Korean Traditional Objects
In-depth readings of one named Korean traditional object at a time, from the gat hat to norigae and onggi: materials and making, who used it and when, the rules and customs around it, how it changed, where real examples are held, and how it compares with Chinese and Japanese counterparts.
6 Articles
Jangdo: why did it come to be called the knife of chastity?
How did a small knife worn by men and women alike come to stand for female chastity? We set the jangdo records of the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, the Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture and the National Heritage Portal side by side with Japanese Wikipedia's '銀粧刀' entry.
Najeonchilgi: Why Korean Mother-of-Pearl Lacquerware Grinds Seashell Thin and Glues It On
This article examines the structure of najeonchilgi, drawing on the shell materials and lacquering process, jureumjil and kkeuneumjil as set out in the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, the Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture and the National Intangible Heritage description of najeonjang, and on the record of Goryeo najeon in Seonhwa bongsa Goryeo dogyeong.
Manggeon: The Korean Horsehair Headband That Showed a Man's Rank
Drawing on the manggeon records in the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, the Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture and the National Heritage Portal, this piece sets out the structure of the dang and the pyeonja, the graded materials of the gwanja and the pungjam, the manggeonjang's three stages of work, the relationship with Ming-era manggeon, and the changes that followed the 1895 edict on cutting topknots.
Why Were Norigae Hung Three to a Set?
Following the accounts of the norigae in the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture and the Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture, this article divides the ornament into five parts, from the belt hook to the tassel, and checks the naming rules for samjak norigae, who was allowed to wear one at court, and the collection record of the National Folk Museum of Korea.
How the Joseon Gat Became an Institution: Legal Codes, the Annals, and the Three Artisans of Gannil
A translucent hierarchy shaped by horsehair and bamboo: from the ornament regulations of the Gyeongguk daejeon to the 1895 Topknot Decree and National Intangible Heritage Gannil
Did Ondol Really Become a World Standard? ISO 11855, Floor Heating and Heat Pump Efficiency Checked
From 2,000 years of ondol culture and the 2008 adoption of draft ISO proposals to Korean apartment floor regulations, Fraunhofer heat pump field tests and European district heating: what the official records and research actually say