• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.162-179
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• 2016

This study examined the 17th century wedding ceremonies of princes and princesses recorded in the "Garyedeungrok(嘉禮謄錄)". The Joseon dynasty royal weddings were held outside the palace, so it could have influenced wedding ceremonies of commoners. Royal weddings for princes and princesses were considered to be on a level between that of a king and commoners. Wedding procedure of princes and princesses was carried out under the leadership of the royal family who officiated at a marriage with the king's approval. In addition, kindred of the king and high-ranking officials participated as the maid of honor in the wedding parade. This was completely different between the royal wedding and the scholar-gentry ones. A difference between the prince and the princess was that the princess paid her respect to the shrine of the house of her groom after the wedding ceremony. However, there was no process for the prince's bride. There also existed a wide disparity in the wedding goods of princes and princesses. The prince and the king's son-in-law both held a wedding ceremony to wear Chopo, but there was a difference in decoration or quantity of Danlyeong(團領) Cheollik(帖裏) Hoseul(護膝) belts. Only princes were allowed to use the ornamental knife and the embroidered pouch. While both the princess and prince's wife wore No-ui(露衣) and Jangsam(長衫) as the wedding clothes, there was discrimination of position in terms of hair decoration, Hwalhansam(闊汗衫), skirt, Hosu(胡袖) and Ni-ui(裏衣). There was also a difference of quantity of Jeogori and skirts, as well as various styles of gold decorations in order to distinguish the Gongju(daughter of the king) and the Gunju (daughter of the crown prince)'s position.