KOREASCHOLAR

Comprehending the prevailing ideals of the body within a specific era requires grasping the intricate interplay between social phenomena and the evolution of clothing. Accordingly, this study investigates the distinctive facets of the perception of the Neo-Confucian body as reflected in men’s dress during the Joseon Dynasty. We examine a comprehensive body of scholarship, literature, and historical records concerning the body and dress. Additionally, we also employ a framework developed by M. Y. Kim, which categorizes the Neo-Confucian body in three ways: as the natural body, the cultural body, and the body as a fully-realized moral subject. Our findings unveil three crucial insights: firstly, guided by Neo-Confucian discourse positing appearance as a manifestation of innate energy (氣), men’s dress was deliberately designed to demarcate stylistic distinctions in women’s dress; secondly, the Chinese gwan (冠) was employed as a tool of self-cultivation (修身) to symbolize the legitimacy of Joseon’s Neo-Confucian governance; and thirdly, sim-ui (深衣), a philosophical emblem of Confucianism extensively represented across through an intensified exploration of historical sources, served as a means to consolidate the political standing of the Neo-Confucian faction. As a consequence of these factors, the attire of noble men conferred upon them both sexual and moral ascendancy as political entities; men’s dress became a visual manifestation of the legitimacy of their power, thus embodying Neo-Confucian ideals. This study carries significance by applying a discourse analysis approach to Korean dress research and elucidating the factors underlying the development of men’s dress during the Joseon Dynasty.

I.􀀃 Introduction
Ⅱ.􀀃 Background
    1.􀀎 Men’s􀀎 body􀀎 and􀀎 dress􀀎
    2.􀀎 Perception􀀎 of􀀎 the􀀎 body􀀎 and􀀎 dress􀀎 within􀀎 the􀀎Joseon􀀎 Neo-Confucian􀀎 context
Ⅲ.􀀃 Neo-Confucian􀀃 Body􀀃 Perception􀀃 in􀀃Men's􀀃 Dress􀀃 of􀀃 the􀀃 Joseon􀀃 Dynasty
    1.􀀎Visualizing􀀎energy􀀎(氣)􀀎as􀀎a􀀎distinction􀀎between􀀎men’s􀀎 and􀀎 women’s􀀎 dress
    2.􀀎Evolution􀀎of􀀎the􀀎gwan􀀎(冠)􀀎for􀀎self-cultivation􀀎(修身)
    3.􀀎 Sim-ui􀀎 (深衣)􀀎 as􀀎 a􀀎 symbol􀀎 of􀀎 Neo-Confucian􀀎ideology
Ⅳ.􀀃 Conclusion

• 고윤정(성균관대학교 의상학과 박사수료) | Yoon Jung Ko (Ph. D. Candidate, Dept. of Fashion Design, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea)
• 임은혁(성균관대학교 의상학과 교수) | Eunhyuk Yim (Professor, Dept. of Fashion Design, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea) Corresponding author