Chaesangjang refers to the skill of making a basket of diverse geometric patterns with thinly cut and colored bamboo skins, or to an artisan with such a skill. Colored bamboo baskets were loved by women at the Royal Court and of the noble class since the ancient period. Toward the late Joseon Period (1392 – 1910), they became popular items even for commoners as necessary articles for marriage. They were chiefly used to contain clothes, accessories, sewing supplies, and precious items.
The first thing to do in making a bamboo basket is to peel off the bamboo skin in even thickness. The skin thus peeled is soaked in water and then trimmed, dyed, and spliced. The edges and corners are wrapped with blue or black satin silk. The designs made on the surface of a bamboo basket are mostly letters or patterns associated with propitiousness.