gat, traditional headgear in korea

7/27/2019 Gat, Traditional Headgear in Korea

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Gat

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea

Traditional Headgear in Korea


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Contents

What is Gat?

The history of Korean traditional hats

up to the invention ofgat 11

The development of the gatover time:

Changes in dress codes and hats 22

GatCraftsmanship and Variations

The process ofgatmaking 391. Making Chongmoja

1) Materials and tools.

2) The process of making chongmoja

2. Making Yangtae

1) Materials and tools

2) The process of makingyangtae

3. The Process ofgatmaking

1) Materials and supplies forgatmaking

2) Finishing work on chongmoja

3) Makingyangtae

4) Gatassembling5) Applying ink and lacquer and attachingjukryeong

Tools forgatmaking 84

Various types ofgat 90

Appendices

Korean Ofcial Hats in Paintings 150Gallery of Various Korean Hats 166

Transmission and Preservation ofGat:

People Weaving Tradition

Horsehair crafts and artisans 101

The designation and transmission ofgannil. 113

1. Chongmoja-jang

2. Yangtae-jang

3.Ipja-jang

The designation and transmission ofmanggeon 134The designation and transmission oftanggeon 138Proposals for the development ofgatmaking 144


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Gat can be dened as the representative Korean traditional

headgear. Delicate and elegant features and the curve of gatshow the

intrinsic beauty of Koreans. During the Joseon Dynasty, the commoners

as well as the noble scholars wore gatfor a leave day or the ceremonial

conduct with full attire. Custom for wearing gat is continuously

transmitted into the traditional ceremony such as ancestral rites in

Jongga (the head family).

The meaning of gat and its making process as well as the

current statue of transmission are described in this book. The meaning

and transition ofgatshall examine the historical and cultural values

ofgat. The types and making process ofgat, and the story of persons

who safeguard and transmit the Gannil (gatmaking) shall demonstrate

values ofgatas the intangible cultural heritage. Various pictures and

painting materials are used to help readers' better understanding.

Gat, Traditional Headgear in Korea

This book is the third publication of the series of Intangible

Cultural Heritage of Korea planned by the National Research Institute

of Cultural Heritage for publicizing of the Korean intangible cultural

heritage to the world. On the basis of the accumulated studies, the

National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage is willing to publish

the book of intangible heritage studies continuously. I sincerely hope

that this book could provide valuable information to the general public

and researchers who are interested in Korean Intangible Cultural

Heritage.

October 31. 2012

Dr. Young-Won Kim

Director General

National Research Institute of Cult ural Heritage


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What is Gat ?

[Gat, Traditional Headgear in Korea]


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Gat,TraditionalHeadgearinKorea

10

Throughout Korean history, the mode of ceremonious dress

entailed a combination of trousers (baji) and upper garment

(jeogori), underneath an overcoat (po), the outt completed by

a hat or headpiece. For men, a classical outt would consist of a

black hat calledgatand a white durumagi, a type of overcoat. The

Painting of the Welcoming Parade for the Governor of Pyeongan

Province (pyeongan-gamsa-hwanyeong-do) portrays the entire

crowd aside from the government ofcials as being dressed in

white robes and black gat, and provides a concise depiction of

how elderly Korean men would never forget their durumagi

and gat at important town festivities and events. The gat was

an essential component of a mans life and versatile enough to

suit the varied styles of mens clothing that developed over the

Joseon period. Hence it is not an exaggeration to say that the gat

had accompanied the ve centuries of Joseons history.

01 A picture of three Koreanscholars wearing blackhorsehair hats, drawn by anunidentied Western visitor in1895.

02 Painting of the WelcomingParade for the Governor ofPyeongan Province

01

02

The history of Kore-an traditional hatsup to the inventionof the gat.


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of a single patch of black fabric that was tied at the back of the

head, and was later developed to have four corners of the fabric

cut to have the strands, orgak, draping down. The bokdu was

selected for the ofcial dress code during the reign of Queen

Jindeok of Unied Silla to be worn by those as prestigious as

royal aristocrats as well as court musicians, servants and slaves,

with different materials distinguishing the social class of the

wearer. As is evident from the restrictive proclamation issued in

the ninth year of the reign of King Heungdeok (834 AD), the high

position ofjingol daedeung was allowed the use of any material,

while the six dupum was permitted to use only nely meshed

silk, the fourdupum to thin and coarse silk, and commoners to

roughspun silk.

Use of the bokdu continued through to the Goryeo Dynasty,

during which bokdu of different materials and shapes would

be worn by the king and bureaucrats in their ofcial dress,

depending upon the rank. The types of these hats varied from

the jeongakbokdu, with the gak protruding at right angles on

each side, the jeolgakbokdu with the gak pointing diagonally

downwards, as well as the chaehwabokdu; by the time of King

Gojongs reign, hierarchical distinction with regards to the bokdu

had largely disappeared and even the servants were permitted to

wear one.

Hats occupy a signicant place in the

history of Korean fashion as an essential part

of formal dress, Joseon-era Koreans having

been a fashionable people who knew how to

match their headgear with their outt. The

various types of hats discovered in Korea

include intact pieces ofjeolpung, sogol, chaek,jougwan to the more modest geon, as well

as the metal bogwanryu-type hats, which are

elaborately decorated and usually found in

grave mounds. Most of such artefacts share a basic triangular

frame embellished with decorations such as bird feathers, which

hold a particular signicance. Bird feather rituals (jousik) connote

a form of bird worship, often connected with other concepts such

as sun worship and immortality of the soul, and such traditions

established feathers as a staple of common rituals. The ofcial

hats worn during the jousik were headpieces of a higher prestige

than the jeolpung or sogol, which were not adorned with feathers,

and were further developed to include imitation feathers made of

metal.

Following Sillas unication of the Three Kingdoms, headgear

policy in Korea changed to a new form. A product of the change

in hat-wearing policy, the bokdu was a type of mens hat, which

was popular in the Tang Dynasty at the time. It initially consisted

04 Muyongchong grave mound(jougwan)

03 Susan-ri grave mound(heukgeon)

05 Gaemachong grave mound(jougwan)

06 Muyongchong grave mound(jomigwan)

07 Gang Min-cheom (963-1021)(bokdu)

04

03

05 06 07


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The portrait of King Gongmin at the Jongmyo shrine in Seoul

depicts the monarch dressed in a danryeong, which is a type of

robe with rounded sleeves worn by ofcials, along with a bokdu.

In comparison with the depiction featured in the funerary portrait

of Gang Min-cheom (National Treasure No.588), who was a

Goryeo-era ofcial at the baekkwan level, the former depiction

of bokdu features gak that are wider and somewhat shorter inlength. Furthermore, a small knot adorns the spot between the

lower front tier of the hat and the higher back tier.

08 Grave of Zhanghuai-taizi Li Xian(651-684)(jeolpung)

09 Jeong Mong-ju (1337-1392)(samo)

10

King Gongmin (r.1351-1374)(bokdu)

11 Yi Po (?-1373)(balip)

08

1009 11

Late Goryeo-era saw the induction of various customs from

the Yuan Dynasty, including clothing and hats. In particular,

this trend introduced the balip, which was a type of conical hat

worn by Yuan ofcials, later modied with a different decoration

adorning the top and renamed heukrip, to be worn by ofcials

with the rank of baekkwan. To this end, the induction of the

balip at the time served to establish the conical shaped hat as

a part of the uniform for baekkwan ofcials, and contributed to

the Joseon-era policy of using the conical hat as the prominent

ofcial hat in society.

The balip is a round hat with a narrow brim, embellished at

the top with a precious stone. The crown is at and round, as

is the brim. In the portrait of Yi Po, a Goryeo-era bureaucrat,

the occupant is depicted as wearing a dark green robe and a

Mongolian-style balip, while similar cases of ofcials wearing

the balip are also shown in the portrait of Yi Jo-nyeon, another

Goryeo-era ofcial, as well as the mural in the grave of Bak

Ik, discovered in 2000 at Gobeop-ri, Miryang, Gyeongnam

Province.

08


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The Joseon period placed an emphasis on Confucian values,

such as the need to dress with propriety, and thus the development

of ofcial hats was particularly pronounced during this era.

Joseon-era hats varied widely, ranging from at-brimmed hats

(pyeongnyangja) such as thepaeraengi, chorip, heukrip, baekrip,

jurip, okrorip, andjeonrip, to brimless hats (bangnip) such as the

banggatandsakkat, which were used for different purposes and

ranks. Among these, the heukrip stands out as the quintessential

part of Joseon-era ofcial headgear, and its invention holds great

signicance in that it was an indigenous creation adapted for

everyday dress.

In addition, since Joseon-era aristocrats were obligated to

dress formally even within their residences, the necessity arose

for more comfortable headgear to replace the gat. Therefore

the nobility began wearing the various hats introduced through

China in their daily lives, such as the square-shapedbanggwan

and sabanggwan, as well as the dongpagwan, waryonggwan,

and thejeongjagwan, and the popularity of these hats may have

12 Mens topknot cover(Sangtugwan)

13 Yi Gwang-sa (1705-1777)(Sabanggeon) 14 Jangbogwan(Korea University

Museum)

15 Heukgeon(Korea UniversityMuseum)

16 Jeongjagwan(Mens indoor headdress)

17 Wongwan(Scholars headdress)

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15

16 17

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been derived from the promulgation of Confucianism as well as

the fact that they were used by literary gures and scholars in

China.

Towards the end of the Joseon period, the Daewonguns

decree for a more modest dress code replaced all large gat with

smaller versions, and following the Gapsin Coup, Western hats

began to dominate over the gat in Korean customs.

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18Rites held at Clan family

19Royal ancestrial rites inJongmyo shrine

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19

The Joseon period aimed to recreate in the dress code

Confucian values such as order and discipline, a long with a sense

of hierarchy and formalism, where an outt with formality and

propriety would accompany dignity and authority. Although the

Joseon-era culture of headwear was a means of expressing the

endeavor for such values, modern society no longer accommodates

these old ideals.

Under the Westernized fashion culture of todays Korea, the

function of hats has been reduced to that of a fashion item, merely

reecting the trends of the particular period.

Following the Enlightenment Period in Korea and the

subsequent decree requiring short hair, men could no longer

tie their hair at the top, and therefore hats became a popular

substitute. Newspapers featured numerous advertisements for

bowler hats, fedoras, hats for students and ladies, such adverts

attracting customers through an appealing slogan celebrating hats

as the gift of civilization. In reality, a range of hats had existed

to suit all forms of dress up to the Joseon period, and the gat

alone was varied in its use depending on social class, status and

purpose. Nonetheless, Western hats gradually began to replace

the gat.

The Enlightenment Period brought broader changes to the

dress code of the time, beginning with the tendency for ofcials

to dress in suits for formal purposes, which, in turn, brought

about the use of Western-style hats. Early forms of westernized

full formal dress worn by bureaucrats in Korea included hats

imitated from their counterparts in British formal wear, which

were cocked hats with protruding brims to the front and back, as

well as feather decorations at the top. For less formal occasions,

ofcials wore frock coats with silk hats imported from Britain.

Since many schools and institutions began to introduce

Western clothes as their uniforms, Western hats started to see

greater use. Even in everyday wear, Western hats were worn,

regardless of whether the outt was Western or Korean overall.


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20

20 Black gat(heukrip)

21 White gat(baekrip)

22 Officials black hat (heuksamo)

23 Officials white hat (baeksamo)24

20

22 23

21

During this period, popular hats included Panama hats, fedoras

and bowler hats, of which fedoras were particularly popular

due to its similarity to the gat, and even up to the 1970s, it

was common to see elderly men wearing hanbok and fedoras.

However, the 1960s saw a decline in the West of men wearing

hats and therefore the use of hats in Korea declined accordingly;

the 1980s saw an overhaul of school uniforms, and the abolition

of Western-style school uniforms and hats introduced during the

Japanese occupation.

Today, hats that remain in common use include uniform hats

such as those used in the military and the police force, as well

as protective helmets, winter hats, various sporting hats, while

the wearing of a hat for the purpose of formality has become a

rarity.

24 Fedora and fedora iron

25 English-style ceremonial attire

25


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Examples for the use of the term heukrip can be found from as

early as the 16th year of King Gongmins reign during the Goryeo

Dynasty, and can be said to originate from the production of heukrip

decorated with jewelry betting governmental status. The heukrip

prevalent at this time, however, differed from those of the Joseon

period, and the hat-top decorations on Goryeo-era heukrip allow the

speculation that they may have been close in origin to the balip of the

Yuan Dynasty. The shape of the heukrip was nalized during Joseon,

and soon settled as the hat of choice for classes of prestige.

In terms of headgear, the representative hat for Joseon-era

men was the gat, whose socio-cultural context far surpasses

the dictionary denition of the term. The development of the

gat has implications not only with regards to the inuence of

Confucianism during the Joseon period, but also by representing

the development of indigenous headwear in Korea. A diverse range

of gat existed during the Joseon period, such as the paeraengi,

chorip, heukrip, baekrip, jurip, okrorip, jeonrip, bangnip, and

sakkat, to be worn according to social status and occasion. In

particular, the heukrip was the foremost component of Joseon-

era headgear policy as the representative ofcial hat over the ve

centuries of the Joseon Dynasty, and to date, it remains in use for

ceremonial purposes.

The development ofthe gatover time:Changes in dresscodes and hats.

A

B

A

B

in the mid 20c

A 445mmB145mm

in the mid 20c

A 403mmB160mm

in the mid 20c

A 375mmB140mm

in the early 20c

A 330mmB140mm

in the late 19c

A 250mmB107mm

in the late 19c

A 292mmB115mm

18c-19c

A 640mmB204mm

17c-18c

A 645mmB190mm

17c-18c

A 723mmB195mm


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Changes of the gat occurred along with such trends as the

aesthetic sense of the time, restrictions based on social class,

the commonplace use of the gat by ordinary citizens and

low-level ofcials. In terms of appearance, the popular

hat went through changes in shape, size, brim width, as

well as the materials used in production and decoration.

Such alterations are evident not only from archaic documents

regarding the restrictions placed based upon social status, but

also from existing paintings and artefacts. According

to Gyeongguk Daejeon, the complete codication of

Korean law from Goryeo to Joseon, ofcials from the

rst rank to third rank were to use silver for the embroidery

of their hats, while royal families including daegun were permitted

to use gold; hat-top decorations made of jade were permitted for

ofcials in the administrative divisions of saheonbu (oversight

on government), saganwon (oversight on monarchy), as well as

gwanchalsa (provincial governors) andjeoldosa (military chiefs),

while government inspectors wore crystals on top of their hats. This

would suggest that the late Goryeo-era policy of wearing decorated

heukrip was in place, at least around the time of King Seongjong.

Although the precise form of early Joseon gat is indeterminable,

records exist regarding the gat, heukrip, gojeonglip, jungnip, and

chorip. The shape of the gat was rst discussed during the reign

of King Seongjong, when it was named the ibche-wonjeong-i-

cheomgwang, meaning that it had a round top and broad brim. It

was decreed that all gat would be produced to follow this format.

26

27 28

26 Mens black top hat (brim: 14,crown: 33)

27 Mens black top hat (brim: 64,crown: 20.4)

28 Mens black top hat housed inHakbong Jongtaek (brim: 66,crown: 19.4)

29 Mens black top hat

It would appear that following King Seongjong, the gat neared

its stage of completion. From the hemispherical crown and broad

brim of the balip, the gat was altered to have a more cylindrical

crown with a narrow top and broader base, and was produced using

a more diverse range of materials. Having undergone phases such as

the pyeongnyangja and chorip, headgear in Korea culminated in the

heukrip, which is representative of the Joseon period.

The heukrip is made by attaching the yangtae (brim) to the

daewu (crown), wherein the former is somewhat curved at the rim,

while the latter is cylindrical and broader at the base, with a at peak.

The crown and brim are meshed using ne bamboo threads cut to

a hairs breadth, and the heukrip is completed with a black lacquer

nish; the hat was considered a part of comfortable dress, mainly

worn by the gentry in their daily lives, and was an indigenous

invention of Joseon, seeing the most widespread use until

the latter days of the dynasty. Despite the popularity

of the black variety, different occasions required

the use of different colors. For example, the red-

lacquered jurip was worn as a part of the uniform

for a military dangsanggwan (senior ofcial),

while the white baekrip was worn on occasions

of national mourning.

While in some cases, only bamboo threads

were used for the hat crown and brim, some used

horsehair for the crown. Further distinctions can be

made through the cover enveloping the crown and brim;

depending on the material and method of production,

the heukrip can be subdivided into categories such as the

jinsarip, eumyangsarip, eumyangrip, mamirip, andporip.

The King proclaimed that the modern orm o the gat had a low

crown and narrow brim, which was highly divergent rom past

varieties, and thus ordered the master o laws to decree that the

old ormat must be upheld.(Gyeongguk Daejeon)


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As criticized by Yi Deok-mu, who blamed

the arrogant conduct of the nobility entirely

upon the gat, the translucent headgear

could neither provide shelter from rain nor

sunlight, and yet the reverence that men had

towards their gat was exceptional. The gat

was an ornate affair, not only with regards to

the body of the hat, but also with the strap

(gakkeun). According to the Gyeongguk

Daejeon, only ofcials above the level of

dangsanggwan were permitted to use gold

and jade on the strap of their gat, while the

lower-level danghagwan were prohibited

from using agate, amber, coral, or lapis lazuli.

The social disorder and instability of the legal

system at the time led to the emergence of the

class-based regulation of gat straps as a social

issue.

Amber gat straps are reserved exclusively or the dangsanggwan,

but the recent trend o excess is worsening by day, to the extent

that bureaucrats, hereditary ofcials, and military ofcers, as well as

dangsanggwan and chamha (lowest-level ofcials) are insisting on

using amber. (Gyeongguk Daejeon)

Furthermore, the gat straps used by the nobility were

comprised of beads made from ivory, agate and bamboo, of such

a length that some drooped down below the waist, and some

examples have been found, of a lengthy gat strap curled around

the ears. Changes were also seen in gat straps, such as the use

of silk thread. During King Yeongjos sojourn at a hot spring in

Gwacheon-hyeon, silk thread was rst used along with precious

stones for the gat strap.

From the chronology of changes made to the gat, it is evident

that the headgear was initially round at the crown with a broad

rim, with the crown becoming gradually higher and the rim

remaining broad. During the reign of King Myeongjong, the

crown was excessively low to the point of resembling a small

plate atop a larger plate, while the brim resembled

a small umbrella. This trend was mocked for its

similarity to the hat worn by monks (seungnip);

the variation created to compensate for

this shape was, in turn, ridiculed for its

disproportionately high crown and narrow

brim. Alterations such as these show the

effect of the cultural trends of the period

upon the development of hea dwear.

Indeed, the gat of the 16th century towards the end of

Yeonsanguns reign showed many changes regarding the height

of the crown and width of the brim. Headgear policy during the

reign of King Jungjong was variable to the point of frivolity. The

gat of this period began with a tall crown and wide brim, to the

end of this period, when the hat became even higher while the

brim became narrower. King Myeongjongs reign saw the crown

lowered and brim broadened again.

Subsequently, complaints were made during King Hyojongs

time on the throne that the gat brim was too wide to the point

of being caught on doorframes, while King Sukjong saw that

both the crown and brim were reduced to an extent that caused

controversy as it was said to be in violation of past policy.

The hat-brims of olden days could barely cover the shoulders,

but now, they are too broad as to take up more space than a personsat cross-legged. At present, the design of the gat is deplorable and

strange, being neither aesthetically pleasing nor easy to use. The

excessive size errs on the side of extravagance and wastefulness,

and there is a dire need to instigate regulations and discontinue

this already-familiar custom in order to resist further negative

repercussions.

31

30

30 31 Hat case made of paper,and horsehair hat

32 Peacock feathers, and amberstrings

32


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The custom o using both beads and silk or the gat strap began during

the vacation in Onyang; or the most part, it was out o concern that the

gat strap would snap, but it persisted to become a customary practice.

(Gyeongguk Daejeon)

The competition over the size of the gat and the lavishness of

the strap was not only the culmination of the nobilitys desire to

display their wealth, but also the somewhat more subtle show of

the availability of leisure time necessary for dressing properly.

Such pursuits became the measure upon which the nobility

compared each others fashion and elegant taste.

Through King Seonjos reign, the height of the crown was

raised to around eight chi (24.14cm, 1 chi = 3.03cm) with a

narrower brim. This trend was reversed in Gwanghaeguns reign.

Records of King Injos reign indicate that following the years

of gyemi (1643) and gapsin (1644), the gat crown was suddenly

made taller and larger, with the brim following suit to become

much broader. Minutes for discussions regarding ofcial

dress policy during Hyojongs reign document the complaint

that the crown and brim of the gat became too tall and wide,

and became a hindrance in entering doorways. At this time, the

height of the crown was set at four chi and ve pun (13.5cm)

using a pobaekcheok, a special ruler used for measuring items

of clothing.

Around the time of King Yeongjos reign in the 18th century,

the crowns height was raised and the brim broadened once again.

As apparent from the cultural remains from the period, the gat of

Yeongjo and Jeongjos reign had relatively wide brims, while the

straps made of materials such as cloudy amber, amber and turtle

shell added to the glamour.

33

33 Jade accessory adorning thecrown of the hat

34 Top of the hat

35 High-ranking military ofcialsfelt hat adorned with peacockfeathers

35

34


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36

In the late Joseon period, the range of robes became more

diverse, with variants such as the dopo, jungchimak, chang-ui,

andhakchang-ui worn in accordance with time and occasion.

Po made for daily wear would have a straight lapel and broad

sleeves, with a thin cord tied at the chest; various types of po

could be distinguished through the presence of a side slit, side

air or a tail slit. Although the prevalence of white po would

suggest a lack of diversity in terms of color, the combination of

a robust and elegant white and the more reserved shade of black

used on the gat create a sense of grace and sophistication not seen

in any other outt.

36 Cheonggeumsangryeon(Resounding geomungo andpraiseworthy lotus),1758, Shin Yun-bok

The latter days of King Sunjos sovereignty in the 19th century

was when the gat became even larger, so that the brim would surpass

the diameter of a person sat cross-legged (70 80cm). Headgear

policy towards the end of King Heonjongs rule was characterized

in the Joseon-era encyclopedia of Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsango as

having changed suddenly to accommodate a larger head capacity

with a shorter brim, to around a ja (30.3cm). Following the dress

code reform in the 21st and 34th years in King Gojongs reign, both

the crown and the brim were reduced in size.

37 Womens cloak-shaped veilworn when going outside

37


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38

39

Amidst the turbulence facing the late Joseon era arising

from the opening of the country and cultural westernization, the

dress culture of Korea entered the path towards modernization, as

traditional clothing became simplied, practical, and westernized.

Enlightenment in Korea sprouted from the reformist

movement of the late-18th century, although the more direct

cause was the Korea-Japan Ganghwa Treaty, succeeded

by the Korea-US Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the

Korea-France Byeongja Treaty.

The westernization of mens dress code initially began

with ofcial uniforms, followed by student uniforms and

everyday wear. However, the phenomenon of westernization was

limited to a section of the urban elite, whereas commoners stayed

loyal to hanbok. For western visitors in Korea a century ago, the

sight of the waves of black gat and white robes made a striking

impression. The hanbok of this period newly added the magoja, a

modied version of the Qing Dynastysmagoe, as well as the baeja,

which was an imitation of the western waistcoat, with the latter

being more convenient than its traditional predecessor due to the

presence of buttons and pockets, therefore becoming widely worn

by the public. In addition, wide-sleeved overcoats such as the dopo

or chang-ui, which were reserved for the nobility, were abandoned in

favor of the narrow-sleeved durumagi, to be worn by all regardless

of social class; thus the equality of the right to dress was established

in Korea.

Following the Enlightenment Period in Korea and the mixed use

of hanbok and Western clothing, the wide range of overcoats that

men customarily wore throughout the four seasons were narrowed

down to the durumagi alone, while the jokki (vest) and magoja (outer

jacket) were newly invented. Instead of the traditional outerwear of

jangot, a winter overcoat, or durumagi, was also created for women.

This is evident of the changes in hanbok in accordance with the

times.

As seen above, the extensive development in the types of casual

hats in the Joseon period was likely related to the social rules

permeating Joseon society at the time, which emphasized the dress

code. The Chinese headgear of geon were closely related to their

Joseon counterparts, and were worn by Taoist scholars, literary

gures, intellectuals with no desire for ofce, as well as individuals

with an established livelihood. Indeed, there is no doubt that the

black gat is actually a low functional and impractical hat. However,

the care taken towards the gat, such as the act of using beaded strings

to fasten the hat to the wearers head, and using galmo (rain cover

for hats made of oiled paper) and a heavy leather case to protect it

from the rain, have cemented the dress culture of the period as being

representative of the entire culture.

40 41

38Men's MagojaClothes puttingon layers of Jeogori(uppergarment)

39 Men's waistcoats Clothesputting on layers of Jeogori(upper garment)

40 Hats of family on the picnic

41 Gaton hanbokand felt hat onWestern clothes


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Such interest and care put into the gat originated from the

social rules of the time, which emphasized etiquette, as well as

the admiration for the artistic expression of the gat, in its elegant

blackness and translucence. Explaining the various changes of the

gat as a mere phenomena of trends lacks credibility. The diminishing

use of the gat is the result of a change in the livelihood and dress

code in the ve hundred years of the Joseon Dynasty.

The induction of Western clothing meant that the gat is no longer

worn with everyday clothing. However, even today, it is said that

family ceremonies, Confucian rituals and traditional events are only

complete with the participants dressed in dopo, durumagi and gat. Just

as hanbok was established as the proper mode of ceremonious dress,

the gat remains in use for ceremonial purposes, thus continuing the

tradition. The gat was an essential for any adult in the Joseon period,

while gat-making was a commonplace scene that could be found

anywhere in Korea at the time. Along with the fact that gat-making

was the rst among Korean traditional craftsmanship techniques

to be designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage, one

might hope for a day when the gat is not a mere ornament gathering

dust atop a wardrobe, but an essential item to go with a hanbok

durumagi on Korean New Years Day.

42

43

42 Gatand other headgear worn bythe status and uses

43 Overview of gat, fedora inWestern and student hats


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[Gannil]


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at,TraditionalHeadgearinKorea

38

The gat is a horsehair hat that consists of two basic elements,

daewu (crown) andyangtae (brim). Although originally made

of thinly sliced bamboo strands, the daewu, also calledmoja,

was later replaced with a horsehair crown, called chongmoja.

Craftsmen of the chongmoja and yangtae are respectively

calledchongmoja-jang (crown maker) andyangtae-jang (brim

maker), whose products are nally assembled by ipja-jang, the

craftsman who completes the hat by adding various accessories.

A chongmoja is woven with the ne strands of hair from horse

mane or tail, while a yangtae is made by weaving together

bamboo strands into a disk shape with a hole in the center. Using

simple tools and materials, the processes of completing a gat as

well as manufacturing its components are delicate and meticulous

practices.

The process ofgatmaking

The anatomy of a gat

Yeongja


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Ilgol(chongmojagol)

refers to a cylindrical hat block made of wood, with a wider

base. The hollow inside of the block is set on a hat block stand,which makes it easier to weave strands together. The surface of

the block top (called cheonbak in the dialect of Jeju) is coated

with thick sh glue. The glue is melted to x a horsehair plait

knot into place, which is the start point of the crown.

Golgeori (jugaepan)

refers to a hat block stand with a rounded tip that allows

the block to spin when strands of horsehair or bamboo are

woven into a cylindrical crown.

Chongbaneul(banongdae,soeggeul)

refers to an iron needle with 15 cm in length. The bottom

tip of the needle is shaped like a thin hook, which is used to

weave horsehair strands on the hat block. The round tip of the

needle bar is used to cut off excess strands of horsehair from

the weave.

Chongsabal

refers to a bowl, which is used to immerse horsehair in

water in order to preserve its elasticity.

Meokgol

refers to a hat block used when boiling a completed

horsehair crown.

1. Making Chongmoja


Chongmoja is made of ultra-ne horsehair strands. When

making the crown of a hat, long strands of horsehair are used

for the warp while oxtail hair is used for the weft, which is

less limited in terms of length. Horsehair is collected by horse

tenders from two-year-old horses with approximately 50 cm-

long tail hair. Extracting 600 grams of horsehair requires the

tail hair of three horses. Strands of horsehair collected in Jeju

Island come in different colors, thickness and sheen, from

which only the quality specimens are chosen.

Only a few tools are needed to make a crown, including ilgol,

golgeori, chongsabal, chongbaneul and meokgol.

44Chongmoja

45Chongmojagol

44 45


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2) The process of makingchongmoja

The crown making process begins by selecting high-

quality horsehair.

Saengibangseok

The making of a crown begins by tying a knot at the center

of the crown top, called saengibangseok. The process of

weaving the crown tip is as follows: eight strands of horsehair

are folded in half to make a bundle of 16 strands; a knot is tied

with four bundles to form a warp of 64 strands; four strands

are tied together at the top with a simple knot and two strands

are braided into one thread; three rows (the rows are called

dollimjul) are woven with the braided threads; and the weave

is placed onto the glue-coated hat block to start weft-and-warp

weaving, in a technique called cheonbak tteugi.

Cheonbak tteugi

Cheonbak tteugi is done by weaving ten rows with two

braids made out of four strands, followed by space-weaving

with a braid of four strands.Jeorimjul, a weft of four strands,

is interwoven with two strands of warp and cross a strand of

warp over.

Space-weaving leaves gaps between warp strands, so it is

necessary to place supplementary warps in between the warps

for four rounds over the course of weaving. During the rst and

second rounds of weaving, a supplementary warp is placed in

between every warp; in the third round, a supplementary warp

is added between every two warps; and in the fourth round,

one is added between every three warps. The body of the

crown is woven by using a weft of braided strands.

Momjul

The woven lines around the crown body are called

momjul. Prior to interlacing strands around the crown

body, the supplementary warps, called neuiching, are added

between every three warps. After four lines are woven, the

supplementary warps are pulled to atten. Momjul is woven in

clutches of four rows. The crown tip features about 100 rows

of wefts, while the body has more than 200 rows.

The starting point of space weaving

Saengibangseokknot (outside)

46 4746The knot of Chongmoja 47Knitting the momjul


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Momjul ttegi

Momjul ttegi is the process of spacing the wefts evenly

apart by separating the four rows of weft into two.

After evenly spacing the wefts around the body, the entirety

of the crown tip is soaked with water and then lightly attened.

The body of the hat is then tapped up to separate the crown

from the block. Loose supplementary warps are trimmed from

the edge of the crown and turned inward for ink-coating.

Block

The woven crown is placed onto a block called meokgol,

and dipped into water and boiled for about 30 minutes

to solidify the shape of the crown. The boiled crown is

subsequently dried in the shade and coated with thick black

ink, later to be separated from the block.

48Golbaegiprocessing in chongmoja

49A boiled horsehair crown

50 Chetching

51 Duching

52 Seuiching

53 Neuiching

49

48

50

50

51 52 53

51

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2. Making Yangtae


Yangtae is a brim made of bamboo. The brim is

manufactured by cutting and splitting the culms of quality

bamboos to make bamboo strips and ne strands. Then, the

woven strips are placed on the brim-making board, with whichthe ne strands are twined to make the brim. The method of

weaving dollimjul is the same as that of making the dollimjul

of a horsehair crown, and a particular characteristic of the

brim is bitdae (a sliver of bamboo stuck diagonally between

naldae and joeuldae, the warp and weft strips, respectively)

which has a unique structure and method of production.

The majority of the bamboos used for making brims

consist of giant timber bamboos (or green bamboo) and brown

bamboos (yellowish bamboo with bamboo our). Brown

bamboos are over two hand-spans in length and generally

located in Damyang of South Jeolla Province and in the Jinju

area in South Gyeongsang Province.

Tools for making a brim include mureupjjang, a knife, a

whetstone, bitdaekeul, yangtaepani, teng-e-gudeok, meoreoksoe,

gochiltdae, banongdae, ssalyeokeumsil, and meoreok. As in the

case of making a horsehair crown, the brim can also be made

using only a few tools.

Mureupjjang

Mureupjjangrefers to a tool used when a brim maker places

bamboo strands on their knees and strips off layers of bamboo

strands. It is used by attaching cotton strings onto leather.

Knife and a whetstone

A knife and a whetstone are widely used through the work

of geolmok, the preparation of bamboo strips and strands

cutting, trimming, and peeling off bamboo, then rubbing and

separating them into strands of bamboo. The knife has a at

blade with a blunt blade tip.

Bitdaekeul

Bitdaekeul refers to a wooden stick with blades at the

end placed in the shape of This stick is used to strip

off bamboo to produce trimmed slivers, including bitdae and

saldae, by letting them through the opening.

Yangtaepani

Yangtaepani (yukji, yangpan) refers to a brim-making

board, the round wood block made of cherry tree or zelkova.

Its center has a small round wood block, called eok, attached

onto it and in the center of eok, there is a square opening,

called eokgomang. Eok serves the role of holding the warp in

place in the work of ssalyeokkeum.

55 Brown bamboo

54 Various yantae

bitdaenaldae

joeuldae

54


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Teng-e-gudeok

Teng-e-gudeokis a bamboo basket over which Yangtaepani

is rested. It is an application of Gudeok making, indigenous

to Jeju Island. It is equipped with a partition in the middle,

creating space that can contain tools and materials used for

brim-making.

Gochitdae

Gochitdae is a slender piece of split bamboo. This tool

adjusts the direction of meoreok when sticking bitdae.

Banongdae

Banongdae is an iron implement generally used when

weaving the weft into between the warp as with a horsehair

crown.

Salyeokkeumsil

Ssalyeokkeumsil refers to cotton thread used when braiding

bamboo splits. Two threads are weaved by alternately crossing

each other.

Meoreok

Meoreokis a bamboo tool designed to help insert bitdae

by making space between warps and wefts. Meoreok is

manufactured by trimming a bamboo on one side to create a

curve. The front is pointy and the end is split horizontally to

enable bitdae to be stuck.

2) The process of making Yangtae

The making of a brim begins with the preparation of

bamboos. Thick bamboos of three to four years in age and

over 10 cm in diameter are chosen and then the nodes of the

bamboos are cut, halved lengthwise by a knife, and again split

into eight to ten slivers. The outer and inner parts of those

slivers are then separated, the outer parts placed into a caldron

and boiled, to be later taken out and dried in the sun. This

process is called basunda.

Geolmok refers to the preparation of bamboo strips and

strands used for the work of saldae, dollimjul, and bitdae in

brim making. First of all, the boiled outer slivers are soaked in

water, then thinly stripped to match the purpose. This process

is called irunda in the Jeju dialect.

For strands to be used for saldae, the ends of the outer

layers of bamboo are split by a knife at regular intervals. This

process is called jaeginda.

The process of making bamboo strands for joeuldae

uses outer strips thinly scraped off like a sheet of paper. The

craftsman splits the end section of a few bamboo slivers off

with the thinness of a hair strand and crushes them against the

knife. This is called dalunda.

The strands are rubbed against the knife, splitting them into

individual pieces. This process is called daejukinda. These

strands are pressed and rubbed against the knees several times

to arrange them neatly.

To produce bamboo strands for the uses of saldae and

bitdae, they are hackled a few times with bitdaekle to adjust

their thinness; atter for saldae, and rounder for bitdae.

56 Bamboo strands

57 Ends of bamboo strands

58 Bamboo strips crushed intostrands

56

57

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Ssalyeokeum is a regional term derived from the tendency of

the Jeju dialect to pronounce the term sal more strongly. It refers

to the work of alternating two strands of cotton to interlace with

saldae (warp). The texture of the brim depends on the thickness

of the thread used in the work. When the bamboo strands and

cotton have been twined to a sufcient length, their tness for eok

is measured. If adequate, the leftover cotton threads are twisted

from the rst saldae to 10th to 15th saldae to a round shape and

put it into the eok. Then, saldae plaits are put onto yangpan and

pressed by an iron,jideulsoe.

The work of weaving saldae and joeuldae, corresponding

to warp and weft, respectively, is called maewang jatgi. The

process begins from jingmit brim to menggeutbrim. The rst

row is woven by using ne strands of bamboo; this method is

calledjimil, meaning extremely thin. By 30 rows, ne bamboo

strands are used, and after that, the weaving is continued with

thicker strands.

The number of weaving joeuldae determines the quality ofa brim. A brim with over 98 rows is of high quality while, those

with below 95 rows are of low quality.

The work of adding bitdae is to insert bitdae obliquely,

forming a diagonal line by using meoreok with a square formed

by naldae and joeuldae, when the weaving of joeuldae is done

and turned over. The number of bitdae is always the same as the

number of joeuldae. After applying sh glue to the completed

brim, it is left to dry.

59 Crushing bamboo slivers intostrands

59


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3. The process and tools ofgatmaking

1) Materials and supplies for gatmaking

2) Finishing work on chongmoja

3) Makingyangtae

Preparation of bamboostrips and strands

Finishing and decorating work

Teujib jabgi

4) Gatassembling

5) Applying ink and lacquer and attaching jukryeong

Golbaegi(chongmoja)

Making jukdaewu

Makingjeongte

Trimming the edge ofyangtae

Attaching chongmojatoyangtaewithan iron

Attachingjeongteonto cheongae

Applying mixture of sh glue and ink toyangtae

Attaching engakonto jimitdae

Attaching cheongaeinto the inside ofchongmojawith an iron

Teujib jabgiusing an iron

Attaching ttamdaetojimitdaeanddwisaeto eungak

Applying black ink and lacquer to thetop of chongmoja

Attaching cheoldaeandjimitdae

Pierce holes for straps injimitdae

Attaching motteonto the edge of the topof chongmoja

A attaching geocheoldae

Attaching bamboo threads in a crossshape

Nulli hapjang

Attaching jeonggot

Covering with silk cloth

Attaching bamboo strands and coveringsilk cloth

Applying black ink and dry

Making eungak

Making cheongae


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1) Materials and supplies forgat making

Preparation of bamboo cuttings and strands

Bamboo culms are prepared to make various frames attached

to the crown and brim of a gat, including cheoldae, geocheoldae,

jimitdae, jeongte (also called an-motte), motte and ttamdae.

Bamboo strands are needed to make decorative supplies, such

as cheongae and eungak. The process of preparing bamboo

materials is called Geummok.

Cheoldae refers to the outer frame attached to the brim of

a gat. The process of making the frame is as follows: bamboo

culms are cut with a knife into several slivers of a required size;

two sides of a sliver are cut evenly after the sheaths are peeled

off; one of the slivers is bent with a heated iron and the craftsman

cuts off the upper side of the exterior, where the brim is attached,

with the knife, and the ends are tied with a string. Jimitdae is the

inner frame of the brim, made of a bamboo sliver and constructed

in the same way as cheoldae. The remaining bamboo slivers are

trimmed to make geocheoldae, (a frame added to cheoldae) and

ttamdae (thinly sliced bamboo strip attached to the inner frame

of the brim).

1. Bending a bamboo sliver with a heatediron to make cheoldae(outer frame)

2. Cutting both sides of the outer frame evenly

3. Cutting off the upper side of the frame 4. Bending a bamboo sliver to makejimitdae(inner frame)

5. Jimitdae


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1. Cutting a bamboo culm into slivers 2. Cutting a bamboo culm into slivers

Cheongae and eungak are accessories made with bamboo

strands attached to the crown of a gat. The thickness of strands

depends on their purpose. The strands are produced by cuttingand splitting one-joint black bamboo culms. The following is

the process of preparing bamboo strands: bamboo culms are cut

into even sticks and split into outer and inner bamboo slivers; the

split outer slivers are boiled in hot water for about ve hours and

shredded with a knife to an appropriate size; several slivers are

bundled together with string and the tip of the bundle is sliced

into a V shape; the bundle is placed on the knife xed into the

block stand and crushed by thumbs to separate thin strands; and

the strands are trimmed by rubbing against knees or with hands.

3. Cutting a bamboo culm into slivers

4. Splitting bamboo sticks into outer and innerslivers


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5. Splitting bamboo sticks into outer andinner slivers

6. Outer and inner bamboo slivers

8. Crushing bamboo slivers into strands

7. Slicing the tip of a bundle of bamboo slivers

9. A bundle of sliced bamboo slivers prepared to bemade into strands


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Making eungak

Eungak refers to a decorative accessory attached to the

inside edge of the crown as a stiffener after the crown is joined

to the brim. The product quality of a horsehair hat depends on

the number of bamboo strands (from one to four strands) used

for this accessory and the patterns (diagonal cross or diagonal

line pattern). The patterns made with bamboo strands are called

eungaksae.

The procedure undertaken for the making of eungak is as

follows: an eungak block is hung on the block stand and bamboo

bands are glued onto the surface of the block; a long strip of

bamboo is glued in a spiral on the block (the long strip is called

eungakseon); eungaksae patterns are made by putting together

thin bamboo strands with sh glue and ironing; and a t hin bamboo

stick, called binetdae, is used to separate nished eungak from

the block. The bamboo accessory is dried on a shelf shaped like a

grill basket, called beoreong, and coated with glue, to be cut out

for use when needed.

3. Making of eungak gluingbamboo strands to makeeungaksaepatterns

1. Putting a long bamboo strip around the block tomake eungakseon

2. Putting a binetdaestick in between the eungakand the block to separate

4. A nished eungak


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Makingcheongae

Cheongae refers to an accessory added to the inside of a

horsehair or bamboo crown top as a decorative stiffener. The

process of making this accessory is as follows: bamboo strands

are placed in a grid shape on a small square frame; the grid of

strands are coated with sh glue and separated from the frame;

a heated iron is used to attach it to jeongte (the inner frame of

the crown tip); and it is coated with black ink and dried on the

shelf.

Golbaegi Chongnoja

Golbaegi refers to a process of straightening a horsehair

crown before attaching decorations and stiffeners. The processis as follows: a horsehair crown is placed on a hat block and a

needle is used to evenly space the woven strands of its body; it is

then boiled in hot water for about ve hours and coated with thin

sh glue; and it is dried for a day and separated from the block.

1. Golbaegi momjul ttegi(spacing the weft strandsevenly apart)

2. Before and after the process of golbaegi


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Making jukdaewu

Jukdaewu refers to a bamboo crown made by putting together

ne bamboo strands one by one. It can be used for all types of

gat, ranging from those of the highest to the lowest quality.

The highest-quality gats use crowns with three to four layers of

bamboo strands, while inferior gats use crowns made by gluing

strands in a diagonal cross shape covered with hemp cloth.

1. Attaching bamboo strands to the crown block

2. Finished bamboo crowns


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2) Finishing work on Chongmoja

This process is not required for the making of bamboo crowns.It is carried out prior to joining the crown to the brim after the

golbaegi process is completed. Horsehair hats have different

names depending on the materials attached to the crown during

the nishing phase, such as jinsarip (silk threads attached to the

crown),juksarip (bamboo threads attached) and porip (covered

with silk or hemp cloth).

Finishing and decorating work

The process begins by decorating and stiffening the tip of the

crown after the woven strands of the crown are evenly spaced.

The following is the process of nalizing the crown: a bamboo

stick is prepared to make the inner frame of the crown tip; the

stick is shredded into slivers and a heated iron is used to bend the

slivers; the ends are tied together with a piece of silk cloth and

heated to x the circular shape; the bent sliver is split into thinner

pieces and one end of a sliver is sliced to make the joint smooth;

a frame is made to t the inside of the crown tip; a pre-prepared

cheongae is placed on the frame and pressed into place with a

heated iron, and excess strands around the frame are trimmed;

the cheongae-attached frame is coated with black ink and glue,

then left to dry on the beoreong; it is then glued to the inside of

the crown and the crown is placed onto the block and the frame

is xed to the inside of the crown tip with the iron; the crown is

coated with black ink and glue, then left to dry on the beoreong;

two strands of bamboo are attached in a cross shape from the tip

to the bottom of the crown, which divide the crown tip into four

equal parts; and a thin frame (called motte) is attached to theouter edge of the crown tip, coated with glue and then left on the

shelf to dry.

The process of covering the crown with silk or hemp cloth

is as follows: water is sprayed evenly onto a sheet of raw silk

fabric and he fabric is stuck onto the bottom half of the crown

and attached to the surface of the crown by iron; the process is

repeated for the top half of the crown; the point on the crown

body where the two pieces of cloth adjoin is pressed by iron;

the remaining cloth is cut from the crown tip and then from

adjoining point, by pressing the knife while pulling the cloth;

glue is applied to where the cloths adjoin; the crown is coveredwith another piece of raw silk fabric; one more piece of silk is

stuck around the crown tip; the silk-covered crown is left on the

shelf to dry and trimmings are removed by knife and iron; and a

motte is attached around the crown tip depending on the type of

hat; glue is applied and dried.

Jeonggot is a decoration made of hanji, which is attached to

the inside of the crown tip.

After the decoration and nishing touches, the nished crown

is placed onto the hat block and the bottom circumference of the

crown is measured to make an inner frame of the brim. The inner

frame is coated with black ink then dried.


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3) Making yangtae

The manufacturing of a brim refers to the process of envelopingin silk cloth or attaching bamboo or silk strands one by one,

according to the needs of each beoreong and type of hat. This

process represents gats aesthetic characteristics and uniqueness.

The gracious curve and fabric of yangtae is attributed to the

process of bending the at, bamboo-weave brim with a hot iron

to give a gentle curved shape. The beauty of the brim is created

by a complicated process of attaching hair-thin bamboo or silk

strands one by one, by type of gat. In addition, by covering thin

hemp cloth over them, the combination of both fabrics of the

brim and textile, lending a newly rened, transparent sensibility

to the brim.

Teujib jabgi (curving the brim)

A brim maker, yangtae-jang, cuts and trims the parts of

bamboo strips that stick out from the edge of yangtae, while

heating three irons in the brazier in preparation for this work.

Next, sh glue mixed with the diluted solution made from the

inkstick is applied to the brim. The brim is allowed to briey dry

on the beoreong and put on the brim-making board, and then, the

brim maker adjusts the temperature of irons and swiftly bends

the brim.

Three types of irons are used in the process of bending the

brim, called teujib jabgi. One with a small round base is used to

sear and bend the end of the brim. Another with a at, long side

is used to make a gentle curve from the inner rim to the center

and to the edge of the brim on the exterior surface. A medium-

sized iron with a round front is used to press and bend the end

of the brim.

After nishing this work, the prepared cheoldae and jimitdae

frames need to be attached to the brim. For this, rst, the size of

the brim is adjusted with regards to those outer and inner frames,

and the point at which these frames are joined is marked using

an iron, and then the unnecessary ends and edges of the bamboo

are promptly severed. Fish glue is applied, and the end result is

left to dry in the beoreong. Using a hot iron, the brim is seared

and attached to the outer frame. The remaining parts of the brim

attached to the outer frame are scraped off with a knife. In order

to have them linked smoothly, layers are cut off from both ends

of the outer frame that are li nked to each other, then sh glue is

applied to be attached by a searing iron.


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1. Applying mixture of sh glueand ink

2. Curving the at-bamboo-weavebrim

3. Curving the at-bamboo-weave brim

4. Curving the at-bamboo-weave brim

For the work of combining the jimitdae with the brim, rstly,

the circumference of the crown is measured and a curved inner

frame is made accordingly. Then, it is placed beneath the brim

and checked with the at stick whether the intervals are regular,

and marked in four points with a hot iron. As the brim is turned,

it is seared and attached to the inner frame with the iron, and

then the remaining interior section of the brim is cut off with the

knife

As the brim is turned, its balance must be checked and

modications must be made by searing and adjusting the outer

frame with an iron. The end of the inner frame and corners of the

outer frame are severed for smoothness. A sufcient amount of

sh glue must be applied onto the brim attached to the inner and

outer frames, then left to dry in the beoreong, before Chinese ink

is applied.


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72

5. Attaching cheoldaeto the brim

6. Trimming the remaining of the brim attached tocheoldae

8. Attaching jimitdaeto the brim

7. The linkage of both ends of cheoldae

9. Trimming the remaining of the brim attached tojimitdae

11. Balancing the curves of a brim


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Nulli Hapjang

Nulli hapjang refers to the process of reinforcing cheoldae

and jimitdae attached to the brim by applying sheets of traditional

Korean paper cut to a regular size, with a searing iron. Following

this process, Chinese ink and sh glue must be applied and the

brim must be checked to have all openings sealed.

1. Nulli hapjangof jimitdae

2. Nulli hapjangof cheoldae


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Attaching bamboo strands and covering silk cloth

Hats vary depending on the main materials used over the

crown and the brim. A hat calledporip is made by covering silk or

hemp cloth over the crown and the brim; jinsarip and juksarip by

attaching ne strands of silk thread and bamboo, respectively.

The processes of covering silk or hemp cloth over the brim

are similar: water is spread evenly over cloth which is then placed

over the brim; it is attached to the outer frame, then the portion

of jimit is singed and cut; the cloth is trimmed with a knife and

then, using the heated iron, it is singed clean off from the outer

and inner frame parts.

Deungsa refers to the work of attaching each strand of

bamboo or silk thread over the brim. Generally, the strands are

attached outward, with wider spaces in the upper part than in the

lower. Using a heated iron, the strands are seared and attached

only to cheoldae and jimit. After this work, the remainders from

both parts are singed and cut with an iron and smoothed out. The

work is nished by applying glue and ink.

1. Attaching silk threads 2. Attaching bamboo strands


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Attachinggeocheldae

As a reinforcement, geocheoldae is added to cheoldae,

the brim attached to which is already covered by silk cloth or

attached by ne strands of bamboo. With the brim stuck between

legs, by using a heated iron, the outer strip of bamboo is attached

to cheoldae by gently pressing the strips middle part and then

the upper and lower parts, against cheoldae. After sticking the

outer strip around cheoldae, the brim is placed on the board and

checked while the frame is seared with an iron. This geocheoldae

is trimmed with a knife, smoothed out and then coated with glue

and paint. While doing this work, glue is applied underneath the

inner frame, to which the hat is attached. 1. Attaching geocheoldae


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4) Gat assembling

The nal step of making a hat is called gat assembling, or

mot bakgi.

Saliva is applied on the interior of jimit and the lower portion

of the crown is gently pressed onto the brim. Putting a hand

inside the crown, the craftsman adjusts its height using binetdae.

If it is balanced, four corners are marked with a heated iron, then

pressed and seared. The portion sticking out from jimitdae is cut

away and glue is applied to the interior of jimitdae to allow the

eungak to be placed.

The prepared eungak is cut to t the circumference of jimitdae.

The dwisae, made with traditional Korean paper, is placed where

both ends adjoin. Subsequently, glue is applied and the hat is left

to dry.

The ttamdae is coated with Chinese ink and glue, then placed

on the beoreong. Saliva is applied onto the portion on which

ttamdae is to be hung below the decorative accessory of eungak,

and then it is trimmed and smoothed. Holes are pierced for the

string for gat, with a heated garakggoji (awl).

1. Attaching a crown 2. Attaching eungak

3. Applying ink to ttamdae 4. Attaching ttamdae


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5) Applying ink and lacquer and attaching jukryeong

First of all, an inkstick is ground against an inkstone to makedense ink, and the hat is turned, with black ink applied to every

part of the hat from the interior, including the behind ttamdae and

jimit. It is then left to dry.

After the ink coating dries, the lacquering process begins

from the interior of the hat. For the nal step, the craftsman

turns the hat, while nger-coating cheoldae, ttamdae, motte, and

jimitdae with lacquer. The lacquer coating must then dry for 24

hours in the chiljang. Several repetitions of this process allows

for a graceful black coating on the gat.

Finishing lacquer coating on cheoldaeby hand

Gaton the shelf inside chiljang

Attaching jukryeong(straps)


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Tools for gatmaking

Bamboo

Used for making bamboo strands for yangtae, crown, eungak, andmojeong.

The thickness of bamboo strands can vary depending on theiruses.

Malchong

Horsehair

Bamboo

Used for making jimitdae, eungakseon, jeongtae, ttamdae

The width and thickness of split bamboo can vary depending on itsuses. Inner bamboo strips are used for ttamdae and geocheol.

Bamboo

For cheoldae (ve culms in length)

Used for the manufacture of eungak, cheongae, and a bamboocrown. When making a juksarip, the ne strands of bamboo areattached over the brim.

Inksticks and glue

An inkstick is used to color the hat black prior to lacquering.The glue is used to put together parts of the hat, including bamboostrands, bamboo, yangtae, and cheoldae.

Traditional Korean paper, hanji

Used as a nishing material for the round top of the crown, andfor nuli hapjang work of jimitdae and cheoldae, and used to makedecorative patterns, such as jeonggot, dwisae, and oral decora-tions.

Traditional Korean lacquer, ot

Used for dying the interior and exterior of gat

Silk cloth, silk thread

Silk cloth is used in the nishing phase, or when making porip forcovering the crown and brim.

Silk thread is used when making a jinsarip for attaching strands ofsilk thread over the brim.


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Knife

Preparation of bamboo culms

Used for various purposes, including cutting bamboo culms, strip-ping them off, and separating them into individual pieces.

Binetdae

This bamboo stick is used to separate a hat or eungak from theblock.

Garakggojiand chongbaneul

A tool to make a hole in the stamped string of a gat.

This needle is used for the process of golbaegi, to make eungak, orto adjust the space of cheongae

Ssamjigol

With the upper narrow and the lower wide, this block has a groovewhich enables it to be hung onto a block stand.

Golbaegi for making bamboo crowns is a crown block (hat block),while golbaegi to make eungak is called an eungak block.

Yangpanand Yangpandae

Yangpan refers to a brim-making board on which a brim is placedwhen giving a brim a gentle curve by using a heated iron.

A brazier and irons

A charcoal brazier is used to melt sh glue or heat irons.

Irons are used for the decorating and nishing work and beoreong,and to put together bamboo strands or attach the strands tocheoldae.

Various irons are used for a variety of purposes. When curving thebrim, a medium-sized iron with a wide base is used. This processbegins from the end of the brim and is nished with the wide iron.


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Beoreong

Used to dry the ink- or glue-coated brim, cheoldae, and jimitdae.

Made by weaving slivers of bamboo, beoreong is hung from theceiling and its height can be adjustable.

Guiyal(brushes)

Different brushes are used for applying g lue, ink, and lacquer.

Chiljang(Lacquer equipment)

A piece of equipment with a shelf inside that maintains propermoisture and temperature to help the lacquered hat dry inside it.


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Hats are distinguished according to the main material

used in their production. The periodical changes in size and

materials, combined with the emergence of various symbols

and decorations, have given way to a variety of the heukrip, or

black hat. Even though they are manufactured based on the same

materials and methods, hats can be classied by their purposes

with the addition of different colors and embellishments.

For instance, baekrip, a white hat, is used for national

mourning of royalty; jurip, a red hat, for civil and military

ofcials of the senior third rank or higher, envoys dispatched to

foreign countries, or the royal bodyguards;jukjeonrip was worn

by high-ranking military ofcials when the king was dressed in

military uniform. Hats with jade ornaments are generally referred

to as heukrip or jurip, whose tops were decorated with jade, and

worn by active and former civil and military ofcials as a part of

their military uniform.

Various types ofgat

60 Weavingjoeuldae

6161-1 Dollimjul(100, 300)

62 The structure ofyangtae

60

61

61-1

Classifcation by materials

Hats are classied based

on the main and additional

materials used. The brim,

one of the major components,

is affected by the thickness

and the number of saldae,

the number and density of

dollimjul and the number of bitdae. According to these variables,

the brim can be thinly and gently woven or sparsely and stify

woven. The difference in the width of brims does not inuence the

quality of hats. A hat with a horsehair crown is called a horsehair

hat. Whether the horsehair hat is loose or tight depends on the

thickness of the horsehair strands and the number of dollimjul.

Bamboo hats are constructed by attaching ne strands of bamboo

together. The way they are attached decides the quality of hats and

produces various brims with different characteristics in fabrics

and density. Thus, hats vary depending on the main materials and

complementary resources. The hats with silk and bamboo crown

and brim includejinsarip, eumyangsarip, and eumyangrip; those

covered by hemp cloth, silk, ramie fabric, or cotton are called

porip.

64 Gat worn by Jeong Tak

65 Horsehair hat from GeoheonGotaek, a Joseon-era residence(Sosu Museum)

66 Black hat (Seoul NationalUniversity Museum)

67 Gatof Pungsan Kim clans (SosuMuseum)

63 The stucture of Chongmoja

64

63

65 66 67

bitdaenaldae

joeuldae

62


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Jinsarip

Jinsarip refers to a bamboo hat of high quality with

a rened brim manufactured through the repeatedly

attaching ne strands of bamboo over three

or four times. Craftsmen making

crowns and brims use heated

irons to sear and put together

silk threads one by one. As

for the crown, strands from the

main body are put together to the

crown top and in particular, strands of thread

on the top must be placed at a regular interval. To ensure the

splendor of the hat, hanji embellishments called jeonggot and

eungak are added to the inner frame of the crown and the braid of

silk threads is attached around the part where the crown and brim

join. This hat was generally worn by the king and noblemen.

68 Jinsarip(Seoul NationalUniversity Museum)

69 Attaching of strands on the ungi

68

69

Juksarip

The production process of juksarip is the same of jinsarip, but

use ne strands of bamboo instead of silk threads, which

are attached to the crown and brim. The value of this hat

is similar to that of jinsarip.

Eumyangsarip

Eumyangsarip is a horsehair hat constructed to a high quality.

The quality of eumyangsarip depends on additional materials and

the width of the silk thread put together over the brim. A hat with

the highest grade is constructed through the golbaegi process

along with the addition of cheongae and jeonggot; the next grade

down is made through the golbaegi process and the addition of

only jeonggot; another grade lower refers to hats made solely

by the golbaegi process. Low quality

eumyangsarip is constructed by hand

with a sparsely woven horsehair brim.

The braid thread used for this

type of hat is blue.

70 Gatof Jeong tak(1526-1605)(Korean Studies AdvancementCenter)

71 Eumyangsarip(private

collection)

72 Comparison of the attachment ofbamboo strands and silk threads

70

72

71


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Eumyangrip

Eumyangrip is a hat of lower quality than eumyangsarip,

constructed with a medium-quality brim and a bamboo or

horsehair crown. The brim is covered with silk cloth,

while bamboo or silk threads are put together one

by one on the exterior of the crown. Green braided

threads are attached underneath the crown.

Porip

Porip is made by covering the brim and crown with cloth. It

is for everyday wear and easier to construct. The product quality

of this type of hat depends on the kind of cloth cover, the

width of the brim and the height of the crown. Men

of the ruling class in the 18th century favored cloth-

covered hats with a wide brim measuring

around 72cm in diameter. The brim was

densely woven and the crown was made

by attaching three to four layers of bamboo

strands. The porip was likely regarded as among the highest

quality types of covered hats.

73

75

74

73 Goeheon Gotaek House(Sosu Museum)

74 Porip

75 A horsehair hat belonging to thePungsan Kim clans

Baekrip

Baekrip refers to a white hat worn during occasions such

as when one was in mourning for a deceased family

member or when the nation was mourning the

passing of a king. White hats were worn

as early as the early Joseon period. While

the Five Rites of the State (state protocol

and etiquette) required the use of a white

hat during the mourning period, various

historical records show that it was not the

only hat worn in mourning. People often wore

black hats in mourning, but the controversy over the use of black

hats continued until the reign of King Myeongjong. White hats

were made in the same way as cloth-covered hats: covered with

cloth but not coated with lacquer or black ink. The crown was

made simply by attaching bamboo strands in a diagonal cross

pattern and covering the surface with white cloth. More simply,

it was made only with hemp or ramie cloth. This kind of white

hat did not feature decorative stiffeners, such as eungak, as used

in the usual cloth-covered hat because it was made in haste

during the period of mourning. Instead, a ttamdae (a thinly sliced

bamboo strip) or a piece of hanji was attached to the inner frame

of the brim. When the mourning period ended, some of t he white

hats worn by mourners were coated with black ink and used for

everyday wear.

76

76 Baekrip

7777-1 Jeongmyo heukrip(baekripcoated with blacklacquer)

77-177


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Jurip

Jurip looks similar to heukrip (black hats).

It was made by covering the surface of a gat

with red silk or coating it with red lacquer.

Red hats with no joints on the horsehair-woven brim and

crown were considered to be of the highest quality. Civil and

military ofcials of the senior third rank or higher

wore this hat as a part of the ceremonial uniform

for trips abroad as envoys or attendance with the

king during royal trips. The red hat was usually

decorated with three kinds of accessories: two or three

white plumes, beaded straps and a crown-top ornament, which

shows the ofcial rank of the wearer.

Jukjeonrip

Jukjeonrip is an ofcial

hat, which was worn by the ofcials of a

high rank. The overall shape of this hat

looks similar to an ordinary horsehair hat,

with a round or at crown tip and a slightly

curved brim. As with other kinds of horsehair hats, it is uses a

crown and a brim woven with bamboo strands. The exterior of

the crown and brim is covered with a layer of silk or sheets of

cloth, depending on the ofcial rank of the wearer. The decorative

accessories such as crown-top ornaments, peacock feathers and

plumes, are also distinguished according to the status of the

wearer. The red tassel attached to the crown tip looks similar to

that ofmojeonrip, a luxurious ofcial hat made of pig hair.

78

79

80

81

78 Jurip(Onyang Folk Museum)

79 Jurip(Sungkyunkwan UniversityMuseum)

80 Jukjeonrip(Seoul NationalUniversity Museum)

81 Jukjeonripin the portrait of KingCheoljong (r.1849-1863)(National Palace Museum ofKorea)

Okrorip

The name okrorip comes from the heron-shaped jade ornament

(the Korean-adapted Chinese characters of okand ro refer

to jade and heron, respectively) attached to the top of

black or red horsehair hats. To be precise,

okrorip should be regarded as a style of

hat ornament, not as a type of horsehair

hat. Such jade ornaments could only

be attached to the top of highest quality

horsehair hats with a silk layer, such as

jinsarip or eumyangsarip. Usually, bell-shaped crowns were

decorated with the jade ornaments.

According to the Seonghosaseol, the Collected Works of

Seongho, the use ofokro ornaments was strictly regulated: only

the ofcials higher than the junior second rank could wear jade

ornaments.Daejeonhoetong, the national code published during

the late Joseon period, also required active and former civil and

military ofcials to use the jade hat ornaments when they wore

their military uniform. This shows that the wearing of okrorip

continued through to the end of Joseon Dynasty. The difference

between jukjeonrip and okrorip is whether a hat has a loop to

attach okro ornaments or not.

82

82 Okrorip(Chang PudeokMemorial Gallery, EwhaWomans University)

Name Materials for crownStiffening supplies for crown

and brimColor

Hapsa

(decoration)

Hat

ornaments

Jinsarip bamboo threads horsehairsilk

threads

bamboo

threadscloth black red threads jade, plumes

Eumyangsarip bamboo crown black blue threads plumes

Eumyangrip bamboo crown horsehair crown blackgreen

threads

Porip bamboo crown horsehair crown black - ?

Baekrip bamboo crown

ramie

and

hemp

white

Jurip bamboo crown

red (inside:black) ?

jade, plumes,

crown-top

ornaments

jukjeonrip vcrown black

red and

purple

threads

jade, plumes,

crown-top

ornaments


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Transmission and Preservation ofGat:

People Weaving Tradition

[Skill holder]


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Gat or horsehair hat served as a symbol of formal costume

that represents the personality of classical scholars in the past.

Different materials used led to creating the hat with unique and

distinctive avor. As a handicraft with exceptional beauty, its

diverse shapes reected the change in the trend over time. Such

beauty and charm can be sa id to be de rived f rom gat-mak ing

process; the traditional hat is the fruit of a great deal of time and

effort by three skilled artisans into a meticulous process of over

50 steps.

Horsehair crafts andartisans


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Gat

,TraditionalHeadgearinKorea

102 1

Gat is made of diverse materials such as horsehair, bamboo,

silk thread and silk cloth. It requires the delicate producing

techniques and scientic precision to create its unique shape.

Making the hat is divided into three main parts: making

chongmoja, a cylindrical crown; weavingyangtae, a brim; and

joining the t wo parts to complete the ha t. In other words, three

skilled artisans are required: chongmoja-jang who weaves the

crown; yangtae-jang who makes the brim; andipja-jang who

assembles the crown and brim and coast it with silk.

The creation of a single piece of the hat involves a thorough

process that requires deft craftsmanship during each of its 51

steps: 24 steps to make the brim by splitting bamboo to make a

bamboo thread ne r than a hair; 17 steps for the crown made of

horsehair; and 10 steps to properly join the two parts. Although

each component is made by going through different process just

like division of labor, it is artisans exquisite skills embedded in

each step that brings about completion of a piece of work.

The history of gat can be viewed as gat artisans history.

According to Gyeonggukdaejeon (National Code), there were

116 artisans making ofcial hats in 7 categories at the beginning

of the Joseon Dynasty. The gure increased to 1,524 in 26

categories in the late Joseon Dynasty, the record fromUigwe

(records of court banquets). As the type of ofcial hat craftsmen

was broken down in the late Joseon era compared to the earlier

time, the number of artisans signicantly increased; yangtae-

jang divided into yangtae-jang andyeonjuk-jang,moja-jang into

moja-jang, dugeon-jang andieom-jang.

In addition, manggeon-jang, who makes manggeon or

headband, was divided into mami-jang handling horsehair;

mangsu-jang, making a front part of the headband; eomang-

jang, specializing in making a kings headband; and gwanja-

jang making mainly the ornament of headband. Although Jeju

Island serves as the center of horsehair crafts at present, the

handicraft was commonplace all over the nation during the

Joseon Dynasty including Jeongju and Taecheon in Pyeongan

Province, Jeongpyeong in Hamgyeong Province, Gadeok Island

in Gyeongsang Province, Jeolla Province and Jeju Island.

By the end of the Japanese colonial per iod of the early 1900s,

a fair number of gat workshops were in business in some regions

including Gimje, Yecheon, and Daegu. However, after the

liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule in 1945, reduced

demand for the hat resulted in a remarkable decline in the

number of workers, and only a few artisans were engaged in the

business. In those days, men had to dress up in traditional custom,

including an overcoat (dopo) and traditional long coat (durumagi)

along with the gat, at formal occasions such as ancestral rituals

and weddings, which led to some modest demand for the

traditional hat. However, in the 1960s the traditional ceremonial

costume gradually disappeared, thereby bringing about another

drop in the demand for the horsehair hat. In 1964, the Korean

government, determined to safeguard disappearing traditional

craftsmanship, designated Koreas national craft technique as

Important Intangible Cultural Heri

gat, traditional headgear in korea

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