A wooden goose in the collection of the National Museum of Korea is a mokgireogi, an object that symbolized lasting marital devotion at traditional Korean weddings. A long neck, a pointed bill and a few painted feather lines are enough to identify the bird.
Mokgireogi and mokan
The National Institute of Korean Language describes mokgireogi as a carved and painted wooden goose used in place of a live goose at traditional weddings. Another name is mokan, written 木雁: wood and wild goose.
Jeonanrye
According to Culture Portal, the groom presented the wooden goose on arriving at the bride’s family home as the first rite of the wedding, a step called jeonanrye.
The link between the goose and enduring affection is a cultural symbol expressing a wish for the marriage, not a description of the bird’s behavior.
About the object
In the photograph, overlapping black curves mark the body, while the neck and bill form a spare, elongated outline. The carving suggests the bird with a few lines rather than modeling it in detail.
The museum classifies the object as wood and dates it to the Japanese colonial period. Its use in an old wedding custom does not make this piece a Joseon-period artifact. Whether it is currently on display has not been confirmed; the museum’s online record carries the original image and catalog details.
