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Specific Techniques

Each ribbon was sewn inside-out, and then turned so that the seam was invisible. The ribbons are also joined with invisible seams. The red and white tassels were resist-dyed. The embroidery was done by hand. The gold stamp work was done with carved wooden stamps. The master painted paste onto it and pressed it onto the cloth. He then took gold leaf that was 100% gold or 80% gold and 20% silver and put in on the paste. He then hit it lightly with a small hammer. It was left to dry for one to two days, and the area that was not pasted was then brushed away.

Iconographic Meaning

The embroidered peony flower represents nobility. The fact that it has long ribbons at the back shows that it was for a girl, as do the pink tassels. The red embroidered character means “long life”. The plant embroidered on the proper right circle is the herb of immortality “Bul-lo-cho”. The characters stamped in gold represent dragon, long life, wealth, and good fortune.

History Of Use

Such caps first appeared in about 1890. There is no record of their use before this. They were worn by small children up to the age of three or four, and were worn on the child’s first birthday. Those used in the Seoul area were made of three ribbons, while those from Gaesong had nine pieces. After 1900, those made of nine pieces generally were used everywhere. Those made earlier had more embroidery, while the later ones had more gold stamp work. The ribbons were made of two colours to make the caps more colourful. Such caps made of ribbons are rarely used now.
Such caps were generally made at home of leftover satin or silk gauze, but the gold stamp work was done by masters called Kum-bak-jang-in. The centre ornament originally was made of jade, but later was made of artificial jade.

Description

Child’s cap made of silk gauze ribbons with three long ribbons hanging down the back and ties made of orange silk cord ending in red and white tassels. Front edge of cap is made of a black ribbon with three Chinese characters stamped in gold on each side. Perpendicular to this, going over the top of the head, is a ribbon of yellow green silk gauze stamped with gold flowers and a cicada and embroidered with a Chinese character in red. A ribbon of red silk stamped with gold Chinese characters goes around the head, and parallel to this a blue ribbon stamped with gold Chinese characters forms the lower edge of the cap. Over the ears are inserted triangles of pale w silk, each embroidered with a red and white flower. Most of the ribbons are lined with pink silk gauze. A black ribbon stamped with gold Chinese characters goes down the centre back, with a similarly stamped blue ribbon on each side. At the centre front is an ornament composed of five circles embroidered with flowers, stuffed to make them round. At the centre is a flower carved from grey-green stone, at the centre of which is a yellow bead. From this ornament hang five pink silk tassels, each wrapped in silver thread.