국립고궁박물관, 이달(7월)의 추천 유물로 ‘고종과 명성황후의 혼례 때 사용한 비녀 목록을 적은 기록’소개

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The National Palace Museum of Korea Presents “List of Hairpins Used in the Wedding Ceremony of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myseongseong” as the Curator’s Choice for July
- To Be Presented in the Gallery and Online Starting July 4 -

The National Palace Museum of Korea (Director: Kim In Kyu), an affiliate of the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, has selected “List of Hairpins Used in the Wedding Ceremony of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myseongseong” as its “Curator’s Choice from the Royal Treasures” for the month of July. It will be presented online in a YouTube broadcast on the channels of the Cultural Heritage Administration and the National Palace Museum of Korea starting July 4.
* National Palace Museum of Korea YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/gogungmuseum
* Cultural Heritage Administration YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chluvu

The words “bojam balgi” are written in Hangeul on the cover of the List of Hairpins Used in the Wedding Ceremony of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong. Balgi refers to a type of royal court record listing items or people involved in royal rituals. This type of record was also known as “件記” (geongi) in Chinese characters, meaning a description of geon (people or things). Geon were known as bal in ancient Korean, hence the name balgi.

The record is a rectangular album comprised of thick red paper folded like an accordion and with its contents written in Hangeul. Fabric has been attached to the cover to add a sense of dignity. The surface of the paper features marks to ensure that the list of items would be written neatly. Small holes on the upper part of the record serve as reference marks for each row and a vertical groove below provides a rule line to keep the writing even.

The record lists hairpins used for two hairstyles – keunmeori and jojimmeori. A keunmeori was a style worn by women as part of a grand ceremonial outfit (daeryebok) for performing the grandest state rituals. A jojimmeori was the least formal hairstyle among those worn in the royal court.

The background of the production of this record is detailed in a small piece of paper attached to the record with the words “those that were not already among the ones sent for the wedding ceremony in the byeongin year.” This note indicates that the hairpins listed in the record were used at the wedding ceremony of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong in 1866 (a byeongin year; the third year in the sexagenary cycle), and that the record was made after some required hairpins that had not already arrived had been procured.

A diverse range of balgi remains today. They can take a variety of forms depending on the intended usage, such as for verifying the completion of official duties or for archival purposes. Characterized by thick paper and a fabric cover, this month’s Curator’s Choice appears to be a final version designed for archival purposes that was completed after multiple drafts and revisions.

The list is on display in the Royal Rituals of the Joseon Dynasty Gallery on the B1 floor of the National Palace Museum of Korea. Those who are unable to visit the gallery in person can still enjoy this month’s Curator’s Choice virtually through a video with Korean and English subtitles available on the museum’s website (gogung.go.kr) and on the YouTube channels of the museum and the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea.