[KS] Re: "Ch'ong-do" on banners of a Korean embassy to Japan

[Frank Hoffmann]

Ch'Ongdo'gi (ÙË'„-›) is a kind of battle flag, a pennant that was used at
the front of any parade. These pennants were also part of the regalia of
all embassies to Japan or China. They were always worn as a pair; the
flag's color was bue with red ribbons attached on the brim of the flag, and
with the two characters "ch'Ong - do" written on it in black. As flagpole
served usually a spear. The flag's form itself varied (rectangle, square,
triangle - all possible).

The two characters, _ch'Ong_ + _to_ mean "to clear the way." There is *no*
relation to the Qing Dynasty, but the tradition as such comes from China,
of course: in Chinese lexica you will find this explanation for _qingdao_
-> "before the passing of the sedan chair of a high official, magistrate,
etc., guardsmen would first clear the way and warn the people of his
imminent arrival."
In the picture you mention this is the Korean embassador in his sedan chair.

Kirk, you might want to read the articles in the exhibition catalogues
_ChosOn sidae t'ongsinsa_ (Seoul 1986) and the earlier Japanese catalogue
to the same exhibit (with different articles by two Japanese art
historians). Also, Ronald Toby wrote a great article about Edo period
Korean embassies - "Carnival of the Aliens" in _Monumenta Nipponica_ 41,
no. 4 (1986).

The painting you mentioned in your posting, attributed to Hanegawa Toei,
reproduced in the Washington Edo exhibit catalog, and rather poorely
analyzed by Melinda Takeuchi, is just one in a serious of at least five
other very similar pieces - we may well speak of copies with slide
variations. In one of these variations the two _ch'Ongdo'gi_ you are
wondering about have completely been left out, and in another the Chinese
characters are missing. A stylistic analysis of four of the works indicates
that the one in the Washington exhibit is the last (and best) one - based
on the model of one of the other earlier paintings and ukiyo-e prints of
the Korean embassy. The _ch'Ongdo'gi_ tradition didn't exist in Japanese
parades, which may explain the fact that they are either not finished or
left out in two of the earlier works by other artists. Another interesting
point is the dating of the Hanegawa Toei painting. As you say, Takeuchi
just repeats the information given on the picture box for this scroll, an
inscription claiming the painting shows the 1748 Korean mission (with
Embassador Hong Kye-hUi). However, except for Takeuchi's statement that
Hanegawa Toei was active in the *second* half of the 18th century, all
other evidence shows that he was active during the first half of that
century. The mentioned painting might well have been made short *before*
the 1748 embassy arrived, based and closely following earlier depictions of
the 1719 embassy to Yoshimune, but supposed to be a depiction of the 1748
delegation. There are quite a number of indications for this theory, but I
don't want to bore you all too much. So ... be careful when using this
painting as a historical depiction - it follows a certain set of both
administrative and visual rules of the time .... what Takeuchi describes in
her thesis (published) as "true view pictures" is a most complex issue, and
her wording is misleading.

Hope this helps.

Frank


>Dear list,
>
>The "Edo" exhibit at the National Art Gallery in Washington D.C., includes
>a painting of the 1748 visit of a Korean embassy to Japan. At the head of
>the Korean entourage is a large banner emblazoned with the figure of a
>dragon. There is also a large drum with a Taeguk symbol on the side.
>Behind these two items are two vertical green banners with the characters
>"Chong-do" on them. The "Chong" character is "malkul chong" which has the
>meaning (among others) of "clear." It is also the character used in the
>"Qing" (Ching) Dynasty. The "do" character is the one that signifies road,
>way, path etc. Any ideas why a Korean embassy would be carrying banners
>with these characters on them?
>
>The painting, by one Hanegawai Toei.  can also be found in the catalog of
>the Edo exhibit on page 297.
>
>Just curious,
>
>Kirk W. Larsen
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frank Hoffmann * 1961 Columbia Pike #42 * Arlington, VA 22204 * USA
E-MAIL:  hoffmann at fas.harvard.edu
W W W :  http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hoffmann/




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