbok consisted of a (top), (trousers), (skirt), and the ' (coat). The basic structure of hanbok was developed to facilitate ease of movement; it integrated many motifs of Mu-ism. For thousands of years, the hanbok most people wore was pure white with no ornamentation. More ornate hanbok was typically reserved for special occasions such as weddings. The color white was seen as pure. In some periods, commoners () were even forbidden from wearing colorful hanbok regularly. However, on the other hand, during the Joseon dynasty and the 1910–1945
Japanese occupation of Korea From 1910 to 1945, Korea was ruled by the Empire of Japan under the name Chōsen (), the Japanese reading of "Joseon". Japan first took Korea into its sphere of influence during the late 1800s. Both Korea (Joseon) and Japan had been under polic ...
, there was also an attempt to ban white clothes and to encourage non-bleached dyed clothes, which ultimately failed. Modern hanbok are typically patterned after the hanbok worn in the
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period, especially those worn by the nobility and royalty. There is some regional variation in hanbok design between South Korea, North Korea, and
Koreans in China Koreans in China include both ethnic Koreans with Chinese nationality and non-Chinese nationalities such as South Korean ( zh, s=在华韩国人·韩裔) and North Korean ( zh, s=在华朝鲜人·朝鲜裔) people living in China. For this re ...
as a result of the relative isolation from each other that these groups experienced in the late-20th century. Despite this, the designs have somewhat converged again since the 1990s, especially due to increased cultural and economic exchange after the
Chinese economic reform Reform and opening-up ( zh, s=改革开放, p=Gǎigé kāifàng), also known as the Chinese economic reform or Chinese economic miracle, refers to a variety of economic reforms termed socialism with Chinese characteristics and socialist marke ...
of 1978 onwards. Nowadays, contemporary Koreans wear hanbok for formal or semi-formal occasions and for events such as weddings, festivals, celebrations, and ceremonies. In 1996, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism established Hanbok Day to encourage South Korean citizens to wear the hanbok.


Etymology

The term ''hanbok'' appeared relatively recently and is connected with the historical context in which it appeared. The term emerged in the late Joseon period, when the
Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...
and other western countries competed to place Korea under their own sphere of influence. The first known use of the term is in an 1881 document from the late Joseon period entitled ().역사 속의 우리 옷 변천사, 2009, Chonnam National University Press There, hanbok is used to distinguish Korean clothing from Japanese- and Western-style clothing. Hanbok was again used in an 1895 document to distinguish between Korean and Japanese clothing. These two usages predate the Korean Empire's popularization of the use of the
hanja Hanja (; ), alternatively spelled Hancha, are Chinese characters used to write the Korean language. After characters were introduced to Korea to write Literary Chinese, they were adapted to write Korean as early as the Gojoseon period. () ...
character () to describe the Korean people. Beginning in 1900, Korean newspapers used the hanja character ' in words that described Korean clothing, such as (), (), and (). Hanbok was used in a 1905 newspaper article to describe the clothing of one of the
righteous armies Righteous armies (), sometimes translated as irregular armies or militias, were informal civilian militias that appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance. The first righteous armies emerged du ...
. Other words with similar meanings, such as () and (), were concurrently used. Since the
division of Korea The division of Korea began at the end of World War II on 2 September 1945, with the establishment of a Soviet occupation zone and a US occupation zone. These zones developed into separate governments, named the Democratic People's Republic of ...
, South Korea has preferred the term hanbok while North Korea has preferred the term . This reflects the general trend of South Korea's preference for the term and North Korea's for .


Components and design

For women, traditional hanbok consists of the (top) and the (skirt). The ensemble is often known as . For men, hanbok consist of and loose-fitting (trousers). There are also a variety of vests, jackets and coats on top of this ensemble. For women, there are ''Jangsam'', ''Dansam'', ''
Wonsam The ''wonsam'' is a female ceremonial topcoat in ''hanbok''. It originated from China, and it was worn by queens, high-ranking court ladies, and royalty during the Joseon dynasty of Korea (1392–1910). It is also called 'daeui' (大衣, big clot ...
'', and more. For men, some examples are , , ''Danryeong-ui'', ''Joong-chimak'', ''Sochang-ui'', ''Daechang-ui'', etc.


''Jeogori''

The () is the basic upper garment of the hanbok, worn by both men and women. It covers the arms and upper part of the wearer's body. There are various styles and types of varying in fabric, sewing technique, and shape. The basic form of a consists of ''gil'', ''git'', ''dongjeong'', ''goreum'' and sleeves. ''Gil'' () is the large section of the garment on both front and back sides, and ''git'' () is a band of fabric that trims the collar. ''Dongjeong'' () is a removable white collar placed over the end of the ''git'' and is generally squared off. The ''goreum'' () are fabric-strings that tie the . Women's may have ''kkeutdong'' (), a different colored
cuff A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
placed at the end of the sleeves. Contemporary are presently designed with various lengths.


''Goreum''

''Goreum'' () refers to the strings that fasten clothes together. Traditionally, there are many types of ''goreum.'' Fabric ''goreum'' was potentially used since
Gojoseon Gojoseon (; ), contemporary name Joseon (; ), was the first kingdom on the Korea, Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary king Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in th ...
. They were originally practical but often decorative.
Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...
had regulations against types of ''Dae'' (belts) and decorative ''goreum'' for each Golpoom. Southern parts of Korea, including
Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...
, had a colorful ''goreum'' on the front of the neck, which influenced
Yayoi The Yayoi period (弥生時代, ''Yayoi jidai'') (c. 300 BC – 300 AD) is one of the major historical periods of the Japanese archipelago. It is generally defined as the era between the beginning of food production in Japan and the emergence o ...
culture. Parts of
Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...
style had a fabric ''goreum'' loop around the waist with a decorative ribbon to the side like a belt. Generally, thin and short ones were used on the inside and more decorative, colourful ones were used on the outside. Since the early form of the was usually wrapped across the front, the outside ''goreum'' was placed on the side of the wearer, below the armpit. Starting in
Joseon dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
, the ''goreum'' slowly moved to the front of the . In the 20th century, the ''goreum'' became the commonly known long and wide decorative ribbons on the front of the and was coined the ''Ot-goreum.''


''Danchu''

''Danchu'' (buttons) can also be used as an alternative to ''goreum''. There are many types of ''danchu''. One example is the ''maedeup-danchu'' which was often used to keep symmetrical collars together in the front and used for practical uses on military uniforms and court uniforms. They have long horizontal lines on either side like Manchurian buttons or look like a ball and lasso. ''Magoja-danchu'' are often big decorative metal, gems or stones buttons usually on ''jjokki'' (vest).


''Chima''

''Chima'' () refers to "skirt", and is also called ''sang'' () or ''gun'' () in
hanja Hanja (; ), alternatively spelled Hancha, are Chinese characters used to write the Korean language. After characters were introduced to Korea to write Literary Chinese, they were adapted to write Korean as early as the Gojoseon period. () ...
. The underskirt, or
petticoat A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', in current British E ...
layer, is called ''sokchima''. ''Chima-malgi'' is the waistband that trims the top of the ''chima''. ''Chima'' was typically made from rectangular panels that were
pleat A pleat (plait in older English) is a type of fold formed by doubling textile, fabric back upon itself and securing it in place. It is commonly used in clothing and upholstery to gather a wide piece of fabric to a narrower circumference. Pleat ...
ed or gathered into the ''chima-malgi'' (waistband). This waistband also had ''goreum'' strings for fastening the skirt around the body. From the Goguryeo to Joseon periods, ''chima'' have been striped, pleated, patchworked, and gored. ''Sokchima'' was largely made in a traditional way until the early 20th century when shoulder straps were added, later developing into a sleeveless bodice or "reformed" petticoat called ''eokkaeheorichima''. By the mid-20th century, some outer ''chima'' also gained a sleeveless bodice, which was then covered by the .


''Baji''

''Baji'' () refers to the bottom part of the men's hanbok. It is the term for "trousers" in Korean. Compared to western style pants, does not fit tightly. The roomy design is aimed at making the clothing ideal for sitting on the floor and an ethnic style that dates back to the
Three Kingdoms period The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Western Jin dynasty. Academically, the ...
. It functions as modern trousers do and the term is commonly used in Korea to refer to every kind of pants. The ''baji-malgi'' is a waistband of the that has a long string of ''goreum''. can be unlined trousers, leather trousers, silk pants, or cotton pants, depending on the style of dress, sewing method, embroidery and so on.


''Sokgot''

''Sokgot'' () is a collective noun for various types of traditional
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...
undergarments Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled ...
. They were worn as part of a hanbok before the import of Western-style underwear. Women usually wore several layers of undergarments, the more layers they had the richer they were. Undergarments were considered very important, thus it happened that the quality and material of the underwear were better than that of the visible outer layers.


''Deot-ot''

''Deot-ot'' refers to a category of outer layers worn on top of the . There are many varieties other than the ones listed here.


''Po''

''Po'' () is a generic term referring to an outer
robe A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. Unlike garments described as capes or cloaks, robes usually have sleeves. The English word ''robe'' derives from Middle English ''robe'' ("garment"), borrowed from Old French ''robe'' ("booty, spoil ...
or
overcoat An overcoat is a type of long coat intended to be worn as the outermost garment, which usually extends below the knee. Overcoats are most often used in winter when warmth is more important. They are sometimes confused with or referred to as #T ...
. There are two general types of ''po'', the Korean type and the Chinese type. The Korean type is a common style from the
Three Kingdoms of Korea The Three Kingdoms of Korea or Samhan (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) competed for hegemony over the Korea, Korean Peninsula during the ancient period of History of Korea, Korean history. During the Three Kingdoms period (), many states and statele ...
period, and it is used in the modern day. The Chinese type consist of different types of ''po'' from mainland China. ''Durumagi'' is a type of ''po'' that was worn for protection against the cold. It has been widely worn as an outer robe over and . It is also called ''jumagui'', ''juchaui'', or ''juui''.


''Banbi''

''Banbi'' (, lit. 'half sleeve') are a type
Hanfu ''Hanfu'' (, lit. "Han Chinese, Han clothing"), also known as ''Hanzhuang'' (), are the traditional styles of clothing worn by the Han Chinese since the 2nd millennium BCE. There are several representative styles of ''hanfu'', such as the (an ...
that originated from the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
. Banbi refers to a variety of short-sleeved garments worn on top of inner garments, typically the ''Yuanling pao'' (Chinese: 圓領袍, 'round collar robe'). Numerous outer half-sleeved Banbi can be seen in ancient Tang-era paintings, murals, and statues.


''Bigap''

A sleeveless outer garment that was derived from
Mongolian Mongolian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Mongolia, a country in Asia * Mongolian people, or Mongols * Bogd Khanate of Mongolia, the government of Mongolia, 1911–1919 and 1921–1924 * Mongolian language * Mongolian alphabet * ...
clothing worn during the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...
period.


''Baeja'' and ''kwaeja''

''Baeja'' refers to sleeveless outer garments that are worn on top of inner garments. It can be different lengths, short to long. ''Kwaeja'' is interchangeable with ''baeja,'' but ''kwaeja'' often refers to men's clothing.


''Dapho''

The ''dapho'' () is a short-sleeved men's outer garment, often part of military uniform or official uniform.


''Jokki''

''Jokki'' () is a type of
vest A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit) or vest ( US and Canada) is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. It ...
, while ''
magoja The ''magoja'' () is a type of long jacket worn with hanbok, the traditional clothing of Korea, and is usually worn on top of the '' jeogori'' (short jacket). It is also called ''magwae'' and while it was originally a male garment, it is now cons ...
'' is an outer jacket. The ''jokki'' was created around the late
Joseon dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
, as
Western culture Western culture, also known as Western civilization, European civilization, Occidental culture, Western society, or simply the West, refers to the Cultural heritage, internally diverse culture of the Western world. The term "Western" encompas ...
began to affect Korea.


''Magoja''

''Magoja'' () does not have a ''git'', the band of fabric trimming the collar. The ''magoja'' for men sometimes has ''seop'' (, overlapped column on the front) and is longer than women's ''magoja'', with both sides open at the bottom. A ''magoja'' can be made of
silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
and often adorned with ''danchu'' which are usually made from
amber Amber is fossilized tree resin. Examples of it have been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since the Neolithic times, and worked as a gemstone since antiquity."Amber" (2004). In Maxine N. Lurie and Marc Mappen (eds.) ''Encyclopedia ...
. In men's ''magoja'', buttons are attached to the right side, as opposed to the left as in women's ''magoja''. It was introduced to Korea after
Heungseon Daewongun Heungseon Daewongun (; 24 January 1821 – 22 February 1898) was the title of Yi Ha-eung, the regent of Joseon during the minority of Emperor Gojong in the 1860s. Until his death, he was a key political figure of late Joseon Korea. He was also ca ...
, the father of King Gojong, returned from his political
exile Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...
in
Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...
in 1887. Long-sleeved ''magoja'' were derived from the '' magwae'' he wore in exile because of the cold climate there. Owing to its warmth and ease of wear, ''magoja'' became popular in Korea. It is also called ''"deot jeogori"'' (literally 'an outer ') or ''magwae''.


Children's hanbok

Traditionally, '' Kkachi durumagi'' (literally 'a magpie's overcoat') were worn as ''seolbim'' (), new clothing and shoes worn on the Korean celebration of
Korean New Year () is a Korean traditional festival and national holiday commemorating the first day of the Korean calendar, Korean lunisolar calendar. It is one of the most important traditional holidays for Koreans, ethnic Koreans, being celebrated in bot ...
, while at present, it is worn as a ceremonial garment for '' dol'', the celebration for a baby's first birthday. It is a children's colorful overcoat. It was worn mostly by young boys. The clothes is also called ''obangjang durumagi'' which means "an overcoat of five directions". It was worn over (a jacket) and ''jokki'' (a vest), while the wearer could put '' jeonbok'' (a long vest) over it. ''Kkachi durumagi'' was also worn along with
headgear Headgear, headwear, or headdress is any element of clothing which is worn on one's Human head, head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protective clothing, protection against t ...
such as '' bokgeon'' (a peaked cloth hat), ''hogeon'' (peaked cloth hat with a tiger pattern) for young boys or '' gulle'' (decorative headgear) for young girls.


Foreign influences in design

The clothing of Korea's rulers and aristocrats after CE 7, was influenced by both foreign and
indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology) In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often populari ...
styles, including significant influences from various
Chinese dynasties For most of its history, China was organized into various Dynasty, dynastic states under the rule of Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarchs. Beginning with the establishment of dynastic rule by Yu the Great , and ending with the Imperial Edic ...
, resulting in some styles of clothing, such as the from
Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
, ''
gwanbok () is a Sino-Korean term derived from the terms (; ; ) and (; ). The term () is a collective term which refers to historical official attire, which was bestowed by the government court, including Chinese courts of various dynasties. The () sy ...
'' (관복 or 단령) worn by male officials were generally adopted from and/or influenced by the court clothing system of the Tang,
Song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...
, and Ming dynasties, and Court clothing of women in the court and women of royalty were adapted from the clothing style of Tang and
Ming The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, t ...
dynasties. The '' cheolick'' , which originated in Mongolia, was described in 15th century Korea as gifts from the
Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
or as military uniforms. The cultural exchange was also bilateral and
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...
hanbok had a cultural influence on some clothing of Yuan dynasty worn by the upper class (i.e. the clothing worn by Mongol royal women's clothing and in the Yuan imperial court). Commoners were less influenced by these foreign fashion trends, and mainly wore a style of indigenous clothing distinct from that of the upper classes.


Design and social position

The choice of hanbok can also signal social position. Bright colors, for example, were generally worn by children and girls, and muted hues by middle-aged men and women. Unmarried women often wore yellow and red chima while matrons wore green and red, and women with sons donned navy. The upper classes wore a variety of colours. Contrastingly, commoners were required to wear white, but dressed in shades of pale pink, light green, gray and charcoal on special occasions. The material of the hanbok also signaled status. The upper classes dressed in hanbok of closely woven ramie cloth or other high grade lightweight materials in warmer months and of plain and patterned silks throughout the remainder of the year. Commoners, in contrast, were restricted to cotton. Patterns were embroidered on hanbok to represent the wishes of the wearer. Peonies on a wedding dress, represented a wish for honor and wealth. Lotus flowers symbolized a hope for nobility, and bats and pomegranates showed the desire for children. Dragons, phoenixes, cranes and tigers were only for royalty and high-ranking officials. In addition, special variants were made for officials and shamans.


History


Three Kingdoms of Korea

The earliest visual depictions of hanbok can be traced back to the
Three Kingdoms of Korea The Three Kingdoms of Korea or Samhan (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) competed for hegemony over the Korea, Korean Peninsula during the ancient period of History of Korea, Korean history. During the Three Kingdoms period (), many states and statele ...
period (57 BCE to 668 CE). The origin of ancient hanbok can be found in the ancient clothing of what is now today's Northern Korea and
Manchuria Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...
. Some hypothesize that the hanbok of antiquity can trace its origin to nomadic clothing of the
Eurasian Steppes The Eurasian Steppe, also called the Great Steppe or The Steppes, is the vast steppe ecoregion of Eurasia in the temperate grasslands, savannas and shrublands biome. It stretches through Manchuria, Mongolia, Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Euro ...
(
Scythian clothing From the 7th to the 3rd century BC, the Scythian people of the Pontic Steppes produced and adopted a wide arrangement of clothing. The clothing of the Scythians was formulated in response to the nomadic, highly mobile lifestyle of the early Scythian ...
), spanning across Siberia from western Asia to Northeast Asia, interconnected by the
Steppe Route The Steppe Route was an ancient overland route through the Eurasian Steppe that was an active precursor of the Silk Road. Silk and horses were traded as key commodities; secondary trade included furs, weapons, musical instruments, precious stones ...
.Kim, Moon Ja, 2004, 7-15Lee, Kyung-Ja, 2003 Reflecting its
nomad Nomads are communities without fixed habitation who regularly move to and from areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the population of nomadic pa ...
ic origins in western and northern Asia, ancient hanbok shared structural similarities with ''hobok'' type clothing of the nomadic cultures in East Asia'','' designed to facilitate horse-riding and ease of movement, such as the use of trousers and jacket for male clothing and the use of left closure in its jacket. However, although the ancient hanbok reflects some similarity with the Scythian clothing, numerous differences between the two types of clothing have also been observed which led associated professor Youngsoo Chang from the Department of Cultural Properties in Gyeongju University in 2020 to suggest that the theory about Scythian clothing being the archetype of the ancient hanbok, a theory accepted as common knowledge in Korean academia, having to be revised. It is also important to note that the
Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...
tomb murals were primarily painted in two geographical regions:
Ji'an Ji'an ( zh, c=吉安 , p=Jí'ān) is a prefecture-level city situated in the central region of Jiangxi province of the People's Republic of China and bordering Hunan province to the west. It has an area of and as of the 2020 census, had a popu ...
() and
Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...
. The former is the second capital of Goguryeo while the latter is the third capital of Goguryeo from the mid-fourth to the mid-seventh centuries. While the mural paintings found in Ji'an typically shows the characteristics of Goguryeo people in terms of their customs and morals; those from Pyeongyang typically show the cultural influences of the
Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...
, including Chinese-style clothing, as the Han dynasty had governed this geographical region for approximately 400 years.


Goguryeo

Early forms of hanbok can be seen in the art of Goguryeo tomb murals in the same period from the 4th to 6th century CE. Trousers, long jackets and ''twii'' (a sash-like belt) were worn by both men and women. Women wore skirts on top of their trousers. These basic structural and features of hanbok remain relatively unchanged to this day, except for the length and the ways the opening was closed as over the years. The opening was initially closed at the center front of the clothing, similar to a
kaftan A kaftan or caftan (; , ; , ; ) is a variant of the robe or tunic. Originating in Asia, it has been worn by a number of cultures around the world for thousands of years. In Russian usage, ''kaftan'' instead refers to a style of men's long suit ...
or closed to the left, before closing to the right side eventually became mainstream. Since the sixth century CE, the closing of the at the right became a standard practice. The length of the female also varied. For example, women's seen in Goguryeo paintings of the late 5th century CE are depicted shorter in length than the man's . In early Goguryeo, the jackets were hip-length
Kaftan A kaftan or caftan (; , ; , ; ) is a variant of the robe or tunic. Originating in Asia, it has been worn by a number of cultures around the world for thousands of years. In Russian usage, ''kaftan'' instead refers to a style of men's long suit ...
tunics belted at the waist, and the ''po'' overcoats were full body-length Kaftan robes also belted at the waist. The pants were roomy, bearing close similarities to the pants found at Xiongnu burial site of Noin Ula. Some Goguryeo aristocrats wore roomy pants with tighter bindings at the ankle than others, which may have been status symbols along with length, cloth material, and colour. Women sometimes wore pants or otherwise wore pleated skirts. They sometimes wore pants underneath their skirts. Two types of ''hwa'' (shoes) were used, one covering only the foot, and the other covering up to the lower knee. During this period, the conical hat and its similar variants, sometimes adorned with long bird feathers, were worn as headgear. Bird feather ornaments, and bird and tree motifs of golden crowns, are thought to be symbolic connections to the sky. The Goguryeo period royal attire was known as ''ochaebok''. The precursor of what is now known as the '' durumagi'' was introduced during the Goguryeo period as a long coat worn by Northern Chinese. Originally the ''durumagi'' was worn by the upper class of Goguryeo for various ceremonies and rituals. It was later modified and worn by the general population. In Muyong-chong murals of ''
Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...
'', there are male dancers in short with long flexible sleeves and female dancers wearing long coats with long flexible sleeves, all performing a dance. This type of long sleeves, similar to the Chinese water-sleeves, was passed down to Goryeo, Joseon, and present day Korean court dances and
shamanic Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through Altered state of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spiri ...
rituals. File:Goguryeo tomb mural.jpg, A Goguryeo man in a hunting attire from
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom The Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom is an UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a number of archaeological sites currently in Ji'an, Jilin Province and Huanren, Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Goguryeo (or Kogu ...
, 5th century CE, Jilin province, China File:Goguryeo servants.jpg, Goguryeo servants wearing a Chima (skirt) and a long jacket, Goguryeo mural paintings in Jilin province, China, 5th-century CE File:Goguryeo tomb 07.jpg File:수산리 고구려벽화.jpg


North-South States period

In the
North-South States Period The Northern and Southern States period (698–926 CE) is the period in ancient Korean history when Unified Silla and Balhae coexisted in the south and north of the peninsula. Historiography The Northern and Southern States period is a histor ...
(698–926 CE),
Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...
and
Balhae Balhae,, , ) also rendered as Bohai or Bohea, and called Jin (; ) early on, was a multiethnic kingdom established in 698 by Dae Joyeong (Da Zuorong). It was originally known as the Kingdom of Jin (震, Zhen) until 713 when its name was changed ...
adopted ''
dallyeong The Round collar robe, also called () and in China, (; ) in Korea, was a style of , a Chinese robe, worn in ancient China, which was long enough to cover the entire body of its wearer. The Chinese was developed under the influences of the w ...
'', a circular-collar robe from the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
of China. In Silla, the ''
dallyeong The Round collar robe, also called () and in China, (; ) in Korea, was a style of , a Chinese robe, worn in ancient China, which was long enough to cover the entire body of its wearer. The Chinese was developed under the influences of the w ...
'' was introduced by
Muyeol of Silla King Taejong Muyeol (603–661), born Kim Ch'un-ch'u, was the List of monarchs of Korea, 29th ruler of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is credited for leading the unification of Korea's Three Kingdoms. Background King Taejong Muy ...
in the second year of queen
Jindeok of Silla Queen Jindeok (; ?–654), reigned as Queen of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 647 to 654. She was the kingdom's 28th ruler, and its second reigning queen following her predecessor Queen Seondeok. During her reign, Silla jocke ...
. The ''dallyeong'' style from China was used as ''
gwanbok () is a Sino-Korean term derived from the terms (; ; ) and (; ). The term () is a collective term which refers to historical official attire, which was bestowed by the government court, including Chinese courts of various dynasties. The () sy ...
'', a formal attire for government officials, grooms, and ''
dragon robe Dragon robes, also known as gunlongpao ( zh, t=袞龍袍, s=袞龙袍, p=gǔn lóng páo; hangul: 곤룡포) or longpao for short, is a form of everyday clothing which had a Chinese dragon, called ''long'' (龍), as the main decoration; it was ...
'', a formal attire for royalty until the end of Joseon.


United Silla

The
Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...
Kingdom unified the
Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...
in 668 CE. The
Unified Silla Unified Silla, or Late Silla, is the name often applied to the historical period of the Korean kingdom of Silla after its conquest of Goguryeo in 668 AD, which marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period. In the 7th century, a Silla–Tang alli ...
(668-935 CE) was the golden age of Korea. In Unified Silla, various silks, linens, and fashions were imported from Tang China and Persia. In the process, the latest fashion trends of
Luoyang Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...
which included Chinese dress styles, the second capital of Tang, were also introduced to Korea, where the Korean silhouette became similar to the Western
Empire silhouette Empire silhouette, Empire line, Empire waist or just Empire is a style in clothing in which the dress has a fitted bodice ending just below the bust, giving a high-waisted appearance, and a gathered skirt which is long and loosely fitting but ...
. King
Muyeol of Silla King Taejong Muyeol (603–661), born Kim Ch'un-ch'u, was the List of monarchs of Korea, 29th ruler of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is credited for leading the unification of Korea's Three Kingdoms. Background King Taejong Muy ...
personally travelled to the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
to voluntarily request for clothes and belts; it is however difficult to determine which specific form and type of clothing was bestowed although Silla requested the bokdu (幞頭; a form of hempen hood during this period), danryunpo (團領袍; round collar gown),
banbi (), also known as () and sometimes referred as () or half-beizi (i.e. short-sleeved beizi) before the term beizi eventually came to refer to a long-sleeved beizi in the Song dynasty, and referred as in the Yuan dynasty, is an upper garment it ...
, baedang (䘯襠), and pyo (褾). Based on archaeological findings, it is assumed that the clothing which was brought back during Queen Jindeok rule are ''danryunpo'' and ''bokdu''. The bokdu also become part of the official dress code of royal aristocrats, court musicians, servants, and slaves during the reign of Queen Jindeok; it continued to be used throughout the Goryeo dynasty. In 664 CE,
Munmu of Silla Munmu of Silla (626–681), personal name Kim Pŏm-min, was a Korean monarch who served as the 30th king of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He is usually considered to have been the first ruler of the Unified Silla period. Munmu was the son of ...
decreed that the costume of the queen should resemble the costume of the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
; and thus, women's costume also accepted the costume culture of the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
. Women also sought to imitate the clothing of the Tang dynasty through the adoption of shoulder straps attached to their skirts and wore the skirts over the . The influence of the Tang dynasty during this time was significant and the Tang court dress regulations were adopted in the Silla court. The clothing of the Tang dynasty introduced in Silla made the clothing attire of Silla Court extravagant, and due to the extravagance, King Heundeog enforced clothing prohibition during the year 834 CE. The general public of Silla continued to wear their own traditional clothing. File:Korea-National.Folk.Museum-01.jpg, Reconstruction of
Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...
king's and queen's attire File:Gold Waist Belt from the North Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb.jpg, Gold waist belt used by royalty of Silla. File:신라 토용2.jpg, Women figures wearing Tang-dynasty style clothing, Silla


Balhae

Balhae Balhae,, , ) also rendered as Bohai or Bohea, and called Jin (; ) early on, was a multiethnic kingdom established in 698 by Dae Joyeong (Da Zuorong). It was originally known as the Kingdom of Jin (震, Zhen) until 713 when its name was changed ...
(698–926 CE) imported many various kinds of silk and cotton cloth from the Tang and diverse items from Japan including silk products and ramie. In exchange, Balhae would export fur and leather. The clothing culture of Balhae was heterogeneous; it was not only influenced by the Tang dynasty but also had inherited Goguryeo and indigenous
Mohe people The Mohe, Malgal, Mogher, or Mojie were historical groups of people that once occupied parts of what is now Northeast Asia during late antiquity. The two most well known Mohe groups were known as the Heishui Mohe, located along the Amur River, ...
elements. Early Balhae officials wore clothing appeared to continue the Three Kingdoms period tradition. However, after
Mun of Balhae Mun (715–793; r. 737–793), also known as Dae Heum-mu, was the third and longest-reigning ruler of the Balhae. He succeeded his father King Mu, upon his death in 737. He was the grandson of Dae Jo-yeong, the founder of Balhae. Reign During ...
, Balhae started to incorporate elements from the Tang dynasty, which include the ''putou'' and round collared gown for its official attire. Male everyday clothing was similar to Gogoryeo clothing in terms of its headgear; i.e. hemp or conical hats with bird feathers; they also wore leather shoes and belts. Women clothing appears to have adopted clothing from Tang dynasty (i.e. upper garment with long sleeves which is partially covered by long skirts and shoes with curled tips to facilitate walking) but also wore the ''ungyeon'' (Yunjuan; a silk shawl) which started to appear after the demise of the Tang dynasty. The Ungyeon use is unique to late Balhae period and is distinctive from the shawl which was worn by the women of the Tang dynasty. People from Balhae also wore fish-skin skirts and sea leopard leather tops to keep warm.


Goryeo dynasty

The Chinese style imported in the Northern-South period, however, did not affect hanbok still used by the commoners, In the following Goryeo period, use of the Chinese Tang dynasty style of wearing the skirt over the top started to fade, and the wearing of top over skirt was revived in the aristocrat class. The way of wearing the top under the chima (Tang-style influenced fashion) did not disappear in Goryeo and continued to coexist with the indigenous style of wearing of the top over skirt throughout the entire Goryeo dynasty; this Tang-style influenced fashion continued to be worn until the early Joseon dynasty and only disappeared in the middle and late Joseon periods. In Goryeo Buddhist paintings, the clothing and headwear of royalty and nobles typically follow the clothing system of the
Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
. The Goryeo painting "Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara", for example, is a Buddhist painting which was derived from both Chinese and Central Asian pictorial references. On the other hand, the Chinese clothing worn in
Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...
rarely appeared in paintings of Goryeo. The Song dynasty system was later exclusively used by Goryeo Kings and Goryeo government officials after the period when Goryeo was under Mongol rule (1270 –1356). However, even in the Buddhist painting of the late Goryeo, such as the ''Royal Palace Mandala'', the courting ladies are depicted in Tang and Song dynasty-style court dress clothing, which is a different style from the Mongol Yuan court. File:Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara (detailed view of patrons).jpg, Details of the ''Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara'' painting shows a group of nobles (possibly the donors) dress in court clothing, Goryeo painting File:Goryeohanbok.jpg, alt=A noblewoman's attire in Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara,It were chima jeogori,it was a Goryeo dynasty painting, 1323 CE., Chima-jeogori, a noblewoman's attire in ''Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara'', Goryeo dynasty painting, 1323 CE File:王宮曼荼羅図.jpg, Court ladies wearing the Tang and Song dynasty style clothing, from the painting ''Royal Palace Mandala'', late Goryeo File:Goryeo lady joban.jpg, Portrait of Lady Jo ban (1341–1401 CE), Goryeo dynasty File:Korea-National.Treasure-110-Yi.Jehyung-portrait-NMK.jpg, Portrait of Yi Je-hyeon (1287–1367 CE) of the Goryeo dynasty, wearing simui Hanbok went through significant changes under Mongol rule. After the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...
dynasty signed a peace treaty with the
Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Euro ...
in the 13th century, Mongolian princesses who married into the Korean royal house brought with them Mongolian fashion which began to prevail in both formal and private life. A total of seven women from the Yuan imperial family were married to the kings of Goryeo. The
Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...
princess followed the Mongol lifestyle who was instructed to not abandon the Yuan traditions in regards to clothing and precedents. As a consequence, the clothing of Yuan was worn in the Goryeo court and impacted the clothing worn by the upper-class families who visited the Goryeo court. The Yuan clothing culture which influenced the upper classes and in some extent the general public is called ''Mongolpung''. King Chungryeol, who was political hostage to the
Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...
and pro-Yuan, married the princess of Yuan announcing a royal edict to change into Mongol clothing. After the fall of the
Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...
, only Mongol clothing which were beneficial and suitable to Goryeo culture were maintained while the others disappeared. As a result of the Mongol influence, the ''chima'' skirt was shortened, and was hiked up above the waist and tied at the chest with a long, wide ribbon, the ''g'' (an extending ribbon tied on the right side) instead of the ''twii'' (i.e. the early sash-like belt) and the sleeves were curved slightly. The cultural exchange was also bilateral and Goryeo had cultural influence on the
Mongols Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China ( Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family o ...
court of the
Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...
(1279–1368); one example is the influence of Goryeo women's hanbok on the attire of aristocrats, queens, and concubines of the Mongol court which occurred in the capital city,
Khanbaliq Khanbaliq (; , ''Qaɣan balɣasu'') or Dadu of Yuan (; , ''Dayidu'') was the Historical capitals of China, winter capital of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty in what is now Beijing, the capital of China today. It was located at the center of modern ...
. However, this influence on the Mongol court clothing mainly occurred in the last years of the Yuan dynasty. Throughout the Yuan dynasty, many people from Goryeo were forced to move into the Yuan; most of them were ''kongnyo'' (literally translated as "tribute women"), eunuchs, and war prisoners. About 2000 women from Goryeo were sent to Yuan as ''kongnyo'' against their will. Although women from Goryeo were considered very beautiful and good servants, most of them lived in unfortunate situations, marked by hard labour and sexual abuse. However, this fate was not reserved to all of them; and one Goryeo woman became the last Empress of the Yuan dynasty; this was
Empress Gi Empress Gi or Empress Ki (; 1315–1369(?)), also known as Empress Qi () or Öljei Khutuk ( Mongolian: Өлзийхутаг; ), was a Goryeo-born empress consort of the Yuan dynasty. She was one of the primary empresses of Toghon Temür (Emper ...
who was elevated as empress in 1365. Most of the cultural influence that Goryeo exerted on the upper class of the Yuan dynasty occurred when Empress Gi came into power as empress and started to recruit many Goryeo women as court maids. The influence of Goryeo on the Mongol court's clothing during the Yuan dynasty was dubbed as ''Goryeoyang'' ("the Goryeo style") and was rhapsodized by the Late Yuan dynasty poet, Zhang Xu, in the form of a short
banbi (), also known as () and sometimes referred as () or half-beizi (i.e. short-sleeved beizi) before the term beizi eventually came to refer to a long-sleeved beizi in the Song dynasty, and referred as in the Yuan dynasty, is an upper garment it ...
(半臂) with square collar (方領). However, so far, the modern interpretation on the appearance of Mongol royal women's clothing influenced by Goryeo is based on authors' suggestions. According to Hyunhee Park: "Like the Mongolian style, it is possible that this Koryŏ style 'Koryŏ yang''continued to influence some Chinese in the Ming period after the Ming dynasty replaced the Yuan dynasty, a topic to investigate further."


Joseon dynasty

Neo-Confucianism Neo-Confucianism (, often shortened to ''lǐxué'' 理學, literally "School of Principle") is a moral, ethical, and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, which originated with Han Yu (768–824) and Li Ao (772–841) i ...
as the ruling ideology in Joseon was established by the early
Joseon dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
kings; this led to the dictation of clothing style worn by all social classes in Joseon (including the dress of the royals, the court members, the aristocrats and commoners) in all types of occasions, which included wedding and funerals. Social values such as the integrity in men and chastity in women were also reflected in how people would dress. After the
Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98) The Imjin War () was a series of two Japanese invasions of Korea: an initial invasion in 1592 also individually called the "Imjin War", a brief truce in 1596, and a second invasion in 1597 called the Chŏngyu War (). The conflict ended in 159 ...
or ''Imjin War'', economic hardship on the peninsula may have influenced the closer-fitting styles that use less fabric.


Women's everyday wear

Early Joseon continued the women's fashion for baggy, loose clothing, such as those seen on the mural from the tomb of Bak Ik (1332–1398); the murals from the tomb of Bak Ik are valuable resources in Korean archaeology and art history for study of life and customs in early Joseon. The women of the upper classes, the monarchy and the court wore hanbok which was inspired by the
Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
clothing while simultaneously maintaining a distinctive Korean-style look; in turn, the women of the lower class generally imitated the upper-class women clothing. During the Joseon dynasty, the chima or skirt adopted fuller volume, while the or blouse took more tightened and shortened form, features quite distinct from the hanbok of previous centuries, when ''chima'' was rather slim and baggy and long, reaching well below waist level. In the 15th century, neo-Confucianism was very rooted in the social life of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries which led to the strict regulation of clothing (including fabric use, colours of fabric, motifs, and ornaments) based on status. Neo-Confucianism also influenced women's wearing of full-pleated chima, longer jeogori, and multiple layers of clothing in order to never reveal skin. In the 15th century, women started wearing full-pleated chima, which completely hid the body lines, and longer-length jeogori. The 15th century CE ''chima-jeogori'' style was undoubtedly a clothing style introduced from China consisting of longer and pleated chima. File:영의정하연부부영정4.jpg, 15th century lady File:영의정하연부부영정2.jpg, 15th century lady However, by the 16th century, the had shortened to the waist and appears to have become closer fitting, although not to the extremes of the bell-shaped silhouette of the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 16th century, women's was long, wide, and covered the waist. The length of women's gradually shortened: it was approximately 65 cm in the 16th century, 55 cm in the 17th century, 45 cm in the 18th century, and 28 cm in the 19th century, with some as short as 14.5 cm. A () or () was worn to cover the breasts. The trend of wearing a short with a heoritti was started by the
gisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...
and soon spread to women of the upper class. Among women of the common and lowborn classes, a practice emerged in which they revealed their breasts by removing a cloth to make breastfeeding more convenient. As there was an excessive preference for boys in the Joseon dynasty, the deliberate exposure of breast eventually became a cultural practice and an indicator of women's pride and status symbol in having given birth to a son and thus she would "proudly bare her breasts to feed her child, deliberately provoking the envy of other women". During the 17th and 18th centuries the fullness of the skirt was concentrated around the hips, thus forming a silhouette similar to Western bustles. In the 18th century, the became very short to the point that the waistband of the ''chima'' was visible; this style was first seen on female entertainers at the Joseon court. The continued to shorten until it reached modern times -length; i.e. just covering the breasts. The fullness of the skirt reached its extreme around 1800. During the 19th century fullness of the skirt was achieved around the knees and ankles thus giving the ''chima'' a triangular or an A-shaped silhouette, which is still the preferred style to this day. Many
undergarments Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled ...
such as ''darisokgot,'' ''soksokgot,'' ''dansokgot'', and ''gojengi'' were worn underneath to achieve desired forms. File:Chimajeogori002.jpg, Women's hanbok consists of ''chima'' skirt and shirt by Shin Yunbok File:18thcentury maid.jpg, Full skirt and tight were considered fashionable (18th century) File:Yangban.jpg, A rare painting of ''
yangban The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon period. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil officials and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats wh ...
'' women. ''Yangban'' ladies were sensitive to "fashion fads" which worried
Seonbi ''Seonbi'' () were scholars during the Goryeo and Joseon periods of Korean history. They were generally seen as non-governmental servants of the public, who chose to pass on the benefits and authority of official power in order to develop and sha ...
scholars (18th century) File:18thcentury innerwear.jpg, ''Soksokgot'', similar to a
petticoat A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', in current British E ...
, is shown under the woman's skirt (18th century) File:Hyewon-Ssanggeum.daemu.jpg, Dancing together with two swords
At the end of the 19th century, as mentioned above,
Heungseon Daewongun Heungseon Daewongun (; 24 January 1821 – 22 February 1898) was the title of Yi Ha-eung, the regent of Joseon during the minority of Emperor Gojong in the 1860s. Until his death, he was a key political figure of late Joseon Korea. He was also ca ...
introduced ''
magoja The ''magoja'' () is a type of long jacket worn with hanbok, the traditional clothing of Korea, and is usually worn on top of the '' jeogori'' (short jacket). It is also called ''magwae'' and while it was originally a male garment, it is now cons ...
'', a Manchu-style jacket, which is often worn over to this day. A clothes reformation movement aimed at lengthening ' experienced wide success in the early 20th century and has continued to influence the shaping of modern hanbok. Modern ' are longer, although still halfway between the waistline and the breasts. ''Heoritti'' are sometimes exposed for aesthetic reasons.


Men's everyday wear

Men's hanbok saw little change compared to women's hanbok. The form and design of and hardly changed. In contrast, men's lengthy outwear, the equivalent of the modern overcoat, underwent a dramatic change. Before the late 19th century, ''yangban'' men almost always wore ''jungchimak'' when traveling. ''Jungchimak'' had very lengthy sleeves, and its lower part had split on both sides and occasionally on the back so as to create a fluttering effect in motion. To some this was fashionable, but to others, namely stoic scholars, it was nothing but pure vanity. Daewon-gun successfully banned ''jungchimak'' as a part of his clothes reformation program and ''jungchimak'' eventually disappeared. '' Durumagi'', which was previously worn underneath ''jungchimak'' and was basically a house dress, replaced ''jungchimak'' as the formal outwear for ''yangban'' men. ''Durumagi'' differs from its predecessor in that it has tighter sleeves and does not have splits on either side or back. It is also slightly shorter in length. Men's hanbok has remained relatively the same since the adoption of ''durumagi''. In 1884, the Gapsin Dress Reform took place. Under the 1884's decree of King Gojong, only narrow-sleeves traditional overcoats were permitted; as such, all Koreans, regardless of their social class, age and their gender started to wear the durumagi or ''chaksuui'' or ''ju-ui'' (周衣). Hats were an essential part of formal dress and the development of official hats became even more pronounced during this era due to the emphasis on
Confucian values Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...
. The gat was considered an essential aspect in a man's life; however, to replace the gat in a more informal setting, such as their residences, and to feel more comfortable, Joseon-era aristocrats also adopted a lot of hats which were introduced from China, such as the banggwan, sabanggwan, dongpagwan, waryonggwan, jeongjagwan. The popularity of those Chinese hats may have partially been due to the promulgation of
Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, Religious Confucianism, religion, theory of government, or way of li ...
and because they were used by literary figures and scholars in China. In 1895, King Gojong decreed adult Korean men to cut their hair short and western-style clothing were allowed and adopted. Image:Man with a bow, painting by Shin Yoonbok.jpg, A man wearing ''jungchimak'', 18th century Image:Malehanbok002.JPG, The "fluttering" effect, 18th century Image:Joseon-Portrait of Heungseon Daewongun-01.jpg, ''Waryonggwan'' and ''hakchangui'' in 1863 Image:Koreans oldest pic 3.jpg, Photograph taken in 1863 Image:Koreans oldest pic group.jpg, Photograph taken in 1863 Image:Joseon-Portrait of Heungseon Daewongun-02.jpg, ''Bokgeon'' and ''simui'' in 1880 Image:Joseon-Portrait of Heungseon Daewongun-03.jpg, Black ''bokgeon'' and blue ''dopo'' in 1880 Image:Korea-Min Sangho-1898-Hubert Vos.jpg, '' Jeongjagwan'' on the head File:A_Corean_in_mourning_clothes.jpg, A Korean in mourning clothes File:COREANS.jpg, Korean men, 1871 File:Corean_man._Middle_class.jpg, Young Korean man of the
middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. C ...
, 1904 File:Korea-History-1910-1920-Korean.mother.child-Carpenter.Collection.jpg, Korean mother and daughter, 1910–1920


Material and color

The upper classes wore hanbok of closely woven
ramie Ramie (pronounced: , ; from Malay ), ''Boehmeria nivea'', is a flowering plant in the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern Asia. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to tall;
cloth or other high-grade lightweight materials in warm weather and of plain and patterned silks the rest of the year. Commoners were restricted by law as well as resources to cotton at best. The upper classes wore a variety of colors, though bright colors were generally worn by children and girls and subdued colors by middle-aged men and women. Commoners were restricted by law to everyday clothes of white, but for special occasions they wore dull shades of pale pink, light green, gray, and charcoal. The color of the ''chima'' showed the wearer's social position and statement. For example, a navy color indicated that a woman had a son(s). Only the royal family could wear clothing with '' geumbak''-printed patterns (gold leaf) on the bottom of the chima.


Headdresses

Both men and women wore their hair in a long
braid A braid (also referred to as a plait; ) is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing three or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair. The simplest and most common version is a flat, solid, three-strand ...
until they were married, at which time the hair was knotted. A man's hair was knotted in a topknot called ''sangtu'' () on the top of the head, and the woman's hair was rolled into a ball-shaped form or ''komeori'' and was set just above the nape of the neck. A long pin, or ''
binyeo A (; ) is a Koreans, Korean traditional hairpin for fixing ladies' chignon (hairstyle), chignons. Its main purpose is to pin the chignon in place, but it also serves as ornamentation, and it has different usages or names according to its materia ...
'' (), was worn in women's knotted hair as both a fastener and a decoration. The material and length of the ''binyeo'' varied according to the wearer's class and status. Women also wore a ribbon known as a '' daenggi'' () to tie and decorate braided hair. Women wore a ''
jokduri A () is a type of traditional Korean coronet worn by women for special occasions such as weddings. Also known as a or , it consists of an outer crown covered with black silk, and an inner which is filled with cotton and hard paper. Its top is d ...
'' on their wedding day and wore an '' ayam'' for protection from the cold. Men wore a gat, which varied according to class and status. Before the 19th century, women of high social backgrounds and ''
kisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...
'' wore wigs (''
gache The () is a traditional Korean wig worn by women. Historically, were expensive accessories worn only by women of high social standing, alongside . They were decorated with silk objects, gold, jewels, silver, coral, jade, and other expensive ...
''). Like their Western counterparts, Koreans considered bigger and heavier wigs to be more desirable and aesthetic. Such was the women's frenzy for the ''gache'' that in 1788
King Jeongjo Jeongjo (; 28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (), was the 22nd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyŏng, and succeeded ...
banned by royal decree the use of ''gache'', as they were deemed contrary to the
Korean Confucian Korean Confucianism, or Korean Ruism, is the form of Confucianism that emerged and developed in Korea. One of the most substantial influences in Korean intellectual history was the introduction of Confucian thought as part of the cultural influe ...
values of reserve and restraint. Owing to the influence of Neo-Confucianism, it was compulsory for women throughout the entire society to wear headdresses (''nae-oe-seugae'') to avoid exposing their faces when going outside. Those headdresses may include ''suegaechima'' (a headdress that looked like a ''chima'' but was narrower and shorter in style, worn by the upper-class women and later by all classes of people in late Joseon), the jang-ot, and the ''neoul'' (which was only permitted for court ladies and noblewomen).


Later development

Modern hanbok is the direct descendant of hanbok patterned after those worn by aristocratic women or by the people who were at least from the middle-class in the
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period, specifically the late 19th century. Hanbok had gone through various changes and fashion fads during the five hundred years under the reigns of Joseon kings and eventually evolved to what is now considered typical hanbok. Beginning in the late 19th century, hanbok was largely replaced by new Western imports like the Western
suit A suit, also called a lounge suit, business suit, dress suit, or formal suit, is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles generally worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt su ...
and dress. Today, formal and casual wear are usually based on Western styles. However, hanbok is still worn for traditional occasions, and is reserved for celebrations like weddings, the Lunar New Year, annual ancestral rites, or the birth of a child.


Modern usage

Hanbok was featured in international
haute couture (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term ''haute couture'' generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the ...
; on the catwalk, in 2015 when
Karl Lagerfeld Karl Otto Lagerfeld also called Kaiser Karl (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, photographer, and creative director. Lagerfeld began his career in fashion in the 1950s, working for several top fashion hous ...
dressed Korean models for
Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...
, and during
Paris Fashion Week Paris Fashion Week (, commonly ) is a series of designer presentations held semi-annually in Paris, France, with spring/summer and autumn/winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Pa ...
in photography by Phil Oh. It has also been worn by international celebrities, such as
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...
and
Jessica Alba Jessica Marie Alba ( ; born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She began her acting career at age 13 in ''Camp Nowhere'', followed up by ''The Secret World of Alex Mack'' (both 1994), and rose to prominence at age 19 as ...
, and athletes, such as tennis player
Venus Williams Venus Ebony Starr Williams (born June 17, 1980) is an American inactive tennis player. She has been ranked as the List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players, world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association, WTA for 11 wee ...
and football player
Hines Ward Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is an American American football, football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach for Arizona State Sun Devils football, Arizona State. He played as a wide receiver in the National Foo ...
. Hanbok is also popular among Asian-American celebrities, such as
Lisa Ling Lisa J. Ling (born August 30, 1973) is an American journalist and television personality. She is a news contributor for CBS News. Previously, she was the host for ''This Is Life with Lisa Ling '' on CNN, a reporter on Channel One News, a co-host ...
and Miss Asia 2014, Eriko Lee Katayama. It has also made appearances on the red carpet, and was worn by
Sandra Oh Sandra Miju Oh (born July 20, 1971) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her starring roles as Rita Wu in ''Arliss (TV series), Arliss'' (1996–2002), Cristina Yang in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–14), and Eve Polastri in ''Kill ...
at the SAG Awards, and by Sandra Oh's mother who made fashion history in 2018 for wearing a hanbok to the
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
s.


South Korea

The South Korean government has supported the resurgence of interest in hanbok by sponsoring fashion designers. Domestically, hanbok has become trendy in street fashion and music videos. It has been worn by prominent
K-pop K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western Electronic dance music, danc ...
artists like
Blackpink Blackpink (, stylized in all caps or as BLɅϽKPIИK) is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment. The group is composed of four members: Jisoo, Jennie (singer), Jennie, Rosé (singer), Rosé, and Lisa (rapper), Lisa. Regarded by ...
and
BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...
, notably in their music videos for " How You Like That" and "Idol." In Seoul, tourist's wearing of hanbok makes their visit to the Five Grand Palaces (Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeongbokgung and Gyeonghuigung) free of charge. In Busan, the APEC South Korea 2005 provided hanbok for delegates of the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.


North Korea

Hanbok is also worn in present-day North Korea where it is known as (). The thus highlights the identity of the Korean ethnic and has been more actively promoted under the rule of
Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...
. The is currently typically worn during special occasions, e.g. weddings, and when North Koreans celebrate the 60th, 70th, and 80th birthdays of their parents. It is also mandated that women wear when attending National events, such as
Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader of North Korea from Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, the de ...
's birthday (16 February),
International women's day International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive righ ...
(8 March), Kim Il Sung's birthday (15 April), Foundation Day (9 September). White colored hanbok is often used as the color white has been the traditionally favored by the Korean people as the symbolism of pure spirit. The remains the clothing of women, including female university students who are required to wear it as part of their university school uniforms. The uniform of female university students has been a black-and-white since the early to mid 2000s. The can often be found at a length of about 30 cm from the ground for practical purposes in order to facilitate movements and to ensure that women could wear it during their daily workday with ease and comfort; this decrease in skirt length also gives a sense of modern style. The patterns also have special meanings which are given by the North Koreans. Generally, young people in North Korea like floral prints and bright colours, while the older generations favour simple styles of clothing and solid colours. The in North Korea is sometimes characterized by its use of floral patterns which are often added to the sleeves of the and to the .
Azalea Azaleas ( ) are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Rhododendron sect. Tsutsusi, Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and ''Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate ...
s, in particular, are favoured in
Yongbyon Nyŏngbyŏn is a county in North Pyŏngan Province, North Korea. It borders the cities of Kaechŏn and Anju, and covers an area of 504 km2. Description The city was heavily fortified during the 15th century as a result of its strateg ...
due to their association with the emotional poem ''Azaleas'' (《》) by Kim So-wol. Men occasionally wear . However, are typically more expensive than ordinary clothing, and renting is available for people who cannot afford to purchase one; some are available for purchase at US$20 while the made in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
with South Korean designs and fabrics are more expensive and can cost approximately US$3000. The mid-2010s also saw the increased popularity of children dressing in by their parents. The custom of Korean costume was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage by North Korea in 2024.


History

The 1950s and 1960s also saw women from the upper-class wear made out of
rayon Rayon, also called viscose and commercialised in some countries as sabra silk or cactus silk, is a semi-synthetic fiber made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose fiber, cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has t ...
while a black-and-white consisting of a black long-length and white were used in the 1950s and 1960s where it was generally worn by women; this style can, however, be traced to a typical clothing style used in the
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period. This combination is still representative of the ideal woman and remains the official outfit for women in North Korea to this day. In the 1980s, the became the official attire of women when attending ceremonies while western-style clothing became the everyday, ordinary clothing. After the mid-1990s due to extreme economic contractions, women could purchase their in private markers and were allowed to choose their desired colours and designs. In 2001, Lee Young-Hee, a South Korean hanbok designer visited
Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...
to hold a fashion show at the Pyeongyang Youth Center on 4 and 6 June; and since the 2002, North Korea have held their own
fashion show A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons. This is wh ...
in
Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...
every spring. Since 2001, there have been an increase of shops specialized in the customization of in Pyongyang which was reported by the KBCS.This increase was due to a project implemented by the public service bureau of the Pyongyang People's Committee to increase tailoring shops. These shops are typically found in large cities, such as Pyeongyang and Gaesong but are rarely found in small cities and villages.


Modern usage by Korean diaspora


China

In
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, the hanbok is referred as (; ) and is recognized as being the traditional ethnic clothing of () in China. is an official term and is recognized as one of the official 55
ethnic minorities in China Ethnic minorities in China are the non-Han Chinese, Han population in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The PRC officially recognizes 55 ethnic minority groups within China in addition to the Han majority. , the combined population ...
. People of the ethnic group are not recent immigrants to China, but have a long history having lived in China for generations. They share the same ethnic identity as the ethnic Korean people in both North and South Korea, but are counted as Chinese citizens by nationality under the
Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...
of China. Their traditions are not entirely the same due to their unique historical experiences, geographical location and mixed identities. The term literally corresponds to (), a non-official derogatory term in South Korea, to refer to (), which is the actual legal term in South Korea. In the
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture The Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in the east of Jilin, Jilin Province, China. Yanbian is bordered to the north by Heilongjiang, Heilongjiang Province, to the west by Jilin's Baishan, Baishan City and Jilin Ci ...
, where most reside, the was mostly worn on special occasions in the past; however, by 2019, they had regained popularity and have become fashionable. Since the
Chinese economic reform Reform and opening-up ( zh, s=改革开放, p=Gǎigé kāifàng), also known as the Chinese economic reform or Chinese economic miracle, refers to a variety of economic reforms termed socialism with Chinese characteristics and socialist marke ...
of China, there have been more exchanges with both Koreas leading to both the development and changes in chaoxianzu-style in China; some of designs of the chaoxianzu-style have been influenced and inspired by both South Korean and North Korean hanbok designs. people originally preferred to wear white as it represented cleanliness, simplicity, and purity; however, since the 20th century, the colours started to become brighter and more vivid as woven fabrics, such as polyester and nylon sateen, started to be introduced. The "reform and opening up" of China also allowed for more exchanges with both Koreas, which lead to the both development and changes in the of China. Following the tradition, the has an A-line in silhouette to give it the appearance of a
mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
as per the tradition, women are the host of the family, and thus, women holding the household need to be stable; the also covers the entire body. The have developed their own style of hanbok due to the isolation for about 50 years from both North and South Korea. As a result, the styles of hanbok in South Korea, North Korea, and China, worn by the Korean people from these three countries have developed separately from each other. For example, ''Yemi Hanbok'' by Songok Ryu, an ethnic from the
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture The Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in the east of Jilin, Jilin Province, China. Yanbian is bordered to the north by Heilongjiang, Heilongjiang Province, to the west by Jilin's Baishan, Baishan City and Jilin Ci ...
, is unique in both style and business model as it can operate in both South Korea and North Korea. In terms of design, ''Yemi Hanbok'' designs are based on Chinese-style designs. Over the years, the women's also changed in length for the , , and and changed in width for the , , sleeves, and . The and have evolved from straight to curve patterns. The wrinkle arrangement, length, and silhouette of the have also evolved; some of the skirts were sometimes decorated with gold embroidery or gold leaf at the bottom hem. The colours used were also very varied; for example, feminine colours such as pink, yellow, and deep red could be used. The 1990s saw the use of gold leaf, floral prints, embroidery on the women's ; the use of gradient colours also emerged. For men, their , , and sleeves were made longer; their also became wider. The continues to be worn, and the and are worn frequently in present-days. On 7 June 2008, the were approved by the State Council of China to be included in the second layer of national intangible cultural heritage. In 2011, the was officially designated as being part of the
intangible cultural heritage An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. In ...
of China by the Chinese government; while the announcement was welcomed by the people in China as a proud indicator of their equal membership in a multi-ethnic and multicultural country such as China, it received negative criticism from South Koreans who perceived it as a "scandalous appropriation of the distinctive national culture of Koreans". In 2022, a girl from the ethnic group wore a on the
2022 Beijing Winter Olympics The 2022 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (2022), were an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beijing, China, and surrounding areas wit ...
opening ceremony leading to an uproar from South Koreans who accused China of
cultural appropriation Cultural appropriation is the adoption of an element or elements of one culture or cultural identity, identity by members of another culture or identity in a manner perceived as inappropriate or unacknowledged. Such a controversy typically ari ...
.


Social status

Especially from the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...
dynasty, the hanbok started to determine differences in social status (from people with the highest social status (kings), to those of the lowest social status (slaves)) and gender through the many types, components, colours, and characteristics.Cho, Woo-hyun
"Characteristics of the Korean Costume and Its Development"
, "Koreana", 1995
Although the modern hanbok does not express a person's status or social position, hanbok was an important element of distinguishment especially in the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...
and
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
dynasties. For example, farmers and commoners were not allowed to wear colour garments in their daily lives, excluding some categories of people, such as the shamans,
gisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...
, and children, who were allowed to wear colourful clothing despite their social status. Occasions when all people were allowed to wear colourful clothing were for special ceremonial occasions (e.g. wedding, birthday, holidays).


Clothes


Hwarot

or was the full dress for a princess and the daughter of a king by a
concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...
, formal dress for the upper class, and bridal wear for ordinary women during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Popular embroidered patterns on were lotuses, phoenixes, butterflies, and the ten traditional symbols of longevity: the sun; mountains; water; clouds; rocks/stone; pine trees; the mushroom of immortality; turtles; white cranes, and deer. Each pattern represented a different role within society, for example: a dragon represented an emperor while a phoenix represented a queen; floral patterns represented a princess and a king's daughter by a concubine, and clouds and cranes represented high ranking court officials. All these patterns throughout Korean history had meanings of longevity, good luck, wealth and honor. also had blue, red, and yellow colored stripes in each
sleeve A sleeve (, a word allied to '' slip'', cf. Dutch ) is the part of a garment that covers the arm, or through which the arm passes or slips. The sleeve is a characteristic of fashion seen in almost every country and time period, across a myri ...
; a woman usually wore a scarlet-colored skirt and yellow or green-colored
Jeogori or (; ) is a basic upper garment of the , a traditional Korean garment, which has been worn by both men and women. Men usually wear the with a '' baji'' or pants while women wear the with '' chima'', or skirts. It covers the arms and upper par ...
, a traditional Korean jacket. was worn over the
Jeogori or (; ) is a basic upper garment of the , a traditional Korean garment, which has been worn by both men and women. Men usually wear the with a '' baji'' or pants while women wear the with '' chima'', or skirts. It covers the arms and upper par ...
and skirt. A woman also wore her hair in a bun, with an ornamental hairpin and a ceremonial
coronet In British heraldry, a coronet is a type of crown that is a mark of rank of non-reigning members of the royal family and peers. In other languages, this distinction is not made, and usually the same word for ''crown'' is used irrespective of ra ...
. A long ribbon was attached to the ornamental hairpin, the hairpin is known as (). In more recent times, people wear on their wedding day, and so the Korean tradition survives in the present day.


Wonsam

''
Wonsam The ''wonsam'' is a female ceremonial topcoat in ''hanbok''. It originated from China, and it was worn by queens, high-ranking court ladies, and royalty during the Joseon dynasty of Korea (1392–1910). It is also called 'daeui' (大衣, big clot ...
'' was a ceremonial overcoat for a married woman in the Joseon dynasty. The
Wonsam The ''wonsam'' is a female ceremonial topcoat in ''hanbok''. It originated from China, and it was worn by queens, high-ranking court ladies, and royalty during the Joseon dynasty of Korea (1392–1910). It is also called 'daeui' (大衣, big clot ...
was also adopted from
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
and is believed to have been one of the costumes from the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
which was bestowed in the Unified Three Kingdoms period. It was mostly worn by royalty, high-ranking court ladies, and noblewomen and the colors and patterns represented the various elements of the Korean class system. The empress wore yellow; the queen wore red; the crown princess wore a purple-red color; meanwhile a princess, a king's daughter by a
concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...
, and a woman of a noble family or lower wore green. All the upper social ranks usually had two colored stripes in each sleeve: yellow-colored Wonsam usually had red and blue colored stripes, red-colored Wonsam had blue and yellow stripes, and green-colored Wonsam had red and yellow stripes. Lower-class women wore many accompanying colored stripes and ribbons, but all women usually completed their outfit with ''onhye'' or ''danghye'', traditional Korean shoes.


Dangui

''
Dangui (; also written with the characters《》; ), also called (), (), (), (), and (), is a type of (upper garment) for women in , the Korean traditional clothing, which was worn for ceremonial occasions (e.g. for minor ceremonies in the pal ...
'' or ''tangwi'' were minor ceremonial robes for the queen, a princess, or wife of a high ranking government official while it was worn during major ceremonies among the noble class in the Joseon dynasty. The materials used to make varied depending on the season, so upper-class women wore thick in winter while they wore thinner layers in summer. The came in many colors, but yellow and/or green were most common. However the emperor wore purple , and the queen wore red. In the Joseon dynasty, ordinary women wore as part of their wedding dress.


Myeonbok and Jeokui


= Myeonbok

= '' Myeonbok'' were the king's religious and formal ceremonial robes while '' jeokui'' were the queen's equivalent during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Myeonbok was composed of ''Myeonryu-Gwan'' () and ''Gujang-bok'' (). Myonryu-Gwan had beads, which hung loose; these would prevent the king from seeing wickedness. There were also wads of cotton in the left and right sides of Myeonryu-Gwan, and these were supposed to make the king oblivious to the influence of corrupt officials. Gujang-bok was black, and it bore nine symbols out of the
Twelve ornaments The Twelve Ornaments () are a group of ancient China, ancient Chinese symbols and designs that are considered highly auspicious. They were employed in the decoration of textile fabrics in ancient China, which signified authority and power, and wer ...
, which all represented the king: #
Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
: A dragon's appearance paralleled how the king governed and subsequently brought balance to the world. #
Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
: The king was expected to be intelligent and wise to govern the people effectively, like a guiding light represented by the fire. #
Pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera's native range is restricted to Eura ...
: The image of a pheasant represented magnificence. #
Mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
: As a mountain is high, the king was on a par in terms of status and was deserving of respect and worship. #
Tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...
: A tiger represented the king's courage. #
Monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes. Thus monkeys, in that sense, co ...
: A monkey symbolized wisdom. #
Rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
: As the people needed rice to live, the king was compared to this foodstuff as he had the responsibility of protecting their welfare. #
Axe An axe (; sometimes spelled ax in American English; American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for thousands of years to shape, split, a ...
: This indicated that the king had the ability to save and take lives. #
Water plant Aquatic plants, also referred to as hydrophytes, are vascular plants and non-vascular plants that have adapted to live in aquatic environments ( saltwater or freshwater). In lakes, rivers and wetlands, aquatic vegetations provide cover for aquat ...
: Another depiction of the king's magnificence.


= Jeokui

= '' Jeokui'' or ''tseogwi'' () was arranged through the use of different colors as a status symbol within the royal family. The empress wore purple-red colored Jeokui, the queen wore pink, and the crown princess wore deep blue. "Jeok" means pheasant, and so Jeokui often had depictions of pheasants embroidered onto it.


Cheollick

'' Cheolick'' (Cheollik; ) was a Korean adaptation of the Mongol tunic '' Terlig''. The first recorded reference to the ''Terlig'' in Korea dates to the 15th century during the
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period. They were described as presents from the
Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
or as military uniforms. A Joseon publication of a Goryeo period song ''Jeongseokga'' in the ''Akjang Gasa'' used the term ''Telik'', referring to an officer's uniform. However, in surviving Goryeo literary sources, there is no reference to a term for clothing similar to ''Terlig'' in sound. Due to Mongol influence, some Korean vocabulary including official titles, falconry, and military terms originated in the Mongol language. The Cheolick, unlike other forms of Korean clothing, is an amalgamation of a blouse with a kilt into a single item of clothing. The flexibility of the clothing allowed easy horsemanship and archery. During the Joseon dynasty, they continued to be worn by the king, and military officials for such activities. It was usually worn as a military uniform, but by the end of the Joseon dynasty, it had begun to be worn in more casual situations. A unique characteristic allowed the detachment of the Cheolick's sleeves which could be used as a bandage if the wearer was injured in combat.


Ayngsam

'' Ayngsam'' was the formal clothing for students during the national government exam and governmental ceremonies. It was typically yellow, but for the student who scored the highest in the exam, they were rewarded with the ability to wear green Aengsam. If the highest-scoring student was young, the king awarded him with red-colored Aengsam. It was similar to the ''namsam'' but with a different colour.


Accessories


Binyeo

''
Binyeo A (; ) is a Koreans, Korean traditional hairpin for fixing ladies' chignon (hairstyle), chignons. Its main purpose is to pin the chignon in place, but it also serves as ornamentation, and it has different usages or names according to its materia ...
'' was a traditional ornamental hairpin, and it had a different-shaped tip again depending on social status. As a result, it was possible to determine the social status of the person by looking at the ''binyeo''. Women in the royal family had dragon or phoenix-shaped ''binyeo'' while ordinary women had trees or
Japanese apricot ''Prunus mume'', the Chinese plum or Japanese apricot, is a tree species in the family Rosaceae. Along with bamboo, the plant is intimately associated with art, literature, and everyday life in China, from where it was then introduced to Kor ...
flowers. ''Binyeo'' was a proof of marriage and considered a woman's expression of chastity and decency.


Daenggi

'' Daenggi'' is a traditional Korean cloth ribbon used to tie and decorate braided hair.


Norigae

''
Norigae () is a typical, traditional Korean accessory used in , which can be hung on (coat strings) of a woman's or on her . The functions as a decorative pendant and is both a good-luck charm hoped to bring something such as eternal youth, wealth ...
'' was a typical traditional accessory for women; it was worn by all women regardless of social ranks. However, the social rank of the wearer determined the size and material of the ''norigae''.


Danghye

''Danghye'' or ''tanghye'' () were shoes for married women in the Joseon dynasty. ''Danghye'' were decorated with trees bearing grapes,
pomegranates The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have originat ...
,
chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums ( ), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia, and the center of diversity is in China. Co ...
, or
peonies The peony or paeony () is any flowering plant in the genus ''Paeonia'', the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. Peonies are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America. Scientists differ on the number of species that can be distinguishe ...
: these were symbols of longevity. ''Danghye'' for a woman in the royal family were known as ''kunghye'' (), and they were usually patterned with flowers. ''Danghye'' for commoner women were known as ''onhye'' ().


Characteristics


Material

In Hanbok, various cotton fabrics are used as materials, and with the entry of Western civilization, the range of fabrics such as mixed fabrics has expanded. The use of materials also varies slightly depending on the jeogori and pants, and there is a big difference in the season. In the case of jeogori, there are more than 10 types of general materials such as silk, jade, and general wool, and they use ramie or hemp in summer, and silk or Gapsa, Hangra, and Guksa cloth in spring and autumn.추석 한복 멋내기
서울신문 2007-06-28
The material used evenly throughout the four seasons was sesame, and silk, both ends, and silk were often used in the durumagi for adult men.석주선, 《우리나라옷》, 광문출판사, 1966년, 10쪽 In the case of silk, which is one of the most widely used materials due to differences in lining and outer material, most of the silk jeogori was lined with silk, and if it was not possible, only the inside of the collar, the tip, and the sap were lined with silk. If this situation did not work out like this, the fine-grained cotton was used. In fact, more than half of the materials identified in the jeogori study were silk, followed by cotton and hemp.조선초기 저고리의 복원적 고찰
장인우, 숙명여자대학교 대학원 의류학과, 1985년, 72, 77, 78쪽
In some cases, silk and cotton were lined with a mixture. When the jeogori was torn or broken, most of them were sewn with the same fabric, and a large piece was added to the elbow and sewn. Just as in the fact that silk was used a lot in jeogori, silk, cotton, and literary arts were evenly used in various clothes, ranging from red ginseng, skirt, beoseon, and pants.


See also

*
List of Korean clothing refers to the traditional clothing of Korea. This is a list of Korean clothing including the national costume, hanbok, as well as headgear, footwear, and accessories. ''Hanbok'' Headgear Footwear Accessories See also * White clothing ...
*
Hanfu ''Hanfu'' (, lit. "Han Chinese, Han clothing"), also known as ''Hanzhuang'' (), are the traditional styles of clothing worn by the Han Chinese since the 2nd millennium BCE. There are several representative styles of ''hanfu'', such as the (an ...
- a Chinese equivalent. *
Vietnamese clothing Việt Phục, or Vietnamese clothing, is the traditional style of clothing worn in Vietnam by the Vietnamese people. The traditional style has both indigenous and foreign elements due to the diverse cultural exchanges during the history of V ...
- a Vietnamese equivalent. * Wafuku - a Japanese equivalent.


Notes


Footnotes


References

* An, Myung Sook (안명숙); Kim, Yong Ser (김용서) 1998. ''Hanʼguk poksiksa'' (한국복식사). Seoul. Yehaksa (예학사) * Kim, Ki Sun (김기선). 2005
'' Information about Mongolian pigtail'' 몽골의 辮髮에 대하여
. The Institute of Asian Ethno-Forms and Culture. v. 5, 81–97 * Kim, Moon Ja , 2004
''A study on the Source of Hanbok in ancient times and the position of Hanbok on the Globalism''
(고대 한복의 원류 및 세계화 속의 한복의 위치), Society of Korean Traditional Costume, v. 7.1, 7–15 * Lee, Kyung-Ja (이경자) , 2003
''Uri ot ŭi chŏnt'ong yangsik'' (우리옷의 전통양식 The Traditional Style of Korean Clothes)
Ewha Womans University Ewha Womans University () is a private women's research university in Seoul, South Korea. It was originally founded as Ewha Haktang on May 31, 1886, by missionary Mary F. Scranton. Currently, Ewha Womans University is one of the world's largest f ...
Press. * * McCallion, Aleasha; Condra, Jill. 2008.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History
'.
Greenwood Publishing Group Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. (GPG) was an educational and academic publisher (middle school through university level) which was part of ABC-Clio. Since 2021, ABC-Clio and its suite of imprints, including GPG, are collectively imprints of ...
. p. 221 – 228, * Nelson, Sarah. 1993. ''The archaeology of Korea''.
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...
. * You, Soon Lye (유순례) 2006, ''Comparative Research on the Costume Aesthetic Korean & Mongolia'' (몽골과 한국의 전통복식 미의식 비교에 대한 연구), Society of Korean Traditional Costume, v. 6, 183–185


External links

*
Hanbok History Evolution

Hanbok History Infographic



Information about Hanbok

Traditional Korean Clothing
- Life in Korea
Official Korea Tourism Organization - Hanbok Clothing
{{Timeline of clothing and fashion Culture of Korea Korean clothing Folk costumes