Recipe for manggŏn

This manggŏn measures 57 x 8 cm. Would it fit around your head?

Before this can even be considered, a labor-intensive creation process is necessary. The process of making a manggŏn includes several steps, but let us first provide an overview of the basic parts of a manggŏn.

-the dang (also called salch'um) or top fastening band -the p'yŏnja (also called sŏndan) or bottom fastening band -the ap or net that covers the forehead -and finally, the dwi meaning the material that covers the back of the head

The p'yŏnja, ap, dwi and lastly the dang in this order are woven and then assembled together on a wooden head model. Once all the parts are firmly locked together around the model, the headband is boiled with sugar http://www.heritage.go.kr/heri/cul/culSelectDetail.do?ccbaCpno=1273900660000&pageNo=1_1_2_0 to make it softer, and is sometimes dyed. Finally, the headband can be given the finishing embellishments such as the ring-shaped pungja and the half-moon-shaped gwanja.If you wish to watch the making of a manggŏn, click here

In the Joseon dynasty, the quality of headbands greatly depended on the region where it was made. Every region had its own skills and methods. Therefore every region showed distinct designs and assemblies. For instance, Seoul specialized in weaving p'yŏnja’s and became the highest consumer of the manggŏn, the Nonsan area specialized in weaving dwis and the Gimje area, together with Jeju Island, was especially skilled at weaving the dang, in addition to being a popular area to procure horse hair and other materials.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=118563 Ever since long hair went out of style for men, the number of manggŏn craftsmen has diminished. However, manggŏn craftsmanship is still seen as important intangible Korean culture. In the next step, we will discuss the rare manggŏn craftsmanship as it currently exists in Korea.