The women who resided inside the palace compound were comprised of the queen, court ladies with official ranks (Naemyeongbu) and female servants who performed miscellaneous jobs in the palace. Naemyeongbu refers to the royal concubines and ladies-in-waiting who received official letters of appointment. The primary wives of prominent officials were also given official ranks and they became members of yoemyeongbu, all the women with official ranks who lived outside the palace. The yoemyeongbu also included princesses and the wives of king’s agnatic relatives.

The queen, as the king’s primary wife, commanded all the members of the naemyeongbu and yoemyeongbu. As a representative of all the women in the Confucian State, the queen held in-person Sericulture Ceremonies to exemplify women’s work, in which she demonstrated mulberry leaf picking and silkworm rearing to the noble ladies. The queen also played the role of teaching proper Confucian conduct for all women. She exhibited etiquette at palace banquets held exclusively for women.

Main Artifacts

Gollyongpo (a Red Dragon Robe), the Coronet and Boots of Imperial Prince Yeong
Gollyongpo, a red dragon robe, was daily office attire of the kings worn from 1444(the 26th year of King Sejong’s reign) ‘till the end of the Joseon Dynasty. The robe was worn along with a jade belt, a black coronet made of lacquered leather and a pair of boots. These items were worn by Imperial Prince Yeong.

Pheasant-Patterned Ceremonial Robe of the Consort of lmperial Prince Yeong(1901~1989)
Pheasant-patterned robes were great ceremonial attires exclusively worn by the supreme female royals of the Joseon Dynasty such as the queen or crown princess consorts. The color changed from red for royal status to cobalt blue following the declaration of the Korean Empire in 1897.

The pheasants, representing affection and growing old together, are woven in silk fabric and round insignias featuring gold embroidery of a five-clawed dragon are attached on the chest and back.

The consort of Imperial Prince Yeong wore the robe in April, 1922, for an audience with Emperor Sunjong and his consort.

Triple Ornaments of the Consort of Imperial Prince Yeong
This set of three ornaments is composed of coral, white jade butterflies and fingered amber citron. This set was hung on the waistband of the skirt. The ornaments were used by female royals during the largest court ceremonies.

Storage Box Decorated with Painted Ox-horn Plates
This is a wooden box decorated with painted ox-horn plates. The horns of a water buffalo or ox were first sliced into the plates, and each plate was beaten out to be thin and almost transparent. Various motifs were then painted on the back of each plate to be attached to the surface of the box. The motifs were mainly auspicious creatures such as the ten symbols of longevity, and, tigers and carps; the popular subjects of folk painting.

Hayeopyeon(荷葉硯), Large Ink stone in Lotus Leaf Design
This is an ink stone used in the royal court of Joseon, which is in the shape of a lotus leaf. The lid of the wooden ink stone is decorated with the five dragons flying in a cloud in mother-of-pearl design.

National Palace Museum of Korea
The National Palace Museum of Korea houses a magnificent collection of art and objects from the palaces of the Joseon Dynasty, representing the majesty and dignity of the 500-year history of the Joseon Dynasty. The Museum seeks to broaden public knowledge of the artistic and cultural legacy of the Joseon Dynasty by being active in research, exhibitions, and educational programs.

The National Palace Museum of Korea promotes and preserves the culture of the Joseon royal and Korean imperial court by collecting, conserving, researching and exhibiting the related relics and artifacts. You can see the permanent exhibitions by diverse subjects and special exhibitions based on in-depth stories related to the Joseon royal and Korean imperial court with multifarious display methods. Various learning programs and cultural events are available in the museum.

The museum also plays its role as a culturally core place within Gyeongbokgung Palace district in downtown Seoul. The Museum will stand as the place where the people can view the splendid royal treasures and artifacts, and be a leading institution for increasing the cultural wealth of Korea.