A Comparative Study of Bat Patterns in Clothes and Personal Ornaments of China and Korea

복식에 표현된 한.중 박쥐문양의 형태적 비교

We, in this thesis, examined the similarities and differences of bat patterns in China and Korea, along with a consideration of how two peoples understood bats and how their understanding of bats developed and also influenced the bat patterns. As for research period, the Ming(明) dynasty and the Qing(淸) dynasty in China and the Chosun dynasty in Korea were considered. The subjects of this study included clothes, personal ornaments, and embroidery. This research was done by comparing and analyzing the similarities and differences of two countries' bat patterns. The results of comparing and analyzing Chinese and Korean bat patterns were as follows: In terms of similarity, people of two countries understood bat patterns as the symbol of happiness. Therefore, they were used in clothes, personal ornaments, and daily necessities. In terms of difference, bat patterns of two countries had different shapes. In China, colorful and realistic single bat patterns were shown as intensive composition, whereas in Korea plain and simple bat patterns were used. These differences resulted from different way of understanding of bat patterns. It can be concluded that the bat patterns can be a great cultural commodity with high commercial values, if the traditional pattern is used as a unique element of the Oriental designs and altered and developed to attract consumers' attention.