A Study on Hakchangui, the Scholar's Robe with Dark Trim

학창의 연구

This study set out to examine Hakchangui worn in Joseon around the 18th century and further the relationships between the Chinese Hakchang and Joseon Hakchangui, as well as to figure out spread factors of Hakchangui. The study proceeded as follows: 1)The Hakchangui was examined those appearing in the collections of works and paintings after the 17th century. 2)The Zhuge Liang's Hakchang was researched through Romance of Three Kingdoms, paintings and sculptures. 3)The images of Hakchangui wearers described in literature were investigated to understand the symbolic meanings of Hakchangui in Joseon those days. Those research efforts revealed four findings: 1)In many cases, the Hakchangui worn in Joseon in the 17th and 18th century has side slits, but no back slit. It's both sides of the center front were parallel, not overlapped. 2)Hakchangui was strange to the Joseon people until the end of the 18th century but started to permeate among those who liked classic style. 3)The aspects of Zhuge Liang were standardized in the combination of 'Yungeon, Hakchang, a feather fan and a wagon' in Romance of Three Kingdoms. 4)Zhuge Liang was considered as a symbol of wisdom and loyalty and had an image of a Taoist hermit who transcended the mundane world. The analysis of the research findings led to two following conclusions: 1)ln Joseon the Chinese Hakchang was introduced to people who had exchanges with Chinese or liked classic style in the 17th and 18th century and gradually spread by their advocates. 2)The Hakchangui must have been increasingly worn by more Joseon scholars because they started to borrow the image of Zhuge Liang driven by the popularity of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the tendency of reinforcing Zhuge Liang's image as a loyal subject by the kings of Joseon.