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CULTURE Protocols of the wedding ceremony (for preservation at state archives) magistrate of Ganghwa reported the completion of the outer royal archive, named "Oekyujanggak." It was 11 months after the king ordered the construction. Joseon made remarkable cultural advancement under the reign of Jeongjo. Kyujanggak served as a bastion of academic research and publication under his leadership. In the next century or so the royal archive in Ganghwa took firm root as a treasure trove of Joseon royal culture, where the personal profiles and writings of kings, official records of court events and books written by prominent authors were systematically preserved. Particularly, the uigwe kept there were special copies produced for review by the kings. However, the royal archive on Ganghwa was completely lost when a French flotilla invaded the island in 1866. The French troops encountered fierce resistance from the Joseon army and retreated but carried away 19 boxes of silver ingots and luxurious copies of royal protocols specially produced for perusal by the kings. Among other archive holdings the French soldiers focused on pillaging the royal protocols. They probably discerned the outstanding value of the beautiful books made of top quality paper and bound in silk covers with bronze ornaments. Negotiations for Return of Royal Protocols Most of some 6,000 volumes of books at the Ganghwa archive were burned. Only about 340 volumes of uigwe and some maps were carried away by the retreating French troops. Most of the plundered books and documents are preserved at the French National Library but classified under the Chinese collection. In 1975, Dr. Park Byeong-seon, a Korean librarian working for the library, found they were Korean palace documents of the Joseon period. She made a list of all the uigwe volumes at the library. Thanks to her efforts, the valuable Joseon court relics became known a century after they had been taken away. The Korean royal documents at the French National Library again drew public attention in 1993, as then French President Francois Mitterrand said the French government would return them to Korea. Mitterrand made the remarks during his visit to Seoul to promote the French high-speed train TGV. France won the bid but its leader's commitment still remains unfulfilled on the grounds that it had not been officially discussed. The two governments have since undertaken several rounds of negotiations on the repatriation of the Joseon royal protocols, with the conclusion not in sight yet. Digitalized Royal Protocols The two uigwe volumes brought by the visiting French president aroused great interest in their regal style of calligraphy and bookmaking techniques. They were made of excellent paper and mineral and plant pigments were used for illustrations, which all contributed to their perfect preservation. The Korean government has persistently tried to persuade the French authorities to return the Joseon royal protocols. Since 2001, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has conducted surveys on the records kept at the French National Library. In 2005 both sides agreed on producing digital files from 30 out of the total 297 volumes in the French government possession, that are the only extant copies. The digitalized protocols are provided through the Cultural Heritage Administration web site. The digital files include the 30 exclusive copies in the French collection as well as the original silk covers of 12 volumes. These luxurious editions have green silk covers and bronze ornaments with the chrysanthemum emblem of the Joseon royal household. Also, the digitalized documents include 50 pages from The Protocols of the Wedding Rites of King Yeongjo and Queen Jeongsun (Yeongjo Jeongsun Wanghu Garye Dogam Uigwe), depicting grand ceremonies attended by officials of all ranks and files. The resplendent ambience of palace ceremonies vividly comes alive, even in digital files, successfully conveying the uncompromising principle of thorough documentation that ran through the Joseon bureaucracy. These files will be useful sources for research in a variety of fields, including the general history of the Joseon period as well as art history, costume history and bibliography. As many researchers find them a crucial trove of knowledge, it will gradually become apparent within and outside the academic community where the invaluable documents should properly belong — why the displaced documents should be returned to their place of origin. ■ (Source : Cultural Heritage Administration, Korean Heritage) Protocols of Jongmyo Shrine and Jongmyojerye Ritual (for the king’s perusal) 34 KOREA DECEMBER 2008 DECEMBER 2008 KOREA 35
CULTURE Hanbok Artist Makes Style Simple and Easy BY LEE JI-YOON STAFF WRITER Hanbok artist Lee Hyo-jae A tea room at the corner of her dining room (left) and her artworks Lee Hyo-jae, traditional clothing artist, had no idea when the media first introduced her as Korea’s Martha Stuart or Korea’s Tasha Tudor — both internationally wellknown for their dexterity in homemaking and gardening respectively. “I learned about Martha from her book, which was sent by a reporter. And Tasha’s book is what I receive most frequently as gift,” she said. Now 51, she runs a Hanbok workshop which was passed on by her mother nearly twenty years ago, along with sewing skills. She usually creates Hanbok, traditional Korean dress, and other goods such as bedclothes and Hanbok accessories, used especially for wedding preparations, called “yedan” in Korean. After her house and homemaking activities based on tradition were featured in several publications and television programs, her name “Hyojae” became a household brand that reinterprets Korean style in a simple and practical way. “People easily misunderstand that I’m good at decorating. But I pursue an extremely simple and practical style. I just put some hint of tradition and my style to hide some ugly things like a nail on a wall,” she said. “For me, roses are too complicated.” She has recently moved to a new house and a TV channel aired a onehour program featuring her moving process in May. Located in Seongbuk-dong, northern Seoul, the two-story house, once the former residence of a foreign ambassador, has transformed it into a beautiful home with a Korean touch. Even though it is rented, her care reaches each corner of the house. The empty walls of the house were covered with ivy. A small space in the corner of a living room turns into a tea room with a small pond. Electronic devices are covered with a white cloth handembroidered with colorful flowers. And she relocated her Hanbok shop and showroom to a garage at the entrance of the house, which has become a popular spot for visitors. “My friends and husband say I’m addicted to working, but for me it is a kind of time to reflect and conceive designs, concentrating solely on my inner self,” Lee said as she kept sewing a piece of white linen, which would become a dishcloth with delicate embroidery. Another important reason her ideas are spotlighted is they are ecofriendly. When serving food, she puts pine needles on the plate. And she always reuses empty plastic bottles or boxes with a little design. “I don’t think I’m special. Mothers are professional. You know, people always say their mother’s kimchi is the best. People pay attention to me just because I’m a designer who does daily activities artistically and happily,” she said. Despite her humble remarks, the seats for her living class, which takes place at her house sponsored by a local home decorating magazine, have already been fully-booked until next spring. Recent lectures in November were focused on Korean-style ornament making, gift packaging and table setting for Christmas. Along with Koreans who started sensing a new aspect of Korean style, many people from abroad such as wives of foreign ambassadors to Korea visit her house and workshop to experience Korean culture. Among her several lectures, the most favored is bojagi wrapping, a traditional way of packaging by using bojagi, square-shaped clothes made of a variety of materials. She has some 60 patents for unique and different styles of wrapping and knotting. Recently, she has taken part in an eco-friendly product exhibition, wrapping a Volkswagen’s New Beetle with bojagi clothes. “It was a symbolic performance breaking the borders between two worlds and connecting them. Although it’s physically difficult, I will continue to do similar experiments — like wrapping a building — to make people think differently,” she said, still sewing, with her left hand bandaged. “I’m trying to enjoy every moment of my life. If I’m not happy, I couldn’t do things with this much passion,” she said. “I will keep doing what I’m doing now, such as Hanbok design, giving lectures, writing books and homemaking. And I want my creations to be not only praised for high quality, but also enjoyed widely by ordinary people,” she said. ■ (Photos by Eric Gillet) 36 KOREA DECEMBER 2008 DECEMBER 2008 KOREA 37
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Page 5 and 6: COVER The Experience of Foreign Stu
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Page 9 and 10: DIPLOMACY Yonhap “Sets of bilater
Page 11 and 12: GLOBAL KOREA Yonhap Ramsar Changwon
Page 13 and 14: GLOBAL KOREA World Ocean Forum 2008
Page 15 and 16: CULTURE Emography on a closet Calli
Page 17: CULTURE Royal Protocols of the Jose
Page 21 and 22: PEOPLE Moon Young Doo Credia Japane
Page 23 and 24: ART A scene from “A Ballerina Who
Page 25 and 26: TRAVEL Inje Ice Fish Festival Night
Page 27 and 28: EVENTS Daegu Photo Biennale 2008 1
Page 29 and 30: BOOKS Goguryeo: In Search of Its Cu
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Seoul Lights Up for the Holiday Season - Korea.net

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