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Korean Hair Care Culture: Ethical and Philosophical Behaviors Beyond Simple Beauty
Exploring traditional Korean hair culture
hair. [cite_start] To some, it is just a part of the body, but here on the Korean Peninsula, it is a person's philosophy and identity, and a vessel that holds the universe. [cite: 341] [cite_start] There was one sentence at the beginning of everything: “Hyojisiya (body issuance of body, suji’s parents, imperceptible harm, 身體髮膚 受之父母 不敢毁傷 孝之始也)”. [cite: 342, 343] [cite_start]"Your body, hair, and skin are sacred inheritances inherited from your parents, so not daring to damage them is the beginning of filial piety." [cite: 343] [cite_start]This deeply held belief led to a culture of both men and women growing long hair as adults, inevitably sparking the development of sophisticated techniques, tools, and styles for managing long hair. [cite: 344] [cite_start]Today, we would like to explore the deep and ancient story contained in that single strand of hair. [cite: 345]
Part 1: Leader's Ritual - Time to comb the soul
[cite_start]The journey to maintaining long hair began with finding answers in nature. [cite: 347] [cite_start]For them, hair care was more than just a beauty act, it was a ritual to purify the body and mind. [cite: 348]
Purify with nature's wisdom
[cite_start]On Dano, May 5th of the lunar calendar, women washed their hair with ‘iris water’, which is water made by boiling calamus roots. [cite: 350] [cite_start]This clear and fragrant water not only cleansed the head, but also had magical meaning in chasing away evil spirits and bad luck. [cite: 351] [cite_start]At the same time, the rich nutrients in calamus were the product of scientific wisdom to prevent hair loss and add shine to hair. [cite: 352]
[cite_start]In everyday life, the most common ingredient has become the most precious medicine: rice water. [cite: 353] [cite_start]The clear water left after washing rice is rich in vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, nourishing the scalp and making hair as soft as silk. [cite: 354] [cite_start]The wisdom of using by-products of food preparation for beauty shows a life where nature and daily life were one. [cite: 355] [cite_start]In addition, mung bean powder, which removes sebum and soothes the skin, is said to be the secret recipe used by Gisaeng Hwang Jini. [cite: 356]
Add shine and protect your soul
[cite_start]The secret to shiny hair lies in just one drop of oil. [cite: 358] [cite_start]The most loved was camellia oil, which acted like a natural essence and coated the hair with a protective layer, maintaining moisture and shine and protecting it from ultraviolet rays. [cite: 359] [cite_start]Meanwhile, castor oil was prized as a medicinal oil that thickened hair and treated scalp conditions such as dandruff. [cite: 360] [cite_start]These oils were turned into art in the hands of 'hand mothers', professional stylists who helped brides prepare for their weddings. [cite: 361] [cite_start]Through their touch, the bride's hair was able to have its brightest moment. [cite: 362]
The aesthetics of combing to control the mind
[cite_start]A simple comb was not placed on a Joseon woman's dressing table. [cite: 364] [cite_start]It was a set of 11 highly specialized tools. [cite: 364] [cite_start]Brushing was more than just detangling hair, it was a training process to straighten the mind. [cite: 365]
[cite_start]The process began with a wide-toothed comb, the **allelecomb**. [cite: 366, 367] [cite_start]If you handle tangled hair hastily, it is bound to break. [cite: 367] [cite_start]Brushing was the first step in gently soothing and detangling long hair. [cite: 368] [cite_start]This process also had a massage effect, improving blood circulation by gently stimulating the scalp. [cite: 369]
[cite_start]When the road to Elebit was opened, **Chambit**, meaning ‘true comb’, appeared. [cite: 370, 371] [cite_start]The fine comb teeth made of bamboo split thinner than hair meticulously combed the hair without allowing for even an inch of hair loss. [cite: 371] [cite_start]It also played a hygienic role by spreading hair oil evenly and removing invisible dirt and lice. [cite: 372]
[cite_start]Combs were further divided according to their purpose: [cite: 373]
-
[cite_start]
- Cotton comb:A small comb used to tidy up the sides of the hair. [cite: 374] [cite_start]
- Topknot:A small hair comb used by men to straighten their hair when they wear a topknot. [cite: 375] [cite_start]
- Onmyangso:A practical comb with thick bristles on one side and thin bristles on the other. [cite: 376] [cite_start]
- Glimpse:A tool used to tidy up fine hair when using a mangeon. [cite: 377] [cite_start]
- Brush:A tool used to clean combs or decorate hair. [cite: 378]
These sophisticated tools were created by ‘Moksojang’ (wooden comb craftsman) and ‘Juksojang’ (bamboo comb craftsman). [cite: 379] [cite_start]They carefully selected hard and dense trees such as jujube, pine, and citron. [cite: 380] [cite_start]What was especially prized was the **Byeokjomok (霹棗木)** comb made from jujube trees that had been struck by lightning. [cite: 381] [cite_start] It is believed that it contains the powerful positive energy of the sky, and brushing one's hair with this comb is thought to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. [cite: 382]
[cite_start]The comb was also a medium for conveying feelings. [cite: 383] [cite_start]Giving a carefully made comb as a gift to the woman you liked meant a marriage proposal saying, “I want to comb your hair together for the rest of my life.” [cite: 383] [cite_start] If a woman took the comb, she accepted the marriage proposal, and if she returned it without saying a word, it was a sign of rejection. [cite: 384] [cite_start] In this way, a single comb contained a delicate and romantic custom that could change a person's life. [cite: 385]
Part 2: Expression of identity - The world we build on our heads
[cite_start]If the art of taking care of one's hair was a discipline for one's inner self, how one showed one's hair was a social promise and an expression of power. [cite: 387] [cite_start]Hairstyles and their accessories were the most powerful visual language that revealed invisible class and status. [cite: 388]
Scholar's Dignity: Gat
[cite_start]The elegant black hat (black hat) that we think of today when we think of 'gat' had surprisingly humble beginnings. [cite: 390, 391] [cite_start]The hat, which originated from the 'paeraengi', a practical hat that shields the sun and rain, developed into the most important official hat symbolizing the dignity and status of scholars during the Joseon Dynasty. [cite: 392] [cite_start] Scholars considered ‘ui-gwan-jeong-je (衣冠整齊)’—tidying up clothes and hats—as the basis of physical and mental training, and the hat was the culmination of this. [cite: 393]
[cite_start]Despite its appearance, the hat was a surprisingly practical hat. [cite: 394] [cite_start] The 'Yangtae', a wide brim made of 'bamboo thread' (bamboo split thinner than hair), effectively blocked strong sunlight, and the 'Chonghat', a head part made of horsehair, was excellent at ventilation and prevented heat from building up in the scalp. [cite: 395]
[cite_start]Making a single hat required a highly collaborative process that took more than half a year. [cite: 396] [cite_start] National Intangible Cultural Heritage 'Gatil' is the work of three craftsmen: **Mongmojang** who makes the head, **Yangtaejang** who weaves the brim, and **Gitaejang** who assembles the two parts, covers them with silk, and finishes them with lacquer. [cite: 397, 398, 399] [cite_start]In their hands, bamboo and horsehair were reborn as works of art with the dignity of a scholar. [cite: 400]
[cite_start]The appearance of the hat changed according to the trends of the times. [cite: 401] [cite_start] As the late Joseon Dynasty progressed, the shape of the visor became wider, reflecting the desires of the times. [cite: 402] [cite_start] Finally, during the reign of King Sunjo, huge hats with brims reaching 70-80cm in diameter became popular, so much so that they covered the entire body when sitting. [cite: 403] [cite_start] This excessive luxury became the subject of reform by Heungseon Daewongun, who sought to correct discipline by encouraging practical narrow-brimmed hats. [cite: 404] [cite_start]Sometimes, they showed off their wealth and power with colorful hats made of precious stones such as jade, amber, and coral. [cite: 405]
[cite_start]With the end of the dynasty, the lampshade seemed destined to become a museum relic. [cite: 406] [cite_start] However, in the 21st century, this unique hat was splendidly revived through the Netflix drama 'Kingdom'. [cite: 407] [cite_start] Viewers around the world were more fascinated by the beauty of the god than that of the zombie, and a phenomenon occurred where the god was sold on Amazon. [cite: 408] [cite_start] Recently, in the animation 'K-Pop: Demon Hunters', the idol group 'Lion Boys' performed a spectacular group dance wearing a hat, remaking the hat into today's most 'hip' cultural icon. [cite: 409]
The pinnacle of feminine beauty and power: gacha
[cite_start]While men expressed their status with a hat, women had a 'gache (加髢)'. [cite: 411] [cite_start]Gache, which was originally a wig to compensate for insufficient hair, transformed into the most powerful symbol of wealth and power in the mid-to-late Joseon Dynasty. [cite: 412] [cite_start]The size and weight of the gache meant the wealth of the family, and an invisible war broke out among women over who wore the bigger and heavier gache. [cite: 413] [cite_start] Its price soared to the point where it cost more than the combined fortunes of ten middle-class families, and it became an essential item in a bride's wedding package. [cite: 414]
[cite_start]The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty vividly records the negative effects caused by Gache. [cite: 415, 416] [cite_start] During the reign of King Seongjong, the height had already reached 1 foot (approximately 30 cm), and there was a tragic incident in which a young bride died after breaking her neck while bowing deeply to her father-in-law due to the weight of the gache, which weighed 3-4 kg. [cite: 417, 418]
Eventually the royal family intervened. [cite_start] King Yeongjo and King Jeongjo issued bans on Gacha several times. [cite: 419] [cite_start]In particular, King Jeongjo tried to correct the trend of luxury by issuing a ban on Chinese characters and Hangul so that all the people could understand. [cite: 420] [cite_start]But the desire for beauty and status was stronger than Wang Ming. [cite: 421] [cite_start] The gache fashion finally died down in the 19th century due to the influence of Silhak ideology that emphasized practicality, and the elegant 'Jongmeori' that we associate with hanbok today took its place. [cite: 422] [cite_start]The scenes of women wearing rich gacha in genre paintings by Shin Yun-bok and Kim Hong-do remain as vivid evidence of the desires and trends of an era. [cite: 423]
Conclusion: The universe in a single strand of hair
[cite_start]Korea's traditional hair culture was an epic story that intertwined philosophy, science, and art. [cite: 425] [cite_start] The reverence that 'the body is the inheritance of parents' gave birth to natural wisdom such as calamus and camellia oil, and sophisticated tools such as the comb and the comb. [cite: 426] [cite_start] Furthermore, it created powerful social language such as topknot, hat, gacha, and jjangmeori. [cite: 427] [cite_start]Through a strand of hair, people remembered their roots, controlled their bodies and minds, and talked about their place in society. [cite: 428] [cite_start]On top of their heads was not just hair, but the philosophy, beauty, and pride of the era in which they lived. [cite: 429]
