Individual textiles and textile types»Accessories»Rank Badge from Seventeenth Century Korea
Embroidered rank badge, 17th century, Korea.
Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. FE.18A-1971.
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London houses an embroidered rank badge from seventeenth century Korea. It is made of silk damask worked with silk and gold threads. The embroidery shows a crane holding the Plant of Eternal Youth. The crane is surrounded by stylised waves, rocks and clouds. The badge in the Museum is one of a set of two. It measures 26.7 x 23.8 cm.
A rank badge (Korean: hyungbae) was an important part of the uniform of court officials during the Joseon dynasty in Korea (1392-1910). They were worn at the chest and back of the clothing. Different animals indicated different ranks (the crane indicating a lower official of the first rank).
See also a rank badge from China, now in the collection of the Textile Research Centre in Leiden.
V&A online catalogue (retrieved 14 July 2016).
WV