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The National Palace Museum of Korea Presents “List of Hairpins Used in the Wedding Ceremony of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myseongseong” as the Curator’s Choice for July

Writer: International Cooperation Division

Date: 2022-07-21

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The National Palace Museum of Korea Presents “List of Hairpins Used in the Wedding Ceremony ofEmperor Gojong and Empress Myseongseong” as the Curator’s Choice for July

- To Be Presented in theGallery and Online Starting July 4 -

The NationalPalace Museum of Korea (Director: Kim In Kyu), an affiliate of the CulturalHeritage Administration of Korea, has selected “List ofHairpins Used in the Wedding Ceremony of Emperor Gojong and EmpressMyseongseong” as its “Curator’s Choice fromthe Royal Treasures” for the month of July. It will be presented online in a YouTube broadcast on the channelsof the Cultural Heritage Administration and the National Palace Museum of Koreastarting July 4.

* NationalPalace Museum of Korea YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/gogungmuseum

* CulturalHeritage Administration YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chluvu

The words “bojam balgi” are writtenin Hangeul on the cover of the List of Hairpins Used in the Wedding Ceremony ofEmperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong. Balgi refers to a type of royalcourt record listing items or people involved in royal rituals. This type ofrecord was also known as “件記” (geongi)in Chinese characters, meaning a description of geon (people or things).Geon were known as bal in ancient Korean, hence the name balgi.

The record isa rectangular album comprised of thick red paper folded like an accordion andwith its contents written in Hangeul. Fabric has been attached to the cover toadd a sense of dignity. The surface of the paper features marks to ensure thatthe list of items would be written neatly. Small holes on the upper part of therecord serve as reference marks for each row and a vertical groove belowprovides a rule line to keep the writing even.

The recordlists hairpins used for two hairstyles –keunmeoriand jojimmeori. A keunmeori was a style worn by women as part ofa grand ceremonial outfit (daeryebok) for performing the grandest staterituals. A jojimmeori was the least formal hairstyle among those worn inthe royal court.

Thebackground of the production of this record is detailed in a small piece ofpaper attached to the record with the words “those thatwere not already among the ones sent for the wedding ceremony in the byeongin year.” This noteindicates that the hairpins listed in the record were used at the weddingceremony of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong in 1866 (a byeongin year; the third year in thesexagenary cycle), and that the record was made after some required hairpinsthat had not already arrived had been procured.

A diverserange of balgi remains today. They can take a variety of forms dependingon the intended usage, such as for verifying the completion of official dutiesor for archival purposes. Characterized by thick paper and a fabric cover, thismonth’s Curator’s Choice appears to be a final version designed for archival purposesthat was completed after multiple drafts and revisions.

The list is on display in theRoyal Rituals of the Joseon Dynasty Gallery on the B1floor of the National Palace Museum of Korea. Those who are unable to visit thegallery in person can still enjoy this month’s Curator’s Choice virtuallythrough a video with Korean and English subtitles available on the museum’swebsite (gogung.go.kr) and on the YouTube channels of the museum and theCultural Heritage Administration of Korea.

Division: Exhibition & Publicity Division, The National Palace Museum of Korea

Contact person:Lim Kyoung-hee (02-3701-7631), Kim Jae-eun (02-3701-7633)

Attached File: 0703 국립고궁박물관, 이달(7월)의 추천 유물로 ‘고종과 명성황후의 혼례 때 사용한 비녀 목록을 적은 기록’ 소개(영문).DOC
0703 국립고궁박물관, 이달(7월)의 추천 유물로 ‘고종과 명성황후의 혼례 때 사용한 비녀 목록을 적은 기록’ 소개(붙임).pdf

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