Sitting Mat

Bangseok, or floor cushion, is a small mat placed on the floor for sitting. Since it was uncomfortable to sit on the bare floor of ondolbang, a room with the Korean heating system, a floor cushion was produced to make a comfortable place to sit. Different materials were used to make a floor cushion, depending on the weather. Fabric cushions were made for the winter to keep the body warm, while rush was used in the summer to keep the cushion cool. Some fabric cushions were padded with cotton batting and made thicker. Rush cushions were woven into a square or a circle, and some were woven with dyed strands to create decorative patterns. The square floor cushion shown here was thickly padded. At the center of the upper side of the cushion was a square-shaped red silk cloth, bearing embroideries showing a phoenix at the center, and four letters "壽福康寧," meaning longevity, good fortune, health and comfort, in the four corners. A wide band of blue silk was stitched along the edge of the red silk cloth.