Obangsaek
Hangul오방색
Hanja五方色

The traditional Korean color spectrum, also known as obangsaek (Korean: 오방색; lit. 'five direction colors'), is the color scheme of the five Korean traditional colors of white, black, blue, red and yellow.[1][2] In Korean traditional arts and traditional textile patterns, the colors of obangsaek represent five cardinal directions.[1] Obangsaek theory is a combination of the Five Elements and Five Colors theories.

Five orientations

  • Blue: east
  • Red: south
  • Yellow: center
  • White: west
  • Black: north

These elementary colors are also associated with the Five Elements in Korean culture: [1]

The following five intermediary colors are associated with the five elements and five directions in traditional Korean culture:

  • Green: Wood, East
  • Orange: Fire, South
  • Gray: Earth, Center
  • Aquamarine: Metal, West
  • Purple: Water, North

References

  1. ^ "The Five Cardinal Colors of Traditional Patterns". AsianInfo.org. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  2. ^ Yoo, Jee-ho (3 May 2013). "Pyeongchang unveils emblem for 2018 Winter Olympics". Yonghap News Agency. Retrieved 29 April 2015.