Street Scene

Sedan Chair, Seoul, Korea

A moment captured in time as a group of men walk quickly towards us with their coats flying outwards with their movement. The overcoats are called durumagi a traditional garment worn not only against the cold but for ceremonial purposes.  I've shown this card before on my blog (back in 2011), but it is one of my favourites so how could I resist using it for the 'Street Scene' theme.  

I wonder who is hidden from view in the sedan chair?   The uses of the sedan chair (or gama) in Korea are summed up by Wikipedia in a paragraph

 "In Korea, royalty and aristocrats were carried in elaborately decorated litters called gama. Gamas were primarily used by royalty and government officials. There were six types of gama, each assigned to different government official rankings. In traditional weddings, the bride and groom are carried to the ceremony in separate gamas. Because of the difficulties posed by the mountainous terrain of the Korean peninsula and the lack of paved roads, gamas were preferred over wheeled vehicles".

 The card was sent in 1907, not from Korea, but the the seaside town of Weymouth on the south coast of England to Staines just outside London

and as it was the 23rd December then it comes a message "I must wish a very merry Christmas, hoping you are well and got better weather than we have" .

Postcards for the Weekend theme - Traditional Street Scene - walk over to Connections to the World