information on Korean stamp
Date of Issue |
: 2024.09.03 |
Types |
: 2 |
Denomination |
: 430 won |
Design |
: |
Stamp No. |
: 3777 |
Printing Process
& Colors |
: null |
Size of Stamp |
: 30 x 40 |
WholeSheet
Composition |
: 4 x 4 |
Image Area |
: 30 x 40 |
Paper |
: null |
Perforation |
: 13⅓ × 13⅓ |
Printer |
: POSA |
Designer |
: Park,Eun-kyung |
Quantity |
: null |
Detail
Chaehwa refers to artificial flowers made from materials such as paper and silk, which were used to decorate various banquets in the royal court during the Joseon Dynasty. The reason for using chaehwa instead of fresh flowers was rooted in a respect for life, avoiding the cutting of living flowers. Additionally, chaehwa symbolized the desire for the eternal and unchanging nature of the royal dynasty, represented by flowers that would never wither.
Records of Royal Silk Flower can be found in the History of 《Goryeosa》. During the Goryeo period, artisans affiliated with the royal court produced Royal Silk Flower, and it is documented that the king personally bestowed these flowers upon foreign guests attending banquets. In the Joseon Dynasty, methods of making chaehwa are recorded in several royal protocols, such as the 《Records of Gojong Jeonghae Jinchan》 and the 《Records of Gojong Imin Jinyeon》. Chaehwa was used in significant palace events, national ceremonies, and banquets welcoming foreign envoys, and eventually spread to the homes of the nobility and commoners. Among the various types, the hongbyeok dojunhwa decorated the king`s seat, sanghwa adorned banquet tables, and jamhwa was worn in the hair of attendees, all serving to elevate the dignity of royal ceremonies. Silk was a common material used for Royal Silk Flower, though a variety of other materials, including linen, wool, paper, and feathers, were also employed. The types of flowers crafted with chaehwa included peach blossoms, callistephus, lotuses, peonies, chrysanthemums, rose of China, persimmon flowers, bellflowers, and peach flowers. Artisans would use natural dyes to color the silk or ramie fabric for a subtle hue, cut the material into petal shapes, and use various irons to enhance the three-dimensional quality of the flowers.
Chaehwa is a delicate, yet splendid and elegant aspect of Joseon Dynasty royal culture and a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The Royal Silk Flower, whose tradition was lost during the Japanese colonial period, was restored by artisan Hwang Su-ro, who holds the title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 124 in the Royal Silk Flower craft, through the study of ancient texts. The Byeokdo Junhwa and Hongdo Junhwa depicted on the stamps are reproductions of the Royal Silk Flowers that adorned the Manggyeongjeon Jinchan in 1887 (the year Jeonghae, during King Gojong`s reign) to commemorate the 80th birthday of Sinjeong Wanghu, the great queen dowager. Junhwa refers to flowers arranged in a flower vase called hwajun. The arrangement involves placing a peach tree in the vase, then adorning it with Hongdo and Byeokdo flowers made of silk, decorating the spaces between the flowers with various birds and insects, and finally, tying a red cloth around it to complete the decoration.
Junhwa was primarily placed in front of the columns on either side of the main hall where the king`s seat was located, enhancing the beauty of the space. The hwajun containing junhwa originated from the ancient custom of burudanji in ancient society. In those times, people would place a jar filled with ears of wheat, barley, or rice in a high place in the house, and decorate it with flowers, which they regarded as sacred. The background of the stamp sheet features a portion of the Imin Jinyeondobyeong . The Imin Jinyeondobyeong is a folding screen that records the royal banquet held to commemorate Emperor Gojong`s entry into the Giroso (an institution established to honor the elderly) in the year he turned 51. Alongside the magnificent and solemn royal ceremonies depicted, the screen also showcases the appearance of the Royal Silk Flowers.