A Study on Women′s Costume Colors in the Sumptuary Laws of Silla in Sam Guk Sa ki(三國史記)

삼국사기의 복식연구 IV -색복의 부인 복색을 중심으로-

The purpose of this study was to identify and to classify the names of costume colors of women of Silla. The results of this study can be summarized as follows; Until now scholars and researchers interpreted nine colors in Sam Guk Sa Ki as nine colors explained in the dictionaries. However, term, nine colors in the contexts did not refer to the literary meaning of nine colors such as blue, red, yellow, white, black, green, purple, pink, and navy blue as explained in the dictionaries. 'Nine colors' of Silla were women's costume colors which were specified in the royal edict in the texts. Thus, 'nine colors' of Silla had a specific meaning rather than literary meaning. 'Nine colors' of Silla women's costume were identified as red( ), yellow(黃), purple(紫), purplish pink(紫粉), gold powder(金屑), pink(紅), yellow powder(黃屑), dark pink(緋) and dark purple(滅紫). These 'nine colors' were actually prohibited colors in women's costume in the royal edict. Women from true bone, the highest class, were prohibited the use of tow colors of red and yellow out of nine colors. While women from four du pum and common class were forbidden the use of nine colors out of total of nine colors. Kinds and numbers of colors of costume were used as a means of differentiating the social class and rank of women in Silla. Also it was found that women of Silla favored red purple, pink tones and yellow color in their costume and these colors were fashionable colors among women of Silla. These fashionable costume colors of Silla women seems to be influenced by fashions of women of T'ang dynasty of China. Red, purple, pink, yellow and green were favorite colors of women of T'ang dynasty of China.