Wedding dress and clothingEast Asia
Dangui
In its own language: 당의
A long upper garment worn by Korean brides over a chima and jeogori during the Joseon period.
The dangui is a long upper garment of the hanbok, traditionally worn by women for ceremonies and as a wedding dress in Korea. During the Joseon period, it became a common choice for brides, who wore it over a wrapping skirt and short jacket. The garment features narrow sleeves, open side seams, and specific color codes that indicated rank and occasion.
When is Dangui kept?
Dangui is kept during the Joseon period.
The dangui is a long upper garment of the Korean hanbok, historically worn by women for formal occasions and as a wedding dress. During the Joseon dynasty, brides adopted this flowing robe over a wrapping skirt and short jacket. Its design emphasizes graceful curves, featuring narrow sleeves and open side seams. Specific colors and decorations marked the wearer's status and the season.
Origins and history
Scholars once linked the garment to Tang dynasty China, but excavations place its emergence in the 17th century. It evolved from the jangjeogori, a longer formal jacket worn before the Joseon era. Historical texts from the late Joseon period document its use in palace ceremonies and daily wear for court ladies. The name likely reflects a local adaptation rather than direct importation.
Design and construction
The dangui reaches the knees and is triple the length of a standard jeogori. Side seams open at the armpits and curve inward to highlight the body's shape. Narrow sleeves feature a white border band called geodeulji, signaling its ceremonial purpose. Two types exist based on warmth: a single-layered version for summer and a double-layered one for winter.
Colors and rank
Yellowish green was the most common shade, while purple, pale green, navy, and white denoted specific seasons or events. Purple suited winter solstice, pale green marked spring, and white served for Dano or mourning. Royal garments displayed gold leaf patterns, phoenix motifs, and official badges, while commoners wore simpler versions without restricted styles.
Wedding traditions
Brides wore the dangui over a chima and jeogori for their wedding ceremony. They completed the look with a hwagwan headpiece, silk shoes, and a norigae tassel attached to the chest ribbons. The outfit proved practical and neat, making it a popular choice for commoner weddings alongside nobility during the Joseon period.
How Dangui is kept
A bride wears the dangui over a short jacket and a wrapping skirt during her wedding ceremony. She adorns her head with a hwagwan crown and attaches a norigae tassel to the chest ribbons. Silk shoes complete the ensemble. The garment's open side seams and narrow sleeves allow for ease of movement while maintaining a dignified appearance suitable for formal rites.
When and where
It was worn during the Joseon period for minor palace ceremonies and as a wedding dress. The layering changed with the lunar calendar; queens switched to single-layered dangui after Dano and double-layered versions before Chuseok.
Originating in Korea, the garment was prominent in the royal palace and among the yangban nobility. Commoners also adopted it for weddings due to its practicality and neatness during the Joseon dynasty.
What Dangui means
The garment highlights the beauty of the hanbok's curvy lines through its curved side seams. Colors carried seasonal meanings, with purple for winter and white for summer festivals. Decorations like gold leaf, phoenixes, and auspicious characters such as longevity and double happiness conveyed wishes for fortune and blessed marriages.
Who takes part
- The bride: Wears the dangui over a chima and jeogori, topped with a hwagwan crown and norigae tassel.
- The queen: Wore yellowish green or purple dangui depending on the season and changed layers for lunar festivals.
- Court ladies: Wore the garment as daily work clothes or for important royal events like weddings.
On the wedding table
Questions people ask about Dangui
When is Dangui kept?
Dangui is kept during the Joseon period.
What is the dangui?
The dangui is a long upper garment of the Korean hanbok, worn by women for ceremonies and as a wedding dress during the Joseon period. It features narrow sleeves, open side seams, and reaches the knees.
How is it worn for a wedding?
Brides wear the dangui over a wrapping skirt and short jacket. They add a hwagwan headpiece, silk shoes, and a norigae tassel to the chest ribbons. The outfit was favored for its neatness and ease of wear.
What do the colors mean?
Yellowish green was most common. Purple marked winter, pale green signaled spring, and white was used for Dano or mourning. Royal garments included gold leaf and phoenix patterns to denote high rank.
See also
JokduriA traditional Korean coronet worn by women during weddings and other special occasions.
HwarotThe embroidered Korean gown worn by brides during the pyebaek ceremony.
PyebaekA Korean post-ceremony ritual where the couple bows to the groom's parents and shares symbolic foods.
BeskapThe formal black jacket worn by Javanese men during weddings and official ceremonies.Good reading and sources
- Dangui on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Dangui", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryShaadi rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Wedding customs differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.
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