A Study on the Merchant's Costume in Enlightment Period of Korea

개화기(開化期)의 상인(商人) 복장(服裝)

A costume study is a part of the cultural history and also has the greatest relation to life's senses as a concrete culture. Korean costume that consists a double structure with Chinese one through Chosun Dynasty five hundred years, has recently changed up to the Western Form. In this respect Korean Costume has a important meaning in relation to Western costume. Traditional costume, generally speaking, has tendency to keep up by the common people than the higher classes. Then there were four classes. They are aristocratic classes common people, those who are engaged in the form, industry, trade and low classes. Merchant of them partially took charge of the cultural exchange about contacting with tradition and new one. Because it's easy to flow in one's character the new civilization. So there is an important significance to research of the merchant's costume in Gae Hwa Gi changing age of civilization in politics, economic, and social system. The records appeared about the merchant's costume in the age of civilization through literature study and natural photo at that time.