A Study on the Clothing of the Court Dance "Seonyurak" in the Late Joseon Period

Abstract

This study examines the type, change, and characteristics of Seonyurak (船遊樂) dancers' clothing, based on 12 kinds of uigwe (royal protocols) that recorded Seonyurak performances. Seonyurak, which used to be handed down as gyobang jeongjae (courtesan's dance) in local areas, was introduced into the court due to the seonsanggi system after Injo’s Rebellion (仁祖反正). As a local performance presented to government officials, who were going abroad as envoys, became performed in the royal court, the venue, name, and performance content and method of Seonyurak were changed. The first performance of Seonyurak was recorded in Wonhaeng eulmyo jeongri uigwe (園幸乙卯整理儀軌) in 1795, and it was adopted as an official court dance in Gichuk jinchan uigwe (己丑進饌儀軌) in 1829. The clothing of jipsa, assistants, has been recorded since Gichuk jinchan uigwe (1829) while that of donggi, young female dancers, has been recorded since Musin jinchan uigwe (戊申進饌儀軌, 1849). Therefore, the clothing of Seonyurak performers was settled in 1849, and it was passed down until 1902, which was the period of the Empire of Korea. It is possible that Seonyurak performed in 1795 was in a similar form to Baettaragi (排打羅其), another courtesan's dance performed in the northwestern region, since its performance venue was in Hwaseong, not the palace. Among them, it can be seen that donggi in chaeseon, a boat located in the center of Seonyurak performance, served as sogyo (a position of military officer) of Baettaragi, which was confirmed by Bongsudang jinchando (奉壽堂進饌圖). However, donggi performed in Baettaragi wore red cheollik, the uniform of danghagwan (officials of the lower terrace), while those in Seonyurak wore navy cheollik, the uniform of dangsanggwan (officials of the upper terrace). Later, since Gichuk jinchan uigue (1829), donggi playing the role of sogyo was changed into jipno, and the role of donggi was played by jipsa. The clothing of Seonyurak jipsa was a military uniform of danghagwan, which was worn by donggi in Bongsudang jinchando (1795) and lasted in the last banquet in 1902. Seonyurak jipsa had worn a military uniform as a support garment for cheollik since Imjin jinchan (1889) until Imin jinyeon (1902). Before that, it is presumed that they wore a green daechangui as a support garment for cheollik. As for the clothing of Seonyurak jipno, donggi wore a red danui (丹衣), the uniform of the Yeonhwadae dance, in Gichuk jinchan uigwe (1829), and later on they wore green dangui (唐衣) since Musin jinchan uigwe (1848) until the last banquet of the Empire of Korea. It is confirmed that they wore a red skirt and green dangui in Imin jinyeondo (1902). Donggi wore a red skirt and a yellow top in Musin jinchando (戊申進饌圖), Jeongjae jinchando (丁亥進饌圖), and Sinchuk jinchando (辛丑進饌圖) whereas they wore a green dangui only in Imin jinyeondo (壬寅進宴圖). Stand-by dancers of Seonyurak wore the basic clothing of court dance performed by yeoryeong (female entertainers).