Detail

`The Ministry of Communications is issuing these two stamps as the first part of a series of 10 postage stamps introducing traditional Korean clothes. These stamps will be issued in five installments this year. The first two stamps of the series feature Kujangbok and Wonsam, the royal costumes worn by kings and queens during the period of Yi Dynasty. 1. Kujangbok This ceremonial clothes, also called Myonbok, was worn by a king when he attended important functions and ceremonies such as memorial services at the temple of the royal ancestors, his enthronement and wedding ceremonies and royal reception of greetings on New Year`s Day. Its outer clothes is made of thin black silk and its inner garment dark blue silk. It has broad sleeves. Dragons are drawn on the shoulders of the costume and mountains on the back. On the sleeves, flames, pheasants and ritual wine cups are drawn. Sea plants, rice, axes and patterns called Bobul are also drawnor embroidered on a long apron-like apparel named Paeseul. It is because of these nine objects drawn or embroidered that the costume is called Kujangbok, meaning a costume of nine symbols. Along with this costume, a king wore a diadem and a pair of short red boots and held a scepter made of white jade. 2. Wonsam Shown in the stamp is Wonsam as worn by a queen. Made of light yellowish green silk, it has red and yellow spriped sleeves, to which additional flowing white sleeves are attached. A queen also wears a seven-foot-long scarlet sash around her waist. Printed in gold foil on this sash are figures of phoenix. While in this costume, the queen`s hair is elaborately coiffured and adorned with ornamental hairpins. The skirt is dark blue or red and around its hem patterns of Phoenixes or dragons are printed in double rows.`