Sambe ( ko, 삼베), or

hemp fiber Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest growing plants o ...

, is a traditional fiber for Korean clothing. The knowledge of weaving sambe skillfully is being lost, has been deemed a national treasure, and specific individuals with the ability were designated intangible cultural assets. Sambe was the primary textile fiber used in clothing for commoners prior to the introduction of cotton to Korea in the late 15th century. A particularly fine variety is ''andongpo'' from

Andong Andong () is a city in South Korea, and the capital of North Gyeongsang Province. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 as of October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city. Andong is a m ...

North Gyeongsang Province North Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상북도, translit=Gyeongsangbuk-do, ) is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remained a province of Korea until the ...

. A Korean traditional funeral includes a sambe death dress for the deceased and sambe clothing for mourners. After commercial relations between China and Korea resumed in 1990, Chinese-made hemp cloth began to replace Korean cloth.

References

Newspaper sources

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Book and journal sources

* via University of Nebraska at Lincoln digital commons * *
UW Press page
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External links

Traditional ways to enjoy cool, green summer

Korean Culture and Information Service The Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) is an affiliated organization of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the South Korean government The Government of South Korea is the union government of the Republic of Korea, c ...

(korea.net) {{Authority control Fibers Hemp Korean culture