조선 왕실의례에 나타난 불자(黻字)연구 - 왕실복식과 국장을 중심으로 -

Abstract

This paper aims to look into the origin and meaning of embroidered letters(Bulja, 黻字) in the Joseon's Royal protocols and their cultural implications. It attempted to inquire into the special meaning of ancient embroidered letters in the Joseon's Royal protocols in terms of characters and culture. First, Examined basic data, dictionary meaning and definition to consider the substantial truth of ancient embroidered letters and their implications. It was found that Daehanwhasajeon (大漢和辭典) defines the letter Bul(黻) as “fortune of happiness and wealth(茀祿福也).” Second, Carefully looked into the historical origin and cultural evidence of embroidered letters through the data presented. It confirmed the fact that the origin of ancient embroidered letters also supports this through Gongjagaeo(孔子家語). Through literature, it was revealed that the Yellow Emperor(黃帝) first made clothes embroidered with letters and institutionalized them. Thus, these embroidered letters began from about five-thousand years, and the origin is very old and left as a legend and myth, which were a historical truth. It was noted that during the Joseon Dynasty, embroidered letters were used only in royal costume, and they appeared in King’s, Queen’s and Crown Prince’s costumes. Third, Looked into Joseon Royal Book Gyujanggak Uigwe how embroidered letters appeared and were used in the state funeral during the Joseon Dynasty. The roof of the large bier and good for funeral ceremonies, Bulsap(黻翣) around the large bier and the shield Bangsangsi(方相氏) is holding, which are the biggest and representative goods for funeral ceremonies in Joseon’s state funeral protocols had embroidered letters. By looking into the cultural evidence and records about embroidered letters in the state funeral protocols, their full account could be understood. This shows that the transmission system of embroidered letters continued working in the Korean royal culture, and the execution system of embroidered letters was clearly working from the royal costume of the Joseon Dynasty to the large bier, Bulsap and Bangsangsi in the state funeral. To sum up the above discussions, embroidered letters are a historic construct holding Korean history and culture simultaneously, implying very special cultural implications. Since the ancient emperor prepared an ideological system with profound implications for the first time, they have been with Koreans for five thousand years, which means that embroidered letters have had great symbolisms and implications. Thus, embroidered letters are empirical evidence that clearly contains Korean values ​​and goals of life. It seems that there are no other symbols implying complex history, culture, ideas and knowledge systems yet in Korean history. Therefore, embroidered letters are the symbol of the first ever penetrating the essence of Korean spiritual culture and can be evaluated as a representative example showing powerful cultural transmission of ancient Korean culture.