Kkachi durumagi
Encyclopedia
Kkachi durumagi is a children's colorful overcoat
in hanbok
, traditional Korea
n clothing
, which was worn on Seolnal, New Year's Day in the Lunar calendar
. It was worn mostly by young boys and literally means "a magpie's overcoat". The clothes is also called obangjang durumagi which denotes "an overcoat of five directions". It was worn over jeogori
(a jacket) and jokki (a vest) while the wearer could put jeonbok
(a long vest) over it. Kkachi durumagi was also worn along with headgear
such as bokgeon
(a peaked cloth hat), hogeon
(peaked cloth hat with a tiger pattern) for young boys or gulle
(decorative headgear) for young girls.
; kkachi referring to Korean Magpie
and durumagi
, a type of overcoat
. In Korean mythology
, magpies are regarded as auspicious messenger delivering good news but also a provider of prosperity and development.. The date before Seolnal has been referred to as "Kkachi Seolnal" (kkachi's New Year's Day). The overcoat was named after the bird to reflect the folk belief because children longed for the cheerful holiday's coming.
Kkachi durumagi is also called obangjang durumagi because it is composed of five colors, representing five different directions (obang) -- east (blue), west (white), south (red), north (black), center (yellow). The concept is based on Oriental philosophy.
Seop (섶), the overlapped column of the garment in the center is made of a yellow fabric while gil (길), the large section of the garment in both front and back side is made of a fabric in yellowish green. For boys, blue color is used for the portions called git (깃, a band of fabric that trims the collar), goreum (고름, strings at chest), doltti (돌띠, embroidered belt) respectively and purple is used for mu (무, gusset
). On the other hand, kkachi durumagi for girls has red or purple colored git, goreum and doltti and dark blue mu. The sleeves are made of two sheets of fabrics. The outer surface is made of a yellowish green fabric or saekdong (colorful stripes) fabric whereas the inner is rose pink in color.
In old days, kkachi durumagi were worn as seolbim (설빔), new clothing and shoes prepared for Seolnal, while at present, it is used as a dorot, a ceremonial garment for doljanchi
, celebration for a baby's first birthday.
Overcoat
An overcoat is a type of long coat intended to be worn as the outermost garment. Overcoats usually extend below the knee, but are sometimes mistakenly referred to as topcoats, which are short coats that end at or above the knees. Topcoats and overcoats together are known as outercoats...
in hanbok
Hanbok
Hanbok or Chosŏn-ot is the traditional Korean dress. It is often characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. Although the term literally means "Korean clothing", hanbok today often refers specifically to hanbok of Joseon Dynasty and is worn as semi-formal or formal wear...
, traditional Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, which was worn on Seolnal, New Year's Day in the Lunar calendar
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
. It was worn mostly by young boys and literally means "a magpie's overcoat". The clothes is also called obangjang durumagi which denotes "an overcoat of five directions". It was worn over jeogori
Jeogori
The jeogori is a basic upper garment of hanbok, Korean traditional garment, which has been worn by both men and women. It covers the arms and upper part of the wearer's body.-Etymology:...
(a jacket) and jokki (a vest) while the wearer could put jeonbok
Jeonbok
The jeonbok is a type of sleeveless long vest in hanbok, traditional Korean clothing, which was worn by military personnel. It does not have overlapped column on the front side, and was worn over dongdari ....
(a long vest) over it. Kkachi durumagi was also worn along with headgear
Headgear
Headgear, headwear or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head.Headgear serve a variety of purposes:...
such as bokgeon
Bokgeon
Bokgeon is a type of gwanmo , traditional Korean headgear made from a black fabric. Although it had been worn by a few Confucian scholars until the late Joseon period, it later became a decorative headgear for baby boys' dol which is a way of celebrating the birthday of a one-year-old baby....
(a peaked cloth hat), hogeon
Hogeon
A hogeon is a type of gwanmo , Korean traditional headgear for young boys aged one year to five years old. It was worn along with durumagi or jeonbok . Hogeon was worn on holidays such as Seolnal , Chuseok , or celebrations for their birthdays like doljanchi...
(peaked cloth hat with a tiger pattern) for young boys or gulle
Gulle
A gulle is a type of sseugae , Korean traditional headgear, worn by children aged one year to five years old during the late Joseon period. It was mostly worn by young girls in the upper class for warmth and style. Gullae was usually made with silk and in summer, it was made with sa , a type of...
(decorative headgear) for young girls.
Etymology and color
The name is composed of the two words in KoreanKorean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
; kkachi referring to Korean Magpie
Korean Magpie
The Korean Magpie Pica sericea, known as "ggachee" in Korean, is generally treated as an East Asian subspecies, of the European Magpie , but it may be a distinct species. It is a common symbol of the Korean identity, and has been adopted as the "official bird" of numerous South Korean cities,...
and durumagi
Durumagi
Durumagi is a variety of po, or overcoat in hanbok, the Korean traditional garment. It is usually the topmost layer of clothing that is worn over jeogori and baji . Durumagi means "closed all around", and is also known as jumagui , juchaui or juui...
, a type of overcoat
Overcoat
An overcoat is a type of long coat intended to be worn as the outermost garment. Overcoats usually extend below the knee, but are sometimes mistakenly referred to as topcoats, which are short coats that end at or above the knees. Topcoats and overcoats together are known as outercoats...
. In Korean mythology
Korean mythology
Korean mythology consists of national legends and folk-tales which come from all over the Korean Peninsula. Even within the same ethnic group, myths tend to have slightly different variations...
, magpies are regarded as auspicious messenger delivering good news but also a provider of prosperity and development.. The date before Seolnal has been referred to as "Kkachi Seolnal" (kkachi's New Year's Day). The overcoat was named after the bird to reflect the folk belief because children longed for the cheerful holiday's coming.
Kkachi durumagi is also called obangjang durumagi because it is composed of five colors, representing five different directions (obang) -- east (blue), west (white), south (red), north (black), center (yellow). The concept is based on Oriental philosophy.
Seop (섶), the overlapped column of the garment in the center is made of a yellow fabric while gil (길), the large section of the garment in both front and back side is made of a fabric in yellowish green. For boys, blue color is used for the portions called git (깃, a band of fabric that trims the collar), goreum (고름, strings at chest), doltti (돌띠, embroidered belt) respectively and purple is used for mu (무, gusset
Gusset
In sewing, a gusset is a triangular or rhomboid piece of fabric inserted into a seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing...
). On the other hand, kkachi durumagi for girls has red or purple colored git, goreum and doltti and dark blue mu. The sleeves are made of two sheets of fabrics. The outer surface is made of a yellowish green fabric or saekdong (colorful stripes) fabric whereas the inner is rose pink in color.
In old days, kkachi durumagi were worn as seolbim (설빔), new clothing and shoes prepared for Seolnal, while at present, it is used as a dorot, a ceremonial garment for doljanchi
Doljanchi
Dol or doljanchi is a Korean tradition that celebrates the birthday of a one-year-old baby. This ceremony blesses the child with a prosperous future and has taken on great significance in Korea...
, celebration for a baby's first birthday.
See also
- DurumagiDurumagiDurumagi is a variety of po, or overcoat in hanbok, the Korean traditional garment. It is usually the topmost layer of clothing that is worn over jeogori and baji . Durumagi means "closed all around", and is also known as jumagui , juchaui or juui...
- SaekdongotSaekdongotThe saekdongot is a type of hanbok, Korean traditional clothing, with colorful stripes by patchworking. It began to be used for hanbok since the Goryeo period . The name literally means "many colored clothes " in Korean. It was usually worn by children from the age of one to seven year old...
- JeogoriJeogoriThe jeogori is a basic upper garment of hanbok, Korean traditional garment, which has been worn by both men and women. It covers the arms and upper part of the wearer's body.-Etymology:...
, a Korean short jacket - DopoDopo (clothing)The dopo is a variety of po, or overcoat in hanbok, Korean traditional garment which was mostly worn by male Confucian scholars called seonbi after the mid Joseon period. Seonbi wore it as their daily garment as well as government officers did when they out for their private business. There are...
- SagyusamSagyusamThe sagyusam is a type of po , or outer robe in hanbok, Korean traditional clothing, which was worn by young boys until they had a coming-of-age ceremony called gwallye . The name was derived from the shape; the lower end of the garment is divided into four parts....
- List of Korean clothing