Korea Delegation to China in 1863 (first known photographs of Koreans)

Donga Ilbo ^ | 02/22/08

[TigerLikesRooster]

Korea Delegation to China in 1863

The first photographs of Koreans are released to the public Thursday. The six pictures of the Korean delegation to China were taken at the Russian legation in Beijing in January 1863. Three members of the delegation appear in one of the pictures. A British missionary at the time collected the photos and took them to Britain. Recently, photography professor Park Ju-seok at Myongji University made them public after they came into his possession.

[TigerLikesRooster]

The full collection

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[martin_fierro]

Cool!

[ThomasThomas]

Thar is a very interesting hat. You can see through the brim.

[goldfinch]

Fascinating. What do you think that hat brim is made of? Thanks for posting this..

[sageb1]

Yes, it’s pretty interesting. I’m wondering what it’s made out of.

[Fiddlstix]

Bump

[sageb1]

Thanks! These are really neat.

[BJungNan]

Thank you. I enjoyed seeing the pictures.

[Secret Agent Man]

I’m thinking some kind of silk, possibly.

[kanawa]

Bump

[ME-262]

The hats were woven out of horse hair.

[TigerLikesRooster]

hairs from horse tail or mane.

[Charles Henrickson]

What do you think that hat brim is made of?

a) Brim stone
b) Corian countertop
c) Fillet of Seoul
d) Kimchi

[sageb1]

Thanks. I was googling, but info is very difficult to find.

[americanophile]

Then and now:

[rbosque]

I like that pipe!

[CORedneck]

Ohhhhhhh, my eyes !!!! They are burning ! < heave, barf, sick >

[TigerLikesRooster]

It can be also used as a weapon like a stick.:-)

Old Korean self-defense art used to use it as a part of its repertoire.

[sageb1]

Gat (man’s outdoor hat), ca. 1880. Artist not identified. Korea. Horsehair, bamboo.

[Tamar1973]

Yikes! My eyes!

A much more handsome Korean man...

[Hunton Peck]

I didn't know Laurence Fishburne
was Korean . . .

Sorry

[sageb1]

Hanbok

Gwanbok (hangul:관복 hanja:官服) is a general term for business attire of government officers which were initiated to wear from Silla kingdom. There were several types of gwanbok according to status, rank, and occasion.

The other hat

Oops. Didn't realize it was so large. Hope that didn't cause probs for anyone.

[CaptRon]

Thar is a very interesting hat. You can see through the brim.

And yet it doesn't fit the head!

[SevenofNine]

WOW COOOLLL

[ThomasThomas]

I found a website that shows how to make them.

All in Korean

[sageb1]

Glad I wasn’t thinking of making one any time soon. ;)

[silverkor]

If I am not mistaken the hats are made of horse hair.

[rbosque]

It’s long enough!

[ARE SOLE]

She should make herself some extensions.

Regards.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Some are even longer.

[Jet Jaguar]

Very cool. Thanks for the pictures.

[Enchante]

Well that’s a horse’s ass, so maybe they can get some fresh horse hair from him for new hats.......

[Chili Girl]

Cool pics - I like the hats - LOL

[Junior_G]

Apparently the hats are made from her hair.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thank you for sharing the photos.

It is good to see clothing made from natural fibers.

[John Leland 1789]

I would be very interested to know the name of the British Missionary who took the photographs.

Was it a missionary to China? (China Inland Mission, perhaps), or was it a missionary to Korea who may have traveled with the delegation. I’m inclined to think it was the former, of course. Although men like Jonathan Goforth (Canadian, Presbyterian) labored in both countries to both peoples, but he came later in the 1800s and early 1900s.

And my, what great quality for 1863.

[TigerLikesRooster]

According to JoongAng Ilbo, London Mission(?) owns them. The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London is entrusted to take care of them. FYI

[Joe Boucher]

In 1974 I was in Korea for a year.
I purchased pipes like that one and gave them to friends and kept one. Made of different types of silver with elaborate art work. Still have the one I kept.
Also if you went in to the country side you could still see old retirees wearing the customary dress like worn in the photos.
Pretty cool customs and gracious folks.
Except for that kimchi thing they have going but even that is a great story.
The Japaneese invaded Korea and enslaved the people. They fed the folks only rotted and very hot foods for decades and it became a staple. Also the Japs cut down most trees and took them back to Japan as the Japs have few natural resources.

[jimfree]

Great stuff. Forwarded the link to Mrs jimfree and she appreciates your post. She is a costume historian who did a report on Korean costume long years ago in her Master’s program. She described the one different example of headwear as the “Confucian hat” - worn by those who had passed an exam and were eligible for plum government jobs. Can any other Freepers speak to this?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

No silk brocade “Korea Tiger” jacket ?

[John Leland 1789]

“According to JoongAng Ilbo, London Mission(?) owns them. The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London is entrusted to take care of them. FYI”

---

Thanks for that info! I’ll do a little research from there. I called in my own children (we home school) to look at those photos and read the posts. We all love those picks.

Writing this from Shanghai, by the way.

[decimon]

Thar is a very interesting hat. You can see through the brim.

Fresnel lens.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Yes, your wife is right. It is called “Gamtu.”
There is an idiomatic expression in Korea, which translates to “wear gamtu.” It means, “be appointed to a prestigious post.”

[Joe Boucher]

NO, but I know what you’re talking about.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They were standard issue when I was a kid.

[SunkenCiv]

Too bad they didn’t just happen to kill Mao’s ancestors during their visit. :’)