Korea: Four porters bearing an official in a 'gama' or palanquin, c. 1890 (late Joseon period).

A Korean 'gama' was a closed chair used by upper classes and nobles, both men and women. This anonymous watercolour on mulberry paper painting shows four porters, two in front and two at the rear, holding long poles through an enclosed palanquin. 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.

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