bojagi (wrapping cloth)

bojagi (wrapping cloth) , late 1800s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

Where object was made: Korea

Material/technique: silk

Credit line: Museum purchase: Helen Foresman Spencer Art Acquisition Fund

Accession number: 2013.0021

Not on display

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Collection Cards: Mindful

This is a wrapping cloth from Korea called a bojagi [boh-hagh-ee]. It was made from many scraps of silk carefully stitched together by hand. The ribbon in the middle is tied with three tiny knots that are shaped like bats. The word for bat in Korean sounds similar to the Korean word for good luck, so the knots are a symbol of good luck. Bojagi are used and tied in different ways to wrap gifts, carry supplies, or cover food.

When was the last time you gave or received a gift? How was it wrapped? Imagine the care and love that went into wrapping that gift. Now imagine the care and love that the maker put into stitching this bojagi to wrap a gift for someone! What is one way you can show extra care for those around you today?

Shattering the Void: Realms of Meaning in East Asian Art

Bojagi were used as wrappings for important gifts, such as on the occasion of a wedding, or during Buddhist rituals. The patchwork quality indicates that they were made by commoners, but the intricate stitching demonstrates the maker’s great skill. The tradition of using bojagi dates back to antiquity, but flourished in the Joseon dynasty.

Salina Art Center: Shattering the Void: Realms of Meaning in East Asian Art

The Power and Pleasure of Possessions in Korean Painted Screens

Joseon Korea was a highly stratified society. The group of social elites known as yangban (양반/兩班) were composed of both civil servants and military officers. The yangban embodied the Korean Confucian ideal of the scholarly official. Although in theory anyone who passed the civil service exams could attain the rank of yangban, in reality the considerable financial resources required to afford years of study to pass the exams limited yangban status to
families with considerable wealth. The chungjin (중인/中人), literally the “middle people,” were skilled workers who served the upper elite. Roughly 75% of Joseon Korea subjects consisted of sangmin (상민/常民), or common people, also known as yangmin (양민/良民). This case highlights material aspects of Joseon society, from the horse-haired hats known as gat (갓) worn by elite men to the patchwork wrapping cloth known as bojagi (보자기) made from remnants of silk by common women.

The Power and Pleasure of Possessions in Korean Painted Screens

Joseon Korea was a highly stratified society. The group of social
elites known as yangban (양반/兩班) were composed of both
civil servants and military officers. The yangban embodied the
Korean Confucian ideal of the scholarly official. Although in theory
anyone who passed the civil service exams could attain the rank of
yangban, in reality the considerable financial resources required to
afford years of study to pass the exams limited yangban status to
families with considerable wealth. The chungjin (중인/中人), literally
the “middle people,” were skilled workers who served the upper
elite. Roughly 75% of Joseon Korea subjects consisted of sangmin
(상민/常民), or common people, also known as yangmin (양민/良
民). This case highlights material aspects of Joseon society, from
the horse-haired hats known as gat (갓) worn by elite men to the
patchwork wrapping cloth known as bojagi (보자기) made from
remnants of silk by common women.