Baekje’s Government System and Attire

Baekje was a kingdom founded in 18 BCE by King Onjo. Building its foundation on the fertile natural environment of the Han River basin, the kingdom grew and flourished, reaching its peak under King Geunchogo. Baekje cultivated a refined and elegant culture, but it fell in 660 CE to the allied forces of Silla and Tang. According to legend, Onjo, the son of Jumong, moved south and established the capital at Wiryeseong in the Han River region, first naming the state Sipje. After the death of his brother Biryu, Onjo united the people under his rule, and the name was changed to Baekje, meaning “a hundred joys,” symbolizing the people’s contentment in following him.

Baekje’s governmental system developed into the office of the Sangjwa-pyeong (chief minister), the Six Jwapyeong, a 16-rank hierarchy, 22 Dammno (local administrative districts), Bangnyeong, and 22 central ministries. As depicted in Goguryeo murals, attire consisted of jackets reaching down to the waist paired with trousers, and robes (po) worn when necessary. A distinctive feature of Baekje clothing, as seen in historical records, was the design of trousers: the hems were encircled with decorative lines, yet unlike other styles, the bottoms were not bound or tightened with cords. This unique fashion detail sets Baekje attire apart within the traditions of ancient Korean dress.

Admiral Yi Sun-sin and the Turtle Ship

Admiral Yi Sun-sin, known posthumously as Chungmugong, is celebrated as a national hero who saved Korea from the brink of collapse during the Japanese invasions of the Imjin War. This conflict was an international war in which Joseon and Ming China allied to repel Japan’s invasions. Beginning in the 25th year of King Seonjo’s reign (1592), Japan launched two major invasions of Joseon, the first breaking out in the year of Imjin, hence the name Imjin War . Admiral Yi personally commanded every battle he fought, achieving an unprecedented record of consecutive victories unmatched in world naval history. His strategies are so renowned that they continue to be studied in naval academies in the United States, Britain, Japan, and beyond. So closely linked are Admiral Yi and the turtle ship ( geobukseon ) that one is often invoked in reference to the other. Even today, a turtle ship is displayed near the statue of Admiral Yi at Gwanghwamun in Seoul. Japanese soldiers once called it mekura bu...

Traditional Hanji Lantern Inspired by a Korean Folktale - Granny Red Bean Porridge and the Tiger

This year’s lantern is a traditional Hanji lantern inspired by one of the most beloved Korean folktales among children: Granny Red Bean Porridge and the Tiger . Once upon a time, deep in the mountains, there lived an old woman who cultivated red beans. She was so skilled at making red bean porridge that people called her “Granny Red Bean Porridge.” One peaceful day, a tiger the size of a house suddenly appeared and threatened to eat her. Granny pleaded, “I don’t mind dying, but if I do, who will make this delicious porridge? Come back in the snowy winter. You can enjoy the porridge then—and eat me if you still want to.” She barely managed to persuade the tiger to leave. Left with no one to turn to, the old woman wept alone. Just then, the items in her home—her carrying frame, a straw mat, an awl, some dung, an egg, and even a softshell turtle—gathered around and told her not to worry. When winter came and the tiger returned on the day of the winter solstice, Granny and her loyal “fri...

The Golden Axe and the Silver Axe

The Golden Axe and the Silver Axe is one of Aesop’s fables, and it is also known by the title Hermes and the Dishonest Woodcutter . This tale is often staged as a scene in which a mountain spirit appears and presents a golden axe and a silver axe. Long ago, in a remote village deep in the mountains, there lived a kind woodcutter. One day, while chopping wood, his hand slipped and his axe fell into a pond. As he stood there, troubled and distressed, a mountain spirit appeared and asked what had happened. After hearing the story, the spirit rewarded the honest woodcutter by giving him both a golden axe and a silver axe as gifts. When a wicked woodcutter heard the news, he came to the same pond and deliberately dropped his own axe into the water. When the mountain spirit appeared again, the wicked woodcutter lied. In the end, he could not even get back his iron axe.

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