Red Dragon Robe

This dragon robe (Gollyongpo) is a double-layered garment in which the outer layer is made of red silk (紗) woven with the "cloud and treasure motif" and round collared (團領, Dallyeong) while the inner layer of indigo silk(紗) also woven with the cloud and treasure motif and square collared (直領, Jingnyeong). There are on the front and back and both shoulders royal insignia (20 to 21 centimeters in diameter) embroidered with gold threads featuring the dragon with five claws. It has a button at the right end of the collar.
As the symbol of the insignia, dragon, suggests, the robe was worn only by the rulers of Joseon and the following Empire of Korea and their crown princes. The emperors' robes were made of yellow silk while the kings' and crown princes' of red silk. They were worn with "winged crown" (翼善冠, Ikseongwan), jade belt (玉帶, Okdae) and "black leather boots" (靴, Hwa) on formal occasions and during daily meetings. This particular robe was worn by King Yeongchin (1897-1970) when he briefly returned home from Japan in 1922 and had an audience of Emperor Sunjong (r. 1907-1910).