Tanggeon (Men’s Inner Caps): Displaying the Dignity of Men

The type of hat worn by men to support their gat (wide-brimmed hat) is known as a tanggeon. It served to protect the head and keep the topknot from becoming disheveled. It was also worn on its own indoors instead of a gat or samo (official’s silk winged hat). Both the craft of making tanggeon and the artisans who possess this skill are referred to as tanggeonjang.

During the Joseon Dynasty, men wore tanggeon instead of an official’s hat during their daily routines. Tanggeon were also called gamtu, from which the expression “to wear a gamtu” (meaning to enter government service) is derived. It is difficult to determine whether the Joseon-era tanggeon originated in China or evolved from the official’s hats worn during the Three Kingdoms period, which can be seen in mural paintings from tombs of the Goguryeo Kingdom. However, the tanggeon worn during the Goryeo Dynasty appear to have been influenced by the Song Dynasty of China. This is suggested by the fact that the hats depicted in the portraits of the Silla civil official Choe Chi-won and of notable figures such as Yi Saek and Jeong Mong-ju, all from the late Goryeo period, when the influence of Song Dynasty was greatest, share the same form as the tanggeon of the early Joseon Dynasty. Tanggeon were made from horsehair. The hair of ponies raised on Jeju-do Island was regarded as the finest since it is thin, soft, smooth, and durable. Accordingly, a vast body of tanggeon was produced on the island. Hat making became a common domestic craft practiced by local women in their homes on Jeju-do, where life was relatively stable and quiet compared to the mainland and where high-quality horsehair was readily available.

Since flawed horsehair is prone to breaking, even slight imperfections are not allowed when selecting horsehair for hat production. Long horsehair is preferred. Because most horsehair from Jeju-do Island is yellow, the tanggeon crafted with this horsehair must be dyed black after the hat is completed. Horsehair dyed before it is shaped into a tanggeon becomes inflexible and stiff, making it unsuitable for use. Tanggeon can be classified into three types: single-layered tanggeon, multi-layered tanggeon, and baduk tanggeon featuring a Korean chessboard pattern. These types share the same basic form, but their weaving techniques differ. Baduk tanggeon are an embellished form of tanggeon that emerged when they began to function as standalone hats.

A type of men’s headgear known as jeongjagwan was believed to have been invented by the brothers Cheng Hao (1032–1085) and Cheng Yi (1033–1107)—two figures collectively called “Jeongja” in Korean—during China’s Song Dynasty. It was commonly worn over tanggeon by scholars during the Goryeo Dynasty. Jeongjagwan and tanggeon shared similarities in both their form and production methods. Jeongjagwan are categorized into three types: one-tier, two-tier, and three-tier. The number of tiers corresponded to the wearer’s rank. In other words, the three-tier version was worn by the highest-ranking officials. Each tier has a central opening and edges shaped like mountain peaks.

During the Joseon Dynasty, scholar-officials wore tanggeon along with everyday headdresses that suited their personal taste. They chose between jeongjagwan, dongpagwan (pointed hat), and chungjeonggwan (hat with a square top). Tanggeon served as a symbol of the social standing of Joseon scholars. However, after King Gojong’s 1894 decree that men must cut off their topknots, the production of tanggeon declined, leading to the deterioration of the tanggeon-making tradition.

Tanggeon (Men’s Inner Cap) Artisan Kim Hye-jeong: A Jeju Woman Carrying on Her Mother’s Legacy

Kim Hye-jeong, a national intangible cultural heritage holder in tanggeon (men’s inner cap) crafting, learned the technique from her mother Kim Gong-chun (the first and honorary state-designated tanggeon artisan) at around the age of ten. Inheriting her mother’s temperament and skills, Kim Hye-jeong has been creating tanggeon for more than fifty years.

By the age of fifteen, she was able to make a tanggeon on her own while working with others at a tanggeon workshop. At the time, such workshops were concentrated in Jocheon-eup, Hwabuk-dong, and Samyang-dong. They were so crowded with workers that these areas resembled today’s craft villages.

Kim Hye-jeong’s family has been crafting tanggeon since the time of her great-grandmother. Her mother learned how to make tanggeon from her aunt at the age of seven, and Kim later picked up her mother’s skills. In the 1950s, the practice of crafting with horsehair began to rapidly disappear. At that time, a tanggeon cost less than 1.8 liters of rice. In 1986, both a single-layered and a multiple-layered tanggeon, each of which required fifteen days to complete, were priced at 60,000 won (600,000 won in 2025 terms), while a baduk tanggeon was priced at 70,000 won (700,000 won in 2025 terms).

Horsehair is naturally resistant to deformation, making it ideal for crafting officials’ hats. Moreover, it is lightweight, easily absorbs moisture, and resists dirt. Making products with horsehair possessing these qualities reflects the wisdom of Korean tradition, which valued the high-quality hair provided by horses. A well-crafted tanggeon made from such horsehair features a low front and a high back. They can be classified into three types based on how the raised middle part is woven: single-layered tanggeon, multi-layered tanggeon, and baduk tanggeon, which features a fancy chessboard pattern. Tanggeon production techniques and refined skills are being passed down through the hands of Kim Hye-jeong. In 2009, her mother Kim Gong-chun was recognized as the honorary intangible cultural heritage holder in tanggeon. Kim Hye-jeong later became the second national intangible cultural heritage holder in tanggeon.

The tanggeon-crafting tradition is continuing in Kim Hye-jeong’s family as her daughter has chosen to remain on the island and carry on the craft. Following in the footsteps of Jeju women such as her mother, Kim Hye-jeong is preserving the legacy of Joseon-era officials’ hats and Jeju’s horsehair artisanry, now passing it on with her daughter.

Artworks

1_Jeongjagwan / H. 36 × L. 27 cm

A jeongjagwan was commonly worn by high-ranking dignified officials at home over a manggeon (headband) and a tanggeon (men’s inner cap). This example features three tiers made from horsehair, each with a central opening and edges shaped like mountain peaks. 

2_Baduk tanggeon / H. 20 × L. 17 cm

A tanggeon (men’s inner cap) is a type of hat supporting a gat (wide-brimmed hat). Even at home, men wore them to keep their hair neat and tidy. 

Production Process

The types of tanggeon differ based on how they are woven. Single-layered tanggeon are produced by weaving horsehair in a single layer, which is the fundamental method, while multi-layered tanggeon are made by weaving horsehair in two or three layers. Weaving in multiple layers creates different patterns and forms. To craft a tanggeon, horsehair is woven and knotted over a small or large frame made in a shape similar to the finished tanggeon. There are several steps involved in the production. The tools needed for tanggeon crafting are simple and small. Most of them are designed for horsehair, including the frame, needle, knife, and a support called a chettegi, which is made by attaching three sieve frames.