The institutional origin of the bureaucratic system in ancient Korea and China is derived from 'Zhouli(周禮)', and it is true for costume related official positions. In spite of this fact, no systematic studies have been conducted both in Korea and China for detailed costume and its production and supply, which are found in 'Zhouli'. Under the background, this study aims to reveal the system of production and supply of costume in ancient royal court through the process of production of emperor's ritual robes[冕服], which were the highest- level formal dresses worn at the most magnificent events both in Korea and China.
It is expected that through this study the organic system among various official positions as well as individual duties of each official position will be identified. This will provide basic knowledge for comparative studies of costume related official positions in the subsequent generations of Korea and China, and further serve as a foundation to propel continuing follow-up studies. Furthermore, it will provide research findings necessary for the understanding of Korean king's and emperor's ritual robes, which began to be worn under the influence of China.
For the study, contents found in Taoist classics in 'Zhouli', annotations(注) by Xuan Zheng(鄭玄), annotations (疏) by Gong-yan Jia(賈公彦), “Zhouli-zhengyi”(周禮正義) by Yi-rang Sun(孫詒讓) were analyzed. This study is at large divided into two parts: the first part summarizes costume related official positions on the whole, and the second part examines the changes in the official positions that participated in the production and supply of emperor's ritual robes by identifying the process of production of upper and lower garments representatively from the various elements that constitute emperor's ritual robes.
Of costume related official positions, those involving production and supply are 11, including Binfu(嬪婦) from nine positions(九職), Diansi(典絲), Huangshi(氏), Ranren(染人), Neigong(內工 or 女禦) and Waigong(外工 or 外嬪婦), Dianfugong(典婦功), Fengren(縫人), Huahui(畵繪), Neifu(內府), Sifu(司服), Nvyu(女禦).
For the production of emperor's ritual robes, silk threads are first needed. This job is taken by Binfu from nine positions. Silk threads at this step are still wild threads, which are delivered to Diansi. Textiles that are used for cloth are black and pink silk. There are two methods to produce dyed textiles: weaving after first dying threads, and dying after weaving textiles. Of these two methods, the former is used for emperor's ritual robes. As such, Diansi sends wild threads to Huangshi to refine them. It receives the refined threads back, which are sent to Ranren to dye them. Diansi again collects dyed threads, which are sent to Neigong and Waigong to weave textiles. Completed textiles are sent to Dianfugong.
Dianfugong receives black and pink silk from Diansi, and sends it to Fengren to sew it, collecting completed upper and lower garments. In order to create twelve crests on the garments, illustrations that symbolize sun(陽) are drawn on the upper garments, and patterns that symbolize moon(陰) are embroidered on the lower garments. This duty is taken by Huahui. Thus, Dianfugong sends the garments to Huahui to create patterns and collects them back and sends to Neifu for storage.
Neifu receives the garments from Dianfugong and store them in the warehouse. When there is a ritual ceremony, Sifu determines a set of costume appropriate to it and has Neifu bring the costume from the warehouse. This costume is offered up to the king through Nvyu.
These findings show that Sifu is engaged in costume protocol, Dian斯 and Dianfugong supervise and manage the production of costume, Neifu and Nvyu store and deliver items, and Binfu from nine positions, Huangshi, Ranren, Neigong and Waigong, Fengren, Huahui directly participate in the production.