• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.201-215
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• 2014

This study explores the kinds and types of dyes used in the Joseon Dynasty. Some literature including "Sanga Yorok", "Gyuhap Chongseo", "Imwon Gyeonjeji" were reviewed for this purpose. The findings are as follows. The colors obtained from the dyes were divided into seven color series, such as red, yellow and orange, green, blue, purple, brown, gray and black. These are practical color categories differed from abstract five cardinal colors [五方色]. The diachronic dyes used during the Joseon Dynasty were safflower and Japanese alder bark for red, indigo leaves for blue, gromwell for purple, chestnut tree bark for brown. The representative dyes used in the late Joseon Dynasty were safflower and sappan wood for red, wild pear tree bark and Pentapetes phoenicea for yellow and orange, indigo leaves for blue, sappan wood and gromwell for purple, mulberry tree for brown, and Chinese ink for gray. Common dyes used both in Joseon and China were safflower and sappan wood for red, pagoda tree blossom for yellow, a combination of pagoda tree blossom (or Amur cork tree) and indigo leaves (or sediment) for green, indigo leavers or sediment for blue, sappan wood and hollyhock for purple, and a combination of indigo leaves and Galla Rhois for gray and black.