After the washing came dadeumi

Published Oct 8, 2026

After washing, fabric was laid on a stone and beaten with wooden paddles. The practice, called dadeumi, straightened the weave and gave cloth a finished sheen.

What dadeumi was

Dadeumi was the work of beating washed fabric with wooden beaters. Starched cloth was straightened and smoothed so it could be worn again. A long, low stone called a dadeumi-dol supported the cloth.

Methods by fabric

The Joseon household manual Gyuhap Chongseo sets out separate finishing methods for silk, cotton and ramie. The work required knowledge of each fabric and took considerable time and effort.

A surviving stone

The National Museum of Korea’s Joseon-period dadeumi stone, accession Sinsu 13090, is 55 cm long. The photo shows the stone alone, without beaters or a worker. Washing was only one stage in the care of a well-kept garment.

Sources & context

2026-10-09T02:29:17.715Z

National Museum of Korea ↗KOGL ↗Encyclopedia of Korean Culture ↗

Photo credit

국립중앙박물관 · 다듬이돌(신수13090) · 공공누리 제1유형 · KOGL Type 1