K-Cultural Heritage 9 Page > Little Korea

K-CULTURAL HERITAGE

Everlasting Legacies of Korea

  • 1966.6.29
    designated date
    Najeonjang, or mother-of-pearl inlaying, is a Korean traditional method of decorating the surface of diverse household objects by lacquering and inlaying them with strips of mother-of-pearl. This traditional handicraft is known to have originated from Tang China, but discoveries made at many archaeological sites related with ancient Korean kingdoms prove that Korea has a long tradition of the craft and that ancient Korean people exploited it profusely to produce all kinds of everyday household objects.

    To produce a lacquer work inlaid with a mother-of-pearl design, the artisan needs to make a “white frame” with wood first of all. He then lacquers its surface and decorates it by inlaying carefully prepared strips of mother-of-pearl, some of which are as thin as threads, on a prearranged pattern by using the techniques of kkeuneumjil and jureumjil. Each of the individual work processes is completed with a stage of grinding, lacquering, and polishing the surface.

    In the Goryeo and early Joseon Periods, the most favored designs included peony blossoms, chrysanthemums, and lotus flowers. Designs became more diverse during the mid-Joseon Period as artisans began to extend their interest to flowers with birds, white cranes, grapes, apricot flowers, and the Four Gracious Plants.

    The traditional technique of inlaying mother-of-pearl is a time-consuming process that is currently preserved by, among others, two government-designated artisans, Song Bang-ung and Yi Hyeong-man.
  • 1966.6.29
    designated date
    Farm music performed when farmers are working while helping each other, by forming a cooperative farming team, in a broad sense, refers to music performed when people march, work, hold ceremonies, and enjoy games while beating small gongs, gongs, hourglass drums, and drums. The performers are called gut, maegu, pungjang, geumgo, or chwigun.

    All performers play musical instruments while wearing hats. In Pangut (entertainment-oriented performance), the chaesangmo game makes a fine show. On the other hand, paljinhaesikjingut, a military game, looks unique. Its beat is fast, powerful, and exciting.

    Jinju Samcheonpo Nongak, a successor of pangut, has higher artistic value. In Paljinbeop, Beokku Nori, sangsoe (leader of the farmers’ music troupe), and Mudong Nori (kids sing and dance), individual skills are excellent.
  • 1976.6.30
    designated date
    Jultagi was mainly performed on special holidays like April 15, Dano (5th day of the 5th lunar month) and Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month). Tightrope clowns also performed for payment at private parties.

    There were two types of Jultagi performance, one for entertaining people of the noble class performed by exceptionally skilled clowns, and the other for commoners with the focus on gags and entertainment. Jultagi performance was comprised the tightrope clown, jokers, and the players of instruments like piri (flute), jeotdae (bamboo flute), haegeum (two-stringed fiddle), buk (drum), and janggo (hourglass-shaped drum).

    The rope was about 10m long and 3m high. The feat was performed usually by a well-trained man. A folding fan or a towel held in the clown’s hand was for balancing the body. The instrumental players brightened up the atmosphere. The clown entertained the spectators by displaying ten-plus movements on the rope, in addition to singing or telling jokes about depraved monks or noblemen, displaying foolish acts, or imitating a woman applying facial makeup.
  • 1995.6.30
    designated date
    There were three Jisos in Cheongsong that produced paper as a traditional process: Jisori in Andeok-myeon, Misa-ri in Pacheon-myeon, and Jungpyeong-ri. Gamgok Village in Singi 2-ri, Pacheon-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do has long been known as a paper village because of its many oak trees and clear water.

    By the 1920s, more than 20 households in this village produced hanji, and residents who did not make a living also made it a side job. However, the supply of glass windows drastically reduced the demand for glassware, and modernized various rituals used mainly for hanji, resulting in a sharp drop in the consumption of hanji, which greatly reduced the Hanji battle.

    In such a difficult situation, Yi Sang-ryong, the holder of the Seondae function, moved to Songgang-ri to continue his family business, which began on the day of his transfer from the source of the Five Dynasties, and was designated as Gyeongsangbuk-do Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 23 Cheongsong Hanji.

    His eldest son, Lee Ja-seong, is currently serving as the owner of the Cheongsong Hanjijang function, taking over the family business. Samchejeong Pavilion, the ritual house of the Byeokjin Yi Clan in Gamgok Village, Shin Ki-ri, is the ritual house and pavilion of the three brothers, Lee Seok-il, Gamcheon Lee Jae-il and Seokcheon Lee Hyang-il, who started the family business.

    Recently, the demand for traditional Korean paper has been increasing due to the use of hwaseon paper, possession, books, and wallpaper used by painters. Yi Ja-seong, the holder of the function of Cheongsong Hanjijang, Gyeongsangbuk-do Intangible Cultural Property No. 23, does not use imported mulberry trees, but collects and uses raw materials from the area of Cheongsong-gun, the birthplace of the mulberry tree, and Yecheon Yonggung.

    Lee Ja-seong not only built 6,000 square meters of mulberry field near the workshop, but also created Cheongsong Hanji Experience Center to spread Cheongsong Hanji
  • 1995.6.30
    designated date
    Sambae is also called Be, and in Chinese, it is also called Ma, Mapo, and Po. The cambes were found in the Gungsan Shell Mound in the Neolithic Age, indicating that they were used before the discovery.

    During the Goryeo Dynasty, technology was developed and exported to China and was used with ramie as a means of cultural exchange. In the Joseon Dynasty, the production of sambae was slightly reduced as cotton production began.

    The production process is first cultivated and harvested by growing the cedar trees, then steamed the treetops that skimmed the leaves and dried in the sun.

    After splitting the three pieces of cloth, each string is extended and the length and width of the one piece of cloth determine how many rolls of thread will go in. Finally, after the process of feeding grass, we squeeze the fabric using a loom.

    Since it is a rare case in the country where a village is collectively inherited by a village, it is designated and protected as an intangible cultural asset.
  • 2006.6.30
    Specified date
    Born in Buan in 1935, Kim Bong-gi lived in Han village with Jeong Gyeong-tae, Seokam, and learned the lyrics when he was young, and was later taught by Go Min-soon, an intangible cultural asset of Jeollabuk-do.

    Kim Bong-gi is not only clear and quiet, but also has the feeling of continuing the sound flexibly like a bead rolling, even though it seems to be cut off by high-pitched processing.

    Kim Bong-ki won a number of prizes, including the Jeonju National Women's Poetry Competition and the National Southern Women's Poetry Competition.
  • 2001.6.30
    designated date
    Anseom Danggut is a type of Punggeogut that wishes for the well-being of the village and a good harvest of fish. It is said that it began about 350 years ago, although the literature does not tell the exact origin.

    Anseom Island in Songak-myeon was originally an island in the northwest of Dangjin-gun, but it became a land-based reclamation project. Fishermen here held a ritual to pray for safety and a good harvest before going fishing. Every year from the first day of the first lunar month, Danggut is held on the first day of the first day of the first day of the first lunar month, and every other year, 제로span class='xml2' onmouseover='up2 (1206)'onmouseout='dn2(()대대대대 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어小小小小小小小 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 나누어 Soje is held in the form of spspan class='xml2' onmouseover='up2(1103)' onmouseout='dn2()'dn2()>Danggut 참여하는/spanan, in which shamans participate during the Daeje.

    The structure and character of the Anseom Dangje are the most representative of the community faith in the fishing village on the west coast, and the folklore meaning and value are very great.
  • 1987.7.1
    designated date
    This ritual is held biennially in Tongyeong and Geojedo Island to pray for the peace of the village and abundant fish. This ritual features the exorcist’s beautiful songs and inclusion of buk (drums) among the accompanying instruments. Unlike its cousin held in villages along the East Coast, this one is carried out in a serious atmosphere with few gags exchanged between the exorcist and music players or in the narratives. In some instances, spectators and drummers act out a play in the middle of the ritual.

    The exorcist’s dance performed along with the ritual in most cases is rather simple and monotonous. Cheongsinak (music to invoke the deities) and Songsinak (farewell music to the deities) are performed respectively at the start and end of the ritual, to the accompaniment of daegeum (bamboo flute).

    This ritual has little entertainment value and involves not many narratives, but it goes long on the depth of belief in deities.
  • 1996.7.1
    designated date
    Earthenware is divided into ceramics and porcelain, depending on how clay-made objects are baked. An object mixed with white clay and baked at a high temperature is called china or porcelain. Sagijang refers to this skill or to an officially recognized artisan with such a skill.

    Ceramics and porcelain, particularly blue porcelain made during the Goryeo Period (877 – 1394) and thereafter are recognized as the best in the world. During the Joseon Period (1392 – 1910), Saongwon (Palace Kitchen Management) was in charge of porcelain production. Its branch in Gyeonggi-do made special objects to be used by the royal family.

    The government-run porcelain kilns were closed toward the late Joseon Period, following which porcelain artisans started private businesses in Mungyeong, Goisan, and Danyang.

    As for the process of china production, first of all, sandy soil is put into water to remove foreign materials. A desired form of is made with the soil, using a foot-operated spinning wheel. The object is then put into a kiln for pre-firing. Glaze is applied to the pre-fired object, and it is again put into a kiln for second firing.

    Experts say that grayish-blue-powdered celadon of Joseon evokes a folksy and lively feeling, while white porcelain evokes the character of a gracious scholar.
  • 2000.7.1
    Specified date
    Jigyeongdajigi refers to the work of building a new house. It is a cooperative labor where the people of the neighborhood gather together, and it contains a sense of chasing and blessing disasters. Sangnoji jigyeongdajigi can be seen as originated from the traditional life of agricultural society beyond the simple meaning of turdajigi.

    The Cheorwon Sangnoriji Gyeongdajigi can be divided into three fields: ritual, jigyeongdajigi, and yeoheung nori. Proposal is a shamanistic ritual that aims to prevent the anger of the intellect that can be caused by touching the ground before engaging in a war of nerves. Jisin is active only at night, so he lights a torch in the evening, and the owner becomes Jeju, reads a congratulatory message and performs a rite. After the ritual, people who participated in the jigyeongdajigi put the jigyeongdol in the middle and hold the jigyeongjipjari line and strengthen the site. As you iron out the horizon, you sing the labor songs of the jigsaw and phlegm, and the first paragraph of the song is about the origin of the region, the environment of the house, the history of the landlord, and so on, and so on, improvising according to the circumstances. When the jigyeong daggi is over, it leads to a play of entertainment and plays with alcohol and food until late at night.

    The Cheorwon Sangnori Gyeongdajigi offers a glimpse of the traditional folk culture and tradition of agricultural life.
  • 2005.7.1
    designated date
    Saengchiljang is a craftsman who paints woodware with raw lacquer. Painting wood with high quality raw paint makes it black at first, but as time goes by, the original pattern slowly appears, and not only does the gloss come alive but also changes beautifully as time goes by, so raw lacquer has long been widely used. However, as the lacquer industry has declined in recent years, the number of lacquer techniques has decreased significantly.

    Lee Don-ho, the holder of the painting, is a craftsman who has been painting raw lacquer since 1977, and has been taught traditional techniques and functions by Korean lacquer masters such as Shin Jung-hyun (Seoul Intangible Cultural Property No. 1 raw lacquer paste) and Lee Seong-gu.
  • 1999.7.1
    designated date
    General Nam Yi was born in 1441 (the 23rd year of King Sejong's reign), passed the military service at the age of 17, defeated Yi Si-ae's orchids and Yeo Jin-jok at the age of 26, but was beheaded at the young age of 27 due to Yu Ja-gwang's slander. The Nami General Military Party (NAMI) is a ritual held every year after building a shrine about 300 years ago to console the general's spirit and honor his loyalty, feeling sorry for the loss of his life due to the dew of his prison sentence. On October 1, the festival was held to celebrate the eve of the festival, and residents were relieved of their worries, worries, and well-being, which naturally cemented the local folk religion.

    When Nami General's Sadang Festival begins, geolippae visit each house with Nongak and pay for the rite. Rather than simply a geolip of a nongak band, it is a religious ritual that corresponds to village dolgigut, in which a shaman participates to pray for each house. In the past, Danggut used to serve flowers as a ritual for spirits that brought them to the main hall, but now it has developed into a flower lantern event, marching from the Dangjip in Sancheon-dong to the shrine and holding a ritual at the shrine. The Nami General Military Party is held as a ritual ceremony in accordance with the ritual music of musicians, followed by a shaman rite, which is similar in form to the Gangneung Danoje Festival and the Eunsan Byeolsinje Festival. However, the general procession is actually equivalent to a journey to the village of God by taking a walk around the village with a new flower.

    In the midst of the disappearance of village ritual in modern times, the Sadang Festival in Nami-gun is meaningful in that it preserves its original appearance, and it has become a festive village ritual with active cooperation and participation from residents.

    bbb※※ For detailed information on the above cultural assets, please refer to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Department of Historical and Cultural Heritage (202-2133-2616). </bb
  • 1999.7.1
    designated date
    Whistling catch is one of the traditional sounds handed down by ordinary people in Gyeonggi Province in the late Joseon Dynasty, and the word Whistle means that it is fast, and Japsa is a song that does not belong to a formal song in the Korean traditional music term.

    The current Hwimori japga includes Manhakcheonbong Peak, Byeongjeong Taryeong, Gombo Taryeong, Sanmae Japa, Yuk Chilwol, Gisaeng Taryeong, Bidan Taryeong, Bawi Taryeong, Maenggongi Taryeong, and Hanjan Boura. The lyrics are a long humorous and humorous editorial that contains the lives and emotions of ordinary people.

    Currently, Park Sang-ok, who is known to be the master of the sound of the game, is trying to transfer the game.

    bbb※※ For detailed information on the above cultural assets, please refer to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Department of Historical and Cultural Heritage (202-2133-2616). </bb
  • 2009.7.1
    Specified date
    A blacksmith's shop is a place where various tools, such as traditional farming tools, are manufactured by means of metal (iron), and a blacksmith refers to a person who has the technology or technology to make traditional farming tools, etc.

    Currently, the blacksmith's facilities include bellows, anvil, chisels, and maes, and the blacksmith produces various tools through molding iron, perforation, and heat treatment.

    Many blacksmiths, which existed until the 1960s, are now facing difficulties in traditional crafting techniques and transmission of blacksmiths due to industrialization, and have continued into the family business following traditional blacksmithing functions.

    In particular, it has not only traditional functions in plastic surgery, perforation, and heat treatment technology, but also has traditional blacksmithing functions such as excellent traditional and easy production functions.
  • 1987.7.2
    designated date
    The sound of Dadaepo's hoo-ri is a labor song sung by the beach while hoo-ri-jil for anchovies, accompanied by the movement according to the sequence of work. Singing individually or collectively as one of the folk songs, the song may vary depending on the region.

    Dadaepo Huri is a pre-release style in which one person sings a song and several others sing it. The story is about the sound of carrying a net into a fishing ground and loading it onto a boat, the dragon-king ritual, the rowing of a fishing boat, the sound of fishermen singing while pulling a string of rice from both sides, the sound of a net that they sing while picking a net, and the sound of a lyric that they sing while carrying anchovies into a storage container.

    Dadaepo Huali is a folk song with characteristics of this area, and it reproduces and preserves the words and methods required to catch anchovies, and has high folk, musical, and cultural value. Currently, the Dadaepo Hoorisori Preservation Society is striving to win and distribute the song.