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Specific Techniques

The fabric comprising the outside of the bag was cut into a square. With the right side facing in and folded over at the edge, the outside was sewn to the lining. The bag was then turned right-side out through a small hole, and folded into shape, after which it was laced together

Description

A small flat bag made of dark blue silk damask with an overall pattern of lozenges and small circles. At the top, the blue silk is folded inside where it is sewn with an invisible seam to the white cotton lining. Main body of the bag is shaped like a vertical rectangle with triangular projections on both sides created by folding and holding the folds in place with a circular pink cylindrical cord. The cord ends at the front with elaborate knots, culminating in five loops. Fastened to the three centre loops, there are stuffed triangles, one each of pink, yellow, and light green silk. Attached to the lower edge of each triangle, there are three, four, and five tabs, respectively, of silk fabric in various colours. Each triangle is embroidered with floral motifs and each has pompoms on the side points. The tabs fastening the top point of the yellow and pink triangles to the cord are wrapped in strips of silver and gold paper, respectively.

Iconographic Meaning

Small flat bag made of dark blue silk damask with an overall pattern of lozenges and small circles. At top, blue silk is folded inside, where it is sewn with an invisible seam to white cotton lining. Main body of bag is shaped like a vertical rectangle, with triangular projections on both sides, created by folding and holding the folds in place with a circular pink cylindrical cord. The cord ends at the front with elaborate knots culminating in five loops. Fastened to the three centre loops are stuffed triangles, one each of pink, yellow, and light green silk. Attached to the lower edge of each triangle are three, four, and five tabs, respectively, of silk fabric in various colours. Each triangle is embroidered with floral motifs, and each has pompoms on the side points. The tabs fastening the top point of the yellow and pink triangles to the cord are wrapped in strips of silver and gold paper, respectively.

History Of Use

Although such bags were used by both men and women, bags with these decorations were used by women. Before western influences reached Korea, clothing did not have pockets, and such bags were used to carry small articles. They were attached to the waist ties of women’s skirts (chima) or men’s pants ( ). As they hung outside their clothes, they looked colourful and pretty, and their functions were more decorative than practical. They were the only decorations on people’s clothing. The decorations were royal prerogatives, although they eventually also became luxury items for high-class people. Kings and queens sometimes presented them to their family members to wish them good fortune and long life, and to exorcise evil influences. After the opening of Korea to the outside world in the late 19th century, they began to disappear from use, as people could then have pockets. Young female students liked to have them even after the modernization of Korea, as their teachers admired them. Relatively simple waist bags like this one could have been used by women of uncertain rank, or by female students. The stuffed triangles were individually hand-made, showing off the skill of the maker.