Recommended Artifact of the Month at the Palace Museum: 'Moran Bul Su Moon Fragrant Pouch'

Royal Crafts Owned by Prince Yeongchin... Jingeumsu Used in Numerals

The National Palace Museum of Korea announced on the 1st that it has selected the 'Moran Bul-su Patterned Sachet' as the curator's recommended royal artifact for this month. It is an item that was carried by Yeongchinwang (1897?1970), the last Crown Prince of the Korean Empire. The sachet contained high-quality incense wrapped in hanji paper. It was owned by Yeongwangbi (Lady Lee Bangja), passed through the Tokyo National Museum, and was returned in 1991. It is designated and managed as part of the National Folk Cultural Property (Yeongchinwang family’s clothing and accessories).

The Moran Bul-su Patterned Sachet demonstrates the high craftsmanship of royal crafts. Large peonies are embroidered on a background of red and yellow mumundan (plain woven silk without patterns), with Buddha’s hand citron (Buddha’s hand fruit) arranged harmoniously around them. The former symbolizes wealth, and the latter longevity. The embroidery uses jinggeumsu, a technique where thin metal threads are fixed and embroidered onto the base fabric using fine silk threads. The upper part of the sachet is gathered into fifteen pleats and tightened with a navy blue cord threaded with glass beads, allowing it to hang down. It can be viewed in the Royal Life Room on the second floor of the National Palace Museum of Korea.