Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-04-02
CLOTHES OF THE COREANS.
THE PECULIAR RAIMENT OF a
PECULIAR PEOPLE.
Hats as Big as an Umbrella-Other
Strange Head COverings-A Co
rean Gentleman's Dress,


"Corea is the land of hats, - said Pro.
fessor Otis T. Mason of the National
Museum, as he stood with a reporter OF
the Washington Star in front of u large
! glass case in the National museum. The
case was filled with articles which were
collected in Corea by Ensign ]. B. Ber-
nadon, and have just been sent to the
museum. Corea is almost new field to
the ethnologist as, until very recent
| times, the Coreans have resisted all in
| trusion. Within a few years japanese
ambassadors have paid for their temer-
! lty in pushing their way to the Corean
capital by decapitation. The negotia-
lions which resulted in the recent
treaty opening the country to Americans
, were bugun through the agency of a
man-of-war. The collection which has
been sent to the museum by Ensign
Bernadon is considered especially valua-
BILE, as it has been secured while the field
is new. After awhile Corean ware will
be manufactured for the museum trade,
as Chinese and japanese wares are now,
and doubt will be thrown upon all col
tcctions offered to the public. Among
the most conspicuous objects in the case
are the hats, and these were what pro-
voked the remark made by Professor
Mason. On one side is huge hat of
woven straw, as big as an umbrella. The
Corean who wears it pulls the broad brim
Down at the sides and ties it down. He
uas much more hat than Western ideas
IF convenience or sightliness require,
out the experience of many generations
enables the Corean to manage this vast
lat very skillfully, and of course the
oriental notion of style is quite different
rom that which prevails on Pennsylvania
avenue The hat is worn by the common
people, the bull drivers of Corea. In old
lines it was the hat worn by the Budd-
aist priests.
1t is related that at one time the Japa-
1ese, the ancient enemies of the Coreans
gained access to the cities of the latter
BY donning such hats and pretending to
De Buddhist priests. The Coreans there
lpon banished all Buddhist priests from
their land, and the hat was bestowed
lpon the bull driver who still cherishes
it and preserves it in all its vast proper
ions. The hats worn by the Coreans
are to some extent insignia of the social
.ank of the wearers. A hat with around
;op similar to the cooie hat of the Chi
nese is the common hat of the people.
There are two in the collection, one of
straw for summer wear, and another of
,loth for the winter. A soldiers hat is
Of the same pattern, but decorated. An
other hat, made of horsehair netting, with
a crown and brim, in shape very much
like Quaker hat, is worn by gentlemen
above the rank of serfs and laborers.
This is a hat in appearance and name
only, as it affords no protection. Then
there is in the collection cap apparent
ly with double crown, or two stores
This is made of peculiar shape, so
as to accommodate the chignons
worn by the men. Upon the sides of the
cap or hat appear two wings of gauze,
which play part in official ceremonies.
AS the professor explained it, Corean
in service at the royal court would wear
this hat with wings extended open,
signifying that his ears were open and
ready to receive the commands of the
king. When not in active service the
gauze ears would hang down, indicating
that the wearer was taking rest The
king himself would wear his ears proud
ly erect, as it is not necessary for so
mighty potentate to listen to anything,
The collection contains also a mitre of
gauze, worn by students, and gaudi!y
gilded hat, something like helmet in
shape, worn by courtiers and officials on
occasions of ceremony. Then there are
little gauze hats or nets, which are
worn merely to keep the hair in shape,
as the Corean gentleman dresses his hair
as elaborately as any Washington belle.
Another hat is conical and made of null
berry paper, which is oiled and water
proof. This is hat for protec-
tion from the rain and is pulled on over
the other hat or hats, for sometimes the
Corean wears more than one.
A mourner wears a hat like the vast
head covering of the bull driver. The
collection contains a mourner's full out
fit. In no country in the world is the
etiquette of mourning more fully elab
GRATED or more rigidly enforced. One of
the ministers of the government is styled
the minister of mourning He regulates
the grief of the people. A man mourns
three years for his father and two for his
wife. The length of time required to
properly express ones grief for other
relatives Of various degrees of consan-
guinity has been carefully calculated and
is set down in the royal statute books.
A Corean mourns in sackcloth. He
wears the coarse straw hat of the bull
driver; his trousers and robes are of the
meanest cotton material, and his shoes or
sandals cheap affairs of braided straw.
He has two sticks between which is
placed q piece of cotton cloth. When
he goes upon the street he holds this
cloth against his face so that he can
breathe through it, but his features can
not be seen. All people shun him, as no
one is permitted to break in upon the
deep gloom of his sorrow. Everything
about his attire is of the meanest sort,
all vanities of dress being discarded for
the time.
The ordinary shoes of the peasant class
are of rice straw. There are shoes of
more elaborate character of cloth and
also of wooden clogs or patten. Some Of
the shoes have heavy hob-nails, upon
which hangs tale. One of the battles of
olden times with the japanese was waged
upon the ice. The Coreans put nails in
their shoes and the japanese did not.
The Coreans consequently were masters
of the situation and won great victory.
Since then it has been customary to wear
hob nailed shoes, as they are associated
with the idea Of good luck.
A Corean gentleman's dress, according
to the specimens of clothing brought by
Ensign Bernadon, is a very baggy affair.
The trousers are large enough for two or
three people. A little jacket is worn like
vest, but is so short that there is often
considerable of gap between the bottom