매듭

Knots of the cord.

13 traditional decorative knots, tied in braided cord to finish ties, tassels and norigae. Each builds on the ones before it.

Korean knotting (매듭) grew from practical cord-tying into an ornamental craft: a flat braid (광다회) was excavated from a Lelang-period tomb and braided cords appear in the Goguryeo Muyongchong mural. In Goryeo knotwork was a luxury of noblewomen; in Joseon it spread to palanquins, dress and daily life, and the Daejeon Hoetong lists court knot-makers (매집장/매듭장) in the Board of Works and the Sangeuiwon. The work was divided: 다회장 braided the silk cord (다회, round 원다회 for knotting, flat 광다회 used directly as ties) on a 다회틀, the 매듭장 tied the knots and made tassels. Its showpieces are the 노리개 pendants worn on women's hanbok and the large 유소 tassels for instruments, banners and biers. Bojagi share the same household world: wedding cloths are closed with a 동심결 on blue-and-red thread, and sewn-on corner ties are often finished with knots or tassels. Demand collapsed after the late 19th century, and 매듭장 was designated Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 22 on 23 December 1968.