La maison de la Corée
Papercrafts
Koreans have a centuries-old history of paper-making and have long enjoyed using high-quality
indigenous paper.
Korea's oldest paper, called maji, was made from hemp. Maji is produced using roughly the
following process:
Scraps of hemp or ramie cloth are soaked in water for some time and then shredded into tiny
pieces. These pieces are ground in a grindstone to produce a slimy pulp, which then is steamed,
cleansed with water, ground and placed in a tank. This raw material is pressed onto a frame and
sun-dried while being bleached. This method of papermaking was most popular during the Three
Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D. 668).
In Baekje (18 B.C.-A.D. 660), one of the Three Kingdoms, paper thus made served as a chief medium
for documenting historical events in the second half of the fourth century. Notably, Damjing, a
Korean Buddhist monk and painter of Goguryeo (37 B.C-A.D. 668), another of the Three Kingdoms,
introduced techniques of papermaking to Japan in 610, the 21st year of Goguryeo's King
Yeongyang. From all this, it is obvious that Korea had already developed an advanced method of
papermaking by the early part of the seventh century.
In the Koryo era (918-1392), Koreans began to make paper from mulberry bark, or dangnamu, which
made it possible to produce paper in large quantities, and in the 11th century, Korea began
exporting paper to China. Between the 23rd year (1145) of King Injong's reign and the 18th year
(1188) of King Myeongjong's reign, mulberries were grown all over the Korean Peninsula as the
private paper manufacturing industry became a thriving business. The Government encouraged
papermaking by setting up a jiso, an administrative agency designed exclusively to promote the
production of mulberry paper. Eventually, Koryo succeeded in producing fairly thick and sturdy
paper whose obverse and reverse sides are both quite smooth and glossy. In later years, Korea's
papermaking techniques further advanced, leading to the production of hanji, a traditional Korean
paper.
Along with the indigenous and ingenious development of papermaking, Korea has established a
deep-rooted tradition in the versatile use of paper. Among numerous traditional items of
papercraft were such household goods as wardrobes, cabinets, chests, boxes, calligraphy desks,
writing-brush holders, candlestands, room curtains, mats, cushions, comb holders and comb
cabinets, trays, bowls with lids, basins, jars and food coverings. Other popular papercrafts
included tobacco pouches, spectacle cases, dippers, quivers, soldiers' armor, fans, umbrellas,
apparel, footwear and hats, as well as artificial flowers, lanterns, and kites.
It is hard to tell exactly when Koreans began to produce this plethora of items from paper, many
of them for household use. However, historical documents indicate that the popular use of paper
items dates as far back as the Three Kingdoms (57 B.C.-A.D. 668). This period left many books
documenting important historical and other data. During that period, Korea introduced papermaking
methods to Japan and exported much-acclaimed Korean paper to China.
Interestingly, the great compilation known as the Samgungnyusa (Memorabilia of the Three
Kingdoms) notes that Koreans enjoyed making and flying kites made of paper, a clear indication
that papercraft had already been developed to a considerable extent in Korea by that time.
In the early period of Chosun, under the reign of King Taejo, a decree was proclaimed to emphasize
austerity. Accordingly, artificial flowers made of paper replaced virtually all floral decorations
at the sites of royal and private banquets and other functions from the beginning of the Chosun
era. Artificial flowers most commonly used during the pre-Chosun period of Koryo were made of
wax or silk cloth. During the reign of King Sejong (r.1418-1450), the use of paper flowers, in lieu
of other kinds of artificial flowers, was further extended to Buddhist rites and festivals.
As the demand for paper increased rapidly, the royal court of King Sejong established a special
office in charge of papermaking, leading to the mass production of paper. During the early period
of Chosun, the royal court supplied troops guarding the remote northern frontiers with jigap,
armor made of specially treated paper. This armor was not only waterproof, but also effectively
protected the soldiers from the severe cold during winter. More importantly, this armor was
sturdy enough to serve as a protective covering against arrows, spears, swords, or other weapons.
During the period of King Injo, jigap was steadily improved, often using scraps of paper and waste
paper as raw materials. Jigap also inspired the invention of civilian attire made of treated paper.
As time passed, paper gained increasingly wider usage. For example, fans made of silk, widely used
by Korean nobles, gave way to fans made of paper. In the middle period of Chosun, when tobacco
began to be imported, tobacco pouches made of paper appeared and became the vogue. Other paper
products made of old books and other used paper also made their debut. Frugality was considered a
virtue in daily life. True to this ideal, Koreans came up with many other ways to make good use of
scraps of paper. Recycled paper was used as lining for the walls of rooms. Scraps of paper were
made into string that was durable enough to be used as a ring (in lieu of a door knob) attached to a
door or as a clothesline.
In the early 18th century, Koreans began to produce cushions and mats made by weaving paper
cords dyed in various colors. Subsequently, a variety of other household and personal items made
of paper cords emerged.
In most cases, paper made from mulberry bark was used for traditional paper crafts. More
specifically, second-hand mulberry paper-calligraphy-practice sheets, scraps left over from
bookmaking or papering walls or the pages of old books-was especially favored. Traditional paper
that was dyed various colors.
Korea's traditional papercrafts can be divided into three major categories depending on the way
the paper is used and on the shape of the items created. These categories are jido gibeop, jiho
gibeop and jiseung gibeop.
In jido gibeop, many sheets of paper are pasted together and then this multilayered, sturdy paper
is shaped into a desired form. The products thus made ranged from tobacco pouches and
workbaskets to needle cases and comb cabinets. Also in this category are paper products made by
pasting many layers of paper on both the outside and inside of a pre-shaped bamboo or wooden
frame. Products made through this technique included wardrobes and trunks.
Colored paper was used mainly for such products as wardrobes and trunks used by women. Popular
colors included blue, red, yellow, green and purple, all obtained from natural dyestuffs
manufactured at home. Often, colored paper was cut into the shape of a butterfly, a bat, a
mandarin duck, the double-letter Chinese character meaning happiness, or Buddhist symbols and
pasted onto paper products to wish for good luck.
Jiho gibeop is the technique of using "paper clay" to make such kitchen items as bowls with lids
and large scooped bowls. Paper clay is made from scraps of paper that are soaked in water and
then crushed and mixed with an ample dose of glue.
Jiseung gibeop applies to the technique of making paper cords and weaving them into a broad range
of household goods such as baskets, mesh bags, jars and trays. Other popular items made by
weaving paper cords included stationery cases, mats, cushions and curtains. Still other paper cord
products included quivers, dippers, powder-flasks, footwear, washbasins and chamber pots.
Some paper cord products including small calligraphy desks and trays were reinforced with wooden
bars to withstand the weight of the goods placed on them. Jiseung gibeop, which was developed
during the Chosun period, is a unique technique that enabled craftsmen to put otherwise useless
scraps of paper to good use.
Most of these Korean paper products were properly varnished to enhance their appearance and
durability while making them waterproof, since the use of lacquer for varnishing was rather
discouraged under government regulations, the most commonly used varnish was sichil, a mixture of
unripened persimmon juice, rice glue and perilla oil. Colored papercrafts were often covered by
liquified agar and beobyeonyu, a mixture of litharge, talc and alum which were boiled down in
perilla oil.
All in all, Korean papercraft has long established itself as an ingenious part of the nation's
creative and versatile folk culture.
Korean Overseas Information Service
