A Study on the Heaven-Shaped Patterns of the Ceremonial Flags

의장기(儀仗旗)에 있어서의 천상(天象)의 의미(意味) 고찰(考察)

Various ceremonial flags were of great importance to the rulers who wished to have the absolute authorities for governing the people. Perhaps nothing indicated the ideas, thoughts and symbols of a certain period and people than the ceremonial flags. The ceremonial flags used in the old China and Korea took the shapes of the heaven and the earth, representing the social backgrounds and thoughts. This study was limited only to the discussion of the heaven-shaped patterns of the ceremonial flags. The 28 constellations of the heaven, in the Oriental way of thinking, were considered to express the immortal powers of Providence and the political domination of the earth. Hence the Polaris, the center of the heaven, symbolized the whole family of king, prince, child born of a concubine and royal harem. Among the constellation pictures were those of Han period, wall painting of old tombs in Koguryeo kingdom and old Japanese kingdom. Referring to the Emperor's ceremonial flags in Daemyeongjibyei, symbolic meanings changed historically and the complete systems of the ceremonial flags were established in Song period when the divine person was drawn on the flags. Animals concerned properly with the particular star and the shapes of the star were both drawn on the flags in Won period and only the shapes of the particular star in Myeong period. In the Imperial enthronement of Kojong the ceremonial flags might be made by the examples of those of Myeong period and remains are now found at Changdeok Palace, which need a further study because the references in detail are not available.