A Study on the Symbolic Meaning of the Costume Colours

복색 상징적 의미에 관한연구

This study has been made to examine the symbolic meaning of our traditional costume colours based on the theory of yin-yang Wu-hsing the interaction of yin and yang with the rotation of the five agents wood firt earth metal and waters. Presenting the spirt and the life of our race the costume culture has been keep-ing its own systematic symbol. Being sensible the colour has to be under-stood as the colour sense therefore the cos-tume colour has begun to have the symbolic meaning with the feeling or the mental value. According to the theory of yin-yang wu-hsing the costume colour has presented our racial sprit way of thinking and way of life for a long time and it has become the tra-ditional culture at last. Based on the doctrine of cosmic harmony through the motion of yin and yang or the passive and active elements are their five agents form the material force of everything. The order of nature has its counterpart in five symbolic costume colours wood-blue ; fire-red: earth-yellow; metal-white: water-black. The five colours are called the primary colours. which produce the next compound colours. Accepted in the social system as well as the social stats the costume colour has set up systematically. The theory of Yin-yang Wu-hsing has given the five colours the symbolic meanings and its mainstream has been the function of Sangsaeng and Sangeuk which are genera-ted by the power of virture. The former is mu-tually beneficial while the latter destructive. The colour as a costume colour has been made distinction between the colour of the up-per classes and the colour of the middle and lower classes and the specific colour has presented the symbolic meanings. The yeollow the red and the purple have been regarded as the colour of king queen and upper classes Being the colour recognition the costume colour has been established by the society and the race generally Implied the spiritual elements the colour recognition could select the lucky colour in accordance with one's des-tiny. Besides the colour recognition has begun to appear as the racial costumes to protect the society and to pray for good fortune. According to the theory of Yin-yang Wu-hsing the costume colour has been forming through our long history and has become our costume culture. Therefore the colour of the costume has signified not only the colour sense but also the important symbolic meanings.