Study on Origin and Creative Design of Korean Folding Stool

한국 호상(胡床)의 시원(始原)과 조형에 관한 연구

In this paper, the origin, development and features of a Korean folding stool are studied. A folding stool is a piece of collapsible seating furniture with its legs crossed in the form of the letter "X" and no back attached. In China, the folding stool was introduced from the West around the second century A.D. The folding stool of Korea was influenced by that of China. It is known from the records that the king used the folding stool from the Three Kingdom period. During the Koryo period, Chosun period and the modern period, the folding stool was used to show the authority of the king and nobleman. The folding stool was also used at outside places such as a hunting ground, a ceremonial walk, a battlefield, a garden etc. due to its portableness. Buddha worship policy of Koryo period supported the usage of the folding stool for shanding (禪定) by ascetics of Buddhist temple, or aristocrats. In a contemporary period, the folding stool is continuously produced and used as one kind of a folding chair due to its functionality, movability, storability and efficient space utilization. This research will serve as a momentum to investigate the origin and development of the East Asian seating furniture culture, and contribute to the further study and manufacturing of Korean seating furniture.