The Emerald Court Under Heaven

For the realm beyond the sight of mere mortals the help of a mudang (무당), a female shaman, is required. In order to interpret the will of the gods, ancestors and powers of the supernatural world so that the kingdom perseveres hardship and flourishes in time of peace she serves the will of the throne.

Either by the inheritance of power through her mother or by the will of the spirits with a sin byeong (신병), a special spirit sickness that calls her, the mudang takes up the special vocation as a unique place in the cosmic order.

These are the bodies which stand against all threat to the Emerald Court. Without their strength the kingdom would fall to ruin. Without the kingdom they would fall to ruin.

On special detail, visually distinct for their “fox ear” plumes, the palace guards stand vigilant as the strongest and most capable warriors to protect the court.

As the pillars upon which rests the lofty construct which Heaven has decreed to be so the military enforces the order of the world. Wise generals stand atop this structure and hand down calculated command.

Below them are their capable supporting officers who lead for maintaining the stability of the world with the strong arm of every man in the service of the king

As a mark of standing, hats were very useful to speak without need to usher a word. Men with means appear to stand taller than others.

Other than men of standing official court station could be denoted with other hats as well

Looking below the highest positions in the nation other social stations should be considered as the Emerald Court cannot stand alone in the heavens as a cloud

(More hanbok art by Glimja on Deviantart)

Here lies the inspiration for how I might go about my work on a queen or any other high society woman with beauty as a flower in bloom and both grace and the voice of birds in song.

Now it is well known that the hair of women has also been long a part of fashion and should be considered as a divine gift

I find inspiration in the images I’ve found for painting a leader for my Koryo. These are courtly attire but it gets the brain moving in the right direction

The finery of men’s hanbok is varied (as marriage attire and dress historically from the kingdom of Sulla has been included)

I thought that giving some audio for the visual right now, in small part, might do well to bring up some of the mystery of the Koryo under the Joseon dynasty.

The epic singing and relaying of mythic stories is precisely what can open the mind to a bit of flashing creativity and the fuzzy edge of what could be in the world long ago and far away.