From olden times Korea has been widely known for its high-quality silk.
Koreans had already established silk production techniques in ancient times, which saw further improvement during the Koguryo dynasty, the first feudal state in Korea that had existed from 277 BC to AD 668, and the Koryo dynasty (918-1392).
Historical records show that Korean ancestors began to raise mulberry silkworms in ancient times by domesticating wild silkworms and obtained raw silk from them to weave silk stuff for clothes.
It is said that Korean silk was featured by silvery sheen, soft touch and delicacy and it was more expensive than gold.
It was distinctive in terms of weaving and patterning.
To take an example, pieces of silk cloth unearthed in ancient relics in the area of Rangnang District, Pyongyang, were embroidered with beautifully coloured threads and mostly knitted closely.
This showcases the high level of the early silk production techniques in Korea.
Koreans had also developed methods of processing silk threads and weaving beautiful silk cloth.
Given that hemp cloth was the first cloth that had ever been woven in Korea, hand loom was used to weave silk cloth, and it would be of a vertical style. The weaving methods included plain, twill and distortion ones.
Korean silk can be differentiated from foreign ones in the method of obtaining raw silk from silkworms. Koreans did not fully boil silkworms and completely remove sericin on the understanding that the silk cloth woven with the thread processed in this way would be as stiff as starched cloth and soft to the skin.
Herein lies the secret behind the comfortableness, delicacy and freshness of chima (skirt) and jogori (jacket), paji (trousers) and jogori and other traditional Korean wear in daily life.
Korean ancestors were the first to invent patterning.
Patterning methods thrived during the feudal Joson dynasty (1392-1910) in which a variety of gorgeously patterned cloth was produced.
Silk cloth is the toughest, lightest and most beautiful among the natural fibres, and it gives coolness in summer and warmth in winter. It is also flexible and creaseless.
The traditional Korean silk production techniques are on the national intangible heritage list.
Kim Wi Hyok
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