Chima is a generic term for the skirt worn together with jeogori, or a short jacket in hanbok, Korean traditional clothing. It is also referred to as sang (裳) or gun (裙) in hanja in the Korean language.^[1][2][3]

History

While the jeogori has evolved over time, the chima has remained relatively unchanged throughout time.^[4] Basic forms of ancient chima date back to the Goguryeo era (37 BC–668 AD).^[5] According to the murals of Goguryeo and an earthen toy excavated from the neighbourhood of Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, Goguryeo women usually wore the jeogori over the chima, covering the top of the chima.^[6][7] Later on in the Goguryeo Kingdom, the jeogori became shorter and shorter, showing off more of the chima.^[8]

One popular fashion was the A-line chima.^{[citation needed]}

In Silla, China's Tang dynasty influenced the culture of Koreans;^[9] several types of Tang dynasty's clothing was also introduced in Korea.^[10] The qixiong ruqun, a form of high-waist qun (a generic term for Chinese skirt) worn over a short Chinese jacket was introduced in Silla^[11][12][13] and in Balhae.^[14] This form of high-waist qun which ties to the chest can still be seen in the chima worn in present days Korean women's hanbok;^[15][16] it is also likely that the current women's hanbok has been derived from the Tang dynasty's high-waist qun with a short ru (Chinese: 襦) or from a later revival of the Tang dynasty fashion.^[17]

In Joseon, the clothing which was worn during the Silla period was progressively altered until it became what is now recognized as the traditional hanbok.^[10] The Chinese court clothing which were worn in China's Tang dynasty appears to have largely influenced the design of the women's hanbok.^[18]

Design and construction

Silhouette

The Chinese court clothing which were worn in China's Tang dynasty appears to have largely influenced the design of the women's hanbok.^[18][19] The chima is a floor length wrap around skirt with a wide waistband positioned above the chest. With the high placement of the waistband it allows the skirt to have a more billowy look, which can give greater freedom of movement.^[20] Traditionally, women needed to wear about five to seven layers of undergarments which consisted of pants and underskirts, this made the skirt look more voluminous and provide a more elegant look.^[20] However, modern women usually wear one layer of undergarment, typically panties.

There are different kinds of chima: single-layered, double-layered, and quilted. Furthermore, pul-chima refers to a chima with a separated back, whereas a tong-chima has a seamed back.^[21] The upper class usually use ramie as the fabric to make for summer chima while plain and patterned silks are used throughout the remainder of the year.^[22] By contrast, commoners were restricted to using cotton for their chima.^[22] Women in the upper class wore a long chima which falls down to the floor while women in the lower class wore a shorter chima which length reaches to the calf of the leg. Korean noblewomen wore full length chima to designate their social status.

Colour

Blue chima decorated with geumbak worn with a dangui, a style of royal costume.

Plain blue chima with light pink jeogori made of plain weave mosi or ramie, early 20th century

Women going out in white chima and jeogori, Pyeongyang, North Korea, c.1904

Kitchen women in white chima and jeogori, between 1910 and 1920

Different colours and lengths indicated important social distinctions such as: age, marital status, and class.

The use of primary colours in hanbok, and more specifically in chima^{[citation needed]}, was typically preferred by the ruling class and people who came from the upper, privileged, social class.^[23][24] Korean commoners rarely wore primary coloured hanbok, and they were only allowed to wear it for special occasions, such as seasonal festivals, weddings, and for ceremonial events.^[23][24] Nowadays, the hanbok worn by Korean is colourful due to the Western influences which Korean to become a free society where Koreans could choose what and what colours they want to wear.^[24] Wearing colourful hanbok is, however, a clear contrast from the traditional use of white hanbok.^[24]

For thousands of years and nearly exclusively, most Koreans only wore white clothes. They donned colored clothing on special occasions.^[24][25] In Korean culture, white has traditionally been a symbol of nobility and innocence; and a result, Koreans would wear white during their lives from birth to death.^[24][26] Moreover, the Korean commoners' clothing were mainly un-dyed and plain. Korean people often being nicknamed "the white clad [people]".^[24] In Goryeo and Joseon, the use of white clothing was banned by King Chung Yeol in the 13th century and by many Joseon kings which even included King Sejong, but this did not stop the tradition of wearing white clothing to continue until the early 20th century.^[24] In Modern times, the use of white hanbok is often associated with resistance and is mostly worn for funerals.^[24]

Girls and unmarried women usually wore red skirts, while married women and middle-aged women wore blue skirts and elderly women wore gray skirts.^{[citation needed]} In addition, Goguryeo women also wore saekdong chima that is a colourfully striped skirt by patchworking, and a chima in form of gored skirt, made by sewing several pieces of fabric without gathering.^[27]