The Study of Korean Yellow Dyeing

한국(韓國) 황염(黃染) 연구(硏究)

The color yellow was considered from ancient time to the Chosun Dynasty as the central color. Thus, this color became the royal color for the costumes in the palace. It is generally known to usthat the color yellow was controled in use both for the general public and in the royal palaces. However, in the later part of Chosun Dynasty, the color yellow was used not only for the king's costumes but also used for women's tops and for the linings of clothing. Especially, in some of the costumes that belonged to the later period of the Chosun Dynasty, we can still see lots of bright yellow tops. Also there are many green dyed official robes and various costumes for women. It is a true fact that people could not derive the color green from the plants as they did with yellow. The only way they could make the color green was to mix indigo and yellow together. By repeating the difficult process of making various dyes constantly during many centuries, the Korean people developed the marvelous technique of making natural color. Those plants used to make the color yellow are ; Gardenia, Phellodendron amurense, Turmeric, Coptis, Safflower, Arthraxon hispidus, Styphnolobium japonicum. While synthetic dye causes pollution, natural coloring by plants is as safe and useful as the color itself is lovely. Yet it is tragic to know that this traditional culture of making beautiful natural colors was cut off. There is no way to know today the traditionally correct method to derive colors from the plants. Therefore, it is our aim and challenge to find out the original way to dye and develop it and preserve it as our non-polluted folk art. In regard to natural dyeing, we must say that is very difficult to prepare and preserve natural dyes. In the first place, people had to get the right plants at an appropriate time. Then they could not keep those plants too long. Finally, much depended upon the mordant as well as various conditions and dyeing procedures. All those things influenced greatly the quality of color, some times producing a very pretty color and other times a very dull one. It is very appropriate that the natural dye art should be recognized and appreciated anew by Korea since it provides satisfaction to historical and folk artistic demands as well as to those of fashion conscious modern society for high quality consumption items. We propose two stages of development. The first stage is to explore native dye plants and encourage their cultivation. The second stage is to extract from the plants desirable dye which will enhance national culture.