Koreanheritagesummer2015 en by KOCIS

KOR E AN HERITAGE 여름 SUMMER 2015

여름 SUMMER 2015 Vol. 8 No. 2

ISSN 2005-0151

Vol. 8 No. 2

KOREAN HERITAGE Quarterly Magazine of the Cultural Heritage Administration

KOREAN HERITAGE

SUMMER 2015

Cover Haenyeo culture, anchored in Jeju Island, is an important part of Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intangible heritage. This unique aspect of Jeju culture encompasses a rich trove of tradition handed down to the present, including diving techniques, knowledge about surviving and living in harmony with the oceanic environment, and diverse rituals. Women divers, or haenyeo, have overcome adverse conditions to give birth to a full-fledged female profession, serving as an exemplar of perseverance and the pioneering spirit of Jeju women. KOREAN HERITAGE is also available on the website (http://English.cha.go.kr) and smart devices.

KOREAN HERITAGE Quarterly Magazine of the Cultural Heritage Administration

KOREAN HERITAGE

SUMMER 2015

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KOREAN H E R I TA G E CHA News Vignettes

An Everyday Artifact

Cooperation for Underwater Excavation Starts in Earnest

Hapjukseon, Traditional Korean Fan

The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology have completed on-site joint research, through their research arms, the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage and the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO). The partnership was initiated as an effort to deploy a Korean oceanic robot for excavating underwater heritage.

Before modern-day electric fans and air conditioners were invented, what was there to cool one down in sweltering weather? Korean ancestors of course always had their fans, called buchae, close at hand to gently stir the air and chase the heat away. The word buchae sounds like a borrowed term from the Chinese, but it is a pure Korean word, composed of bu, derived from the verb bu-chi-da, which means “drawing wind” and the noun chae meaning “handle.” The Chinese character for the Korean term buchae is 扇 (seon), consisting of 戶 (“hedge gate”) and 羽, meaning “bird’s feathers,” denoting that a buchae is made by intertwining bird’s feathers onto a hedge-gate form.

In August 2014 the two research institutes signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for excavating underwater heritage geared toward contributing to the advancement of national maritime technology. Preliminary tests were conducted indoors through March this year to enable the robot, named “Crabster,” to operate with the necessary movements, including picking up objects. Tests were also conducted on exploration devices built into Crabster: supersonic cameras capable of video-recording an area up to 15 meters in front of it with sound waves of 1.8 to 3.0 megahertz, and a high-resolution scanning sonar, which detects objects up to 150 meters away in murky waters. This cooperative project is doubly valuable: the two research institutes, second to none in their own areas of work, have synthesized their knowledge and technology, making contributions not only to the advancement of heritage excavation technology, but also to the enhancement of the national brand image. Partnership of this kind is a model for the government’s endeavors for inter-agency cooperation. The work with KRISO is part of efforts by Korea to become a leader in underwater heritage research in Asia by, among others, beefing up maritime heritage research capacity. The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage will maintain a close cooperative relationship with KRISO, and will also help with the commercialization of robotic technologies currently under development by the government.

Thin strips of bamboo are aligned to create a frame, over which paper or cloth, usually silk, is mounted to craft a hand-held fan. Fans of the best quality are produced in Jeonju, Nampyeong, and Naju in the southeastern region of Jeolla. Traditional Korean fans are divided into two categories: round—or rigid, flat—fans and folding ones. Hapjukseon refers to the folding fan that is framed by overlapping strips of bamboo held together at the bottom by a clasp of metal or bone. The hapjukseon was a signifier of the literati’s character and dignity, coming in diverse forms and lengths depending on the owner’s class and status. According to The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, there was a special agency called Seonjabang dedicated to hapjukseon production for royal use, which was located in Jeonju. A practical tool used for relief from the summer heat, the buchae has come to be deployed for ritual and decorative purposes. The groom and the bride cover their faces with a fan in a traditional wedding ceremony; and a fan hand-painted with calligraphy of poetic verses or a scenic landscape is displayed as a house decoration. Other than these functions, hand-held fans are used for performing a fan dance, or buchaechum, or for shamanic rites. Although it has given way to electric cooling machines, the traditional fan still holds its place in contemporary society as a local specialty craft and an indoor ornament expressive of a homeowner’s taste for things traditional.

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KOREAN H E R I TA G E CHA News Vignettes

An Everyday Artifact

Cooperation for Underwater Excavation Starts in Earnest

Hapjukseon, Traditional Korean Fan

Culture Focus

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During the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) royal festivals were complete with delicious foods for feasting and ritual. However, not everyone present at a royal banquet was treated to the same food: while guests had sachansang (a “table bestowed by the king”), the royal family including the king was served gobaesang (a “high table”) characterized not only by colorful variety, but also by a tall stack of food topped by decorations of artificial flowers. After a festival, the foods from the royal table were packed and loaded on a food stretcher called gaja, and distributed to households of noblemen including royal relatives and courtiers. Thanks to royal festivals, the noble houses had a chance to taste royal cuisine, and they would also make attempts to replicate the royal cakes and sweets, naturally absorbing the cooking methods and recipes from the royal kitchen. The spread of royal food among the Korean populace is in line with the cross-cultural evolutionary trajectory of food culture, distinguished by a top-down flow of dietary practices, where culinary culture is developed in the upper classes and its influence is dispersed among the lower classes.

Gobaesang Carrying Wishes for Longevity and Prosperity

A reproduction of a gobaesang, or a “high table,” for a royal feast.

Gobaesang, a Royal Table Replete with Superb Artistry Text by Han Bok-ryeo, M aster of Royal Culinary Art of the Joseon Dynasty (Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 38) Photos by Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

Royal festivals were celebrated at diverse scales and different levels of ritual procedures. Details on gobaesang can be found in The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty, including the number of royal festivals it was served, the varieties of food prepared for each occasion, and the number and kinds of artificial flowers that decorated the food. Where the foods were cooked, who was responsible for the cooking, and what kinds of utensils were used, along with the program of each festive occasion, were also recorded. In The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty, a pictorial record of each table set is accompanied by information on the royal to whom the table was served and the names of dishes on the table; each of the food names is added further explanation on the height to which food was supposed to be piled up, ingredients and quantity of each ingredient.

Culture Focus

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Gobaesang Carrying Wishes for Longevity and Prosperity

A reproduction of a gobaesang, or a “high table,” for a royal feast.

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Culture Focus

Table sets for each member of the royal family are recorded in the protocols, in the order of the great grandmother and grandmother of the king, the queen, the crown prince, and the crown princess. The number of food varieties put on their gobaesang was as many as 40 to 70; and the food stacked as high as 39 to 57 centimeters. About two-thirds of the heaped-up foods were rice cakes, sweets, and fruits, which were embellished with ornamental paper flowers. The royal table of such scale was offered as a signifier of people’s collective wishes for the longevity, prosperity, and flourishing of the royal family.

Comestibles as Art Installations Rice cakes took pride of place on a gobaesang table. The tower of cakes, called gaksaekbyeong, was made up of layers of steamed rice cake at the bottom, and more layers of decorative cakes on top. The protocols on the 60th birth anniversary banquet for the mother of King Jeongjo, produced in 1795, recount the varieties of steamed rice cakes and decorative cakes used for the festival: patmesirutteok, kkulpyeon, baekpyeon, seunggeomchopyeon, and ssukpyeon for the cakes at the bottom; and songgitteok, seogidanja, seunggeomchodanja, geonsidanja, huinjuak, hwangjuak, saeksanseung, japgwapyeon and saenggangpyeon for the cakes on top. The sweets were made by using naturally colored ingredients or dyed materials. They were stamped with characters symbolizing prosperity, good fortune, or longevity. The confections are also stacked up high as were the rice cakes, and the piling-up was carefully done, aiming for color harmony and structural symmetry.

Tiered rice cakes to be set on a gobaesang.

One of the confections was yakgwa, in diverse varieties. To make yakgwa, flour, sesame oil, honey, and liquor are mixed together to produce dough, which is molded into a flower shape and fried in sesame oil, and then soaked in honey before eating. It is a honeyed, oily dessert, ready to satisfy anyone’s taste at that time. Another variety of the royal confectionery was yugwa, which also came in diverse types. Glutinous rice is left for a while to ferment, then washed and ground. Liquor is added to the glutinous rice powder, which is kneaded before being steamed. The steamed dough is pounded vigorously in a mortar, then torn into small pieces and dried. The dried pieces of dough are deep-fried and covered with honey or

grain syrup before rolling over powdered coating in various colors, made from toasted rice, white sesame seeds, pine pollen, or green laver. This type of traditional Korean sweet is also called, most popularly, sanja, and also yeonsagwa, yohwagwa, maehwagwa and gangjeong. Dasik were also included, made of multi-colored materials, natural or dyed. Flour from rice or starchy grains, flowers, seeds, and nuts, are kneaded and pressed using stamps called dasikpan, with inscriptions meaning “living a long, happy life” (subokgangryeong) and “abundant fortune, high status, and prosperous offspring” (bugwidanam). The dasik cookies are piled up with the patterns shown neatly aligned. A profusion of fruits, both fresh and dried, were added to the bountiful feast on a gobaesang table. Dried fruits included chestnuts, pine nuts, jujube, walnuts, and persimmons; fresh fruits included choice pears, citrons, chestnuts, and pomegranates. Exotic fruits from China including the longan were presented as well, as were candied fruits including ginseng and tangerine, colorful candies (palbodang) and five-colored candies (ohwadang). To set a gobaesang, a red-and-blue silk cloth embellished with cloud patterns covers a table, and then a flamboyant arrangement of stacked-up foods is put on it. While royal feasts served as a chance to further develop food culture, Korea’s royal cuisine remains as a valuable cultural heritage at present and as a form of artistic expression, celebrated for its awe-inspiring creations made with great dexterity, delicacy and taste.

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Culture Focus

Tiered rice cakes to be set on a gobaesang.

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KOREAN H E R I TA G E

Heritage for the World Mountain Temples of Korea: Beopjusa and Magoksa

Heritage Today â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Moonlight Tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at Changdeokgung Palace

Documentary Heritage The Archives of Saemaul Undong

Natural Heritage Enchanting Sceneries of Waterfalls

Photo Gallery National Treasures: Royal Palaces

Design Heritage Aesthetic Beauty of Jogakbo Design

Foreigner's View Experiencing Korean Traditional Festivals

Intangible Heritage The Haenyeo and their Culture

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KOREAN H E R I TA G E

Heritage for the World Mountain Temples of Korea: Beopjusa and Magoksa

Heritage Today â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Moonlight Tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at Changdeokgung Palace

Documentary Heritage The Archives of Saemaul Undong

Natural Heritage Enchanting Sceneries of Waterfalls

Photo Gallery National Treasures: Royal Palaces

Design Heritage Aesthetic Beauty of Jogakbo Design

Foreigner's View Experiencing Korean Traditional Festivals

Intangible Heritage The Haenyeo and their Culture

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Heritage for the World

Mountain Temples of Korea: Beopjusa and Magoksa Text by Jeong Byeong-sam, Professor of History and Culture, Sookmyung Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration & Good Image

Beopjusa Temple located in Mt. Songnisan.

Buddhist temples and monasteries in Korea, particularly those safeguarding time-honored history and traditional culture, are mostly located in mountainous areas. Among contemporary Koreans, traditional Buddhist temples are popularly understood as mountain temples.

Seven Buddhist Temples Selected for World Heritage Nomination A Korean Buddhist temple is a cultural, historical, and religious space, where architectural structures have been gradually added around the main hall over a long span of time, and endowed with diverse cultural features. Since it not only has functioned as a place of worship for the public, but also as space for monasticism, a temple is home and sanctuary to Buddhist monks throughout history. Monastic communities have been consistently conserving the extant buildings and sometimes adding new ones to form the temples as they are today. There are numerous such Buddhist temples in Korea that are distinguished by age-old history, enduring tradition, and unique cultural characteristics. Among them are the seven most distinct ones, which were selected for nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: Beopjusa Temple, Magoksa Temple, Seonamsa Temple, Daeheungsa Temple, Buseoksa Temple, Bongjeongsa Temple, and Tongdosa Temple. The first two temples, Beopjusa and Magoksa, are explored in this issue.

Beopjusa Temple from 1,500 Years Ago The seven temples were all constructed during the Three Kingdoms period, their spatial compositions consolidated only after the mid-Joseon era. Beopjusa Temple, located in Boeun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, was constructed in 553 during the reign of King Jinheung of Silla (57 B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;A.D. 935), having been maintained for some 1,500 years until the present. A popular belief recounts that the spiritual patriarch Uisin, who came with Buddhist sutras loaded on a white donkey, had built the temple. However, it is more plausible to think that the founding of

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Heritage for the World

Beopjusa Temple located in Mt. Songnisan.

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Heritage for the World

Beopjusa was initiated by Master Jinpyo in the 8th century; and then Yeongsim, a great monk from Mt. Songnisan who received instruction about the Dharma from Master Jinpyo, established the temple and widely disseminated Buddhist teachings. Beopjusa Temple stands on spacious grounds amid Mt. Songnisan, part of Baekdu Daegan, the mountain ridge that runs through most of the length of the Korean Peninsula. After the entrance gate of the temple, called iljumun, or “one-pillar gate,” unfolds a 2-kilometer-long trail, shaded by a variety of trees and shrubs transforming shapes and colors with the change of seasons. The forest trail leading to the main complex of the temple is one of the most aesthetic entrance roads to Buddhist temples in the country. With a step into the temple complex appear imposing temple structures, which nestle in the spectacular sceneries of Mt. Songnisan, harmoniously mingling together with the surrounding nature. Although there was a hall of Maitreya called Sanhojeon Hall until the mid-Joseon period, a 10-meter-high Maitreya statue stands in the site of Sanhojeon today; Daeungbojeon Hall to the rear and Palsangjeon Wooden Pagoda at front comprise the central axis of the temple complex.

A Temple Filled with Cultural Assets

Daeungbojeon Hall at Beopjusa Temple.

The signboard of Palsangjeon Wooden Pagoda at Beopjusa Temple bears weathered markings of its long and venerable history.

Beopjusa is replete with historic monuments and relics. There are three National Treasures, 12 Treasures, and two Natural Monuments, including Palsangjeon Wooden Pagoda (the only extant wooden pagoda in the country; National Treasure No. 55), Twin Lion Stone Lantern (National Treasure No. 5), Stone Lantern on the Four Guardian Kings (Treasure No. 15), Stone Lotus Basin (National Treasure No. 64), Rock-carved Seated Buddha (Treasure No. 216), Folding Screen of Sinbeop cheonmundo (a folding screen of celestial charts; Treasure No. 848), and Daeungbojeon Hall (the main hall; Treasure No. 915); and also 22 Tangible Heritage and 2 Cultural Heritage Materials designated at the provincial level. Beopjusa and Mt. Songnisan are listed on state registers, respectively as Historic Site and Scenic Site. Stone artifacts, in particular, are notable. Symbolically casting

light into a world of darkness, the two stone lanterns are celebrated for artistic perfection: one in the shape of two lions holding up a fire; and the other in the form of the four heavenly guardians standing guard around the light. Another symbol of brightness embodied in stonework is a bodhisattva statue sculptured in the image of a bodhisattva carrying a large jar on its head. Along with the stone lotus pond, these stone artifacts all date back to between the 8th and 9th centuries, testifying to the temple’s flourishing fortunes during that period. Beopjusa as a primary temple of the Beopsang School (or the Korean Yugakara school) had accumulated so much fame as to be resided in by princely monks such as Dosaeng and Gwangji during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392). In the early period of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) the temple enjoyed prosperous times; Great Master Sinmi, the beloved monk of King Sejo (r. 1455–1468), delivered major religious activities here, and it is known that the king endowed the official title jeongipum, the third highest of the 18-rank administrative hierarchy of Joseon, to a pine tree at the entrance to the temple. Although demolished during the Japanese invasions of 1592–1598, Beopjusa was quickly reconstructed thereafter: the Palsangjeon pagoda was rebuilt in 1630 and the restoration of the main hall was completed 1618; a Vairocana Buddha triad was enshrined inside. Through the Joseon era, Beopjusa served as a memorial temple for the royal family; a memorial hall for Yeongbin Yi, a concubine of King Yeongjo, was constructed in the later Joseon period and has been preserved until the present.

Magoksa Temple and Its Unique Spatial Arrangement Magoksa Temple located on Mt. Taehwasan, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do Province, is assumed to have been built by Master Jajang in 643 during the Silla period and then reconstructed by State Preceptor Doseon in the 9th century. Given that the temple had continuously served as a leading temple of the Seon, or Zen, School, it is inferred that Magoksa Temple was constructed under the influence of the emergence of the Seon School during the period. At the time of its original construction, the temple encompassed a large number of buildings and structures, but a series of conflicts and reconstructions over time had reduced its scale. At present, the temple is home to a number of cultural assets including Daeungbojeon Hall (Treasure No. 801), Daegwangbojeon Hall (Treasure No. 802), Yeongsanjeon (Treasure No. 800), Fivestory Stone Pagoda (National Treasure No. 799), and a Buddhist bell (provincedesignated Tangible Heritage No. 62).

The stone lantern with images of Four Guardian Kings carved on its four sides, from the late Silla period.

The stone lantern in the form of two lions holding up the light at Beopjusa Temple.

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Heritage for the World

A Temple Filled with Cultural Assets

Daeungbojeon Hall at Beopjusa Temple.

The signboard of Palsangjeon Wooden Pagoda at Beopjusa Temple bears weathered markings of its long and venerable history.

The stone lantern with images of Four Guardian Kings carved on its four sides, from the late Silla period.

The stone lantern in the form of two lions holding up the light at Beopjusa Temple.

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Heritage for the World

Magoksa Temple in the gentle embrace of Mt. Taehwasan.

Daegwangbojeon Hall and the five-story stone pagoda at Magoksa Temple.

Yeongsanjeon Hall at Magoksa Temple, marked by the name plaque endowed by King Sejo.

The temple is characterized by particularly auspicious surroundings and spatial composition. Bounded by the picturesque winding Taehwacheon Stream, the area to the north houses structures symbolizing the Buddha’s land, or a “pure land,” including Daeungbojeon Hall and Daegwangbojeon Hall; to its south are buildings needed for maintaining the monastic life of monks. Connecting the two spaces is Geungnakgyo Bridge over Taehwacheon, the name of which means a “bridge to the pure land.” The area occupied by the temple, documented as an auspicious place immune to war damage in historic geomantic books from Joseon such as Taekriji and Jeonggamnok, nestles in the gentle embrace of the mountain, inspiring sacred feelings. In the temple complex, the bridge linking the north and south spaces is the most interesting location. While the romantic imagination that one can enter the “pure land” through the bridge is intriguing, the architectural arrangement designed for emotional escalation is another point of appreciation. Past the unpretentious structures of Yeongsanjeon Hall, Haetalmun Gate, and Cheonwangmun Gate, one reaches the bridge; the imposing buildings of Daegwangbojeon Hall and Daeungbojeon Hall seen from the gateway to the Buddha’s land offer profound affective impressions.

Renowned for Paper Crafting

The seventh monarch of Joseon, King Sejo, admired the propitious energy of the land, and endowed a plaque bearing the Yeongsanjeon inscription carved in the king’s own handwriting. It has been handed down to the present as the current sign for Yeongsanjeon Hall. Like other Buddhist temples in the country, Magoksa was flattened during the Japanese invasions of the 16th century, and was reconstructed afterwards. Coinciding with its reconstruction

that started in 1650, the temple earned a reputation for paper production, adding to its fame for craft making. Benefitting from easy access to raw materials, Magoksa Temple manufactured high quality paper to supply the royal court and administrative agencies. Even after reconstruction in the 17th century, buildings were consumed by fire several times, but were soon restored, forming the temple complex as it is in the present. In the northern section, Daegwangbojeon Hall as well as Daeungbojeon Hall were built to function as two main halls; across the stream to the south was formed a cluster of structures with Yeongsanjeon Hall in the center. The fivestory pagoda—carved with Buddha images on the four sides of the second-tier body— is distinguished by the roof topped by a decorative pungmadeung lantern in bronze, which suggests influence from Tibetan Buddhism and is rarely found in the country. This unique roof style gave rise to a legendry belief that the pagoda has power to prevent droughts for three years. It is also notable that Yeongsanjeon Hall houses 1,000 Buddha statuettes in slightly differing images. The temple’s close relationship with the royal family of the Joseon Dynasty should be mentioned as well. Story has it that Joseon’s 23rd ruler, King Sunjo (r. 1800–1834), was born thanks to fervent prayer at Magoksa for 1,000 days. Although they suffered enormous damage during the Japanese invasions in the 16th century, mountain temples in Korea including Beopjusa and Magoksa were sustained by continuous endeavors of reconstruction and repair through the centuries. Their continuing preservation and vitality are largely attributable to ardent support and lavish donations from Buddhist worshippers. What underlies the time-honored history of these mountain temples is a strong belief in a harmonious life with nature. The spatial composition of the Korean mountain temple embodies perfect harmony with the surrounding natural environment, an enduring value that has been transmitted for hundreds of years to the present.

The roof decoration of the five-story stone pagoda in front of Daeungbojeon Hall at Magoksa Temple.

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Heritage for the World

Magoksa Temple in the gentle embrace of Mt. Taehwasan.

Daegwangbojeon Hall and the five-story stone pagoda at Magoksa Temple.

Yeongsanjeon Hall at Magoksa Temple, marked by the name plaque endowed by King Sejo.

Renowned for Paper Crafting

The roof decoration of the five-story stone pagoda in front of Daeungbojeon Hall at Magoksa Temple.

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Heritage Today

‘Moonlight Tour’ at Changdeokgung Palace Text & Photos by Kim Ji-yeong, Program Manager, Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation

Juhamnu Pavilion in the Secret Garden.

Among the five royal palaces from the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), Changdeokgung comes first in terms of retaining authentic buildings and structures. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997, the palace is admired for its superlative architectural composition achieving perfect harmony with the natural environment and topography. It is, arguably, the most quintessentially Korean palace. Evening Promenade through Royal Space At Changdeokgung Palace, a special program is being carried out as part of the efforts to enliven the royal space—and the capital as a whole—with historical and cultural vibes. It is the Moonlight Tour. Carried out at night on or near a full-moon, the Moonlight Tour is envisaged to make the most of night views of the palace, offering a chance to explore its natural, cultural, and historical spaces in a unique way not experienced in other palace tours.

The Moonlight Tour provides a harmonious combination of guided walking tour and traditional performance. Koreans and visitors from other countries are able to participate in the tour, on separate dates. After the execution of a pilot program in 2010, the Moonlight Tour kicked off in earnest in 2011; since then the nightly tour program has continuously enjoyed tremendous popularity, with tickets sold out for both Korean and foreign visitor tours. For the year 2015, 27 and 10 tours for Koreans and foreigners respectively, are planned. Taking place around the full-moon each month, except for summer and winter, each tour takes 100 pre-registered visitors, in five groups of 20 people each. Reservations (for more information, see below) open only two times a year, done online on a “first come, first served” basis. Those who wish to take the Moonlight Tour can make a reservation on one of the dates specified on the website. The first reservation period, for tours in the early half of the year, was conducted in March. Reservations for the latter half of 2015 will be open between late July and early August. For foreigners’ tour sessions, there are three language options on offer: English, Chinese, and Japanese. One of the three languages must be selected when making a reservation. The Moonlight Tour, composed of a customized program of guided tour and traditional performance, presents an opportunity to discover hidden gems of Changdeokgung. I hope that many foreign residents and visitors who are interested in Korean culture and history are able to grab the opportunity on offer for the second half of the year.

Program of the Moonlight Tour Under the gentle light of the full moon, visitors stroll around the palace carrying cheongsa chorong, or traditional Korean lanterns. During the tour, they are told stories of the Joseon royal court, and enjoy special traditional performances out in the open. Word about the moonlight promenade has fast spread, attracting an increasing number of people. Let’s take a look at interesting spots of the tour. First spot: Donhwamun Gate The Moonlight Tour starts off at Donhwamun, the main entrance of the palace. A group of 20 participants embarks on a novel discovery of the royal space, shedding light through the darkness

Sangnyangjeong Pavilion in the rear garden of Nakseonjae Hall.

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Heritage Today

‘Moonlight Tour’ at Changdeokgung Palace Text & Photos by Kim Ji-yeong, Program Manager, Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation

Juhamnu Pavilion in the Secret Garden.

Sangnyangjeong Pavilion in the rear garden of Nakseonjae Hall.

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Heritage Today

with traditional Korean lanterns in hand. Donhwamun was constructed in 1609, the oldest extant structure in Changdeokgung. Second spot: Geumcheongyo Bridge The visitors walk into the palace complex over Geumcheongyo, while appreciating the full-moon reflected in the water beneath. Designated Treasure No. 1762, Geumcheongyo was built in 1411 in the early Joseon period, the oldest stone bridge in the palace. Third spot: Injeongjeon Hall The main hall of the palace, Injeongjeon served as an official space where royal coronations and court assemblies took place, and delegations were received. Eight rulers of Joseon were crowned in this hall. The building is noted for plum blossom patterns decorating the roof ridge. Fourth spot: Nakseonjae Hall Nakseonjae was built in 1847 as a residence of Gyeongbin Kim, a concubine of King Heonjong (r. 1834–1849), and had thereafter served as a residence for bereaved royal ladies including Princess Deokhye and Yi Bang-ja, the daughter and the daughter-inlaw of King Gojong (r. 1863–1907). The hall is redolent with memories of heartbreak and loneliness suffered by the royal ladies and widows of the Joseon Dynasty.

Seventh spot: Area covering Bullomun Gate and Yeongyeongdang Hall Cut out of one rock mass, Bullomun, literally meaning a “gate that never becomes older,” delivers hopes for health and longevity. Through the stone gate and past Aeryeonji Pond then into Yeongyeongdang Hall, which was constructed in 1828 mimicking the architectural style of an ordinary nobleman’s house, built by order of Crown Prince Hyomyeong. Replicating the building’s frequent use for banquets during the last years of the Joseon Dynasty, a traditional performance, accompanied by an assortment of refreshments, are served here to cap the Moonlight Tour. Changdeokgung was a secondary palace of Joseon, but had served as a primary royal residence after Gyeongbokgung was destroyed during the Japanese invasions in the late 16th century. The archetypal Korean palace started appealing to people in other countries by way of its inscription on the World Heritage List in 1997. The Moonlight Tour is expected to present a chance to people outside the country to further explore the many hidden charms of the palace.

Moonlight Tour Program for the Second Half of 2015 Title: 2015 Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour Tour season: August through October 2015 Dates and entrance time

Fifth spot: Hamyangmun Gate Through Hamyangmun enter into the Secret Garden of the palace, which occupies as much as 60 percent of the entire palace area, and functioned as a place of relaxation for the king.

Buyongji Pond in the Secret Garden, the best spot to enjoy the beauty of the full moon.

Sixth spot: Buyongji Pond Buyongji—a rectangle-shaped pond with a round islet—reflects the East Asian cosmology that proposes, “Heaven is circular, and the earth is rectangular.” Unlike the royal pond in Gyeongbokgung Palace, Buyongji was constructed in a private space, and therefore served private purposes of the king. There is Buyongjeong Pavilion straddling the pond and earth—two legs in the water and the other two on the ground—presenting an impression of a halfafloat structure. The cruciform 亞-shaped pavilion is Treasure No. 1763.

Division Foreigner

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Dates

25, 26

Time

20:00H

19:00H

Duration: About two hours Reservation period: Open between late July and early August Reservation website: http://ticket.interpark.com/Global Tour location: Changdeokgung Palace (99 Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul) Tour fee: 30,000 won (about 30 U.S. dollars) Tour program Nightly tour: Historical interpreters offer cultural and historical narratives and stories throughout the course of the tour. Traditional performance: Traditional performance is delivered with refreshments of rice cakes and tea. Tour route : Donhwamun Gate (assemble here) → Jinseonmun Gate → Nakseonjae Hall (appreciating the full moon) → Buyongji Pond (appreciating the full moon) → Bullomun Gate → Yeongyeongdang Hall (traditional performance) → forest trail of the Secret Garden → Donwanmun Gate (departure) *The planned program may change subject to weather or other circumstances.

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Heritage Today

Moonlight Tour Program for the Second Half of 2015 Title: 2015 Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour Tour season: August through October 2015 Dates and entrance time

Buyongji Pond in the Secret Garden, the best spot to enjoy the beauty of the full moon.

Division Foreigner

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Dates

25, 26

Time

20:00H

19:00H

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Documentary Heritage

The Archives of Saemaul Undong Text & photos by Lee Hyeon-ju, Korea Saemaul Undong Center

A national meeting of Saemaul village leaders held in the early 1970s.

Saemaul Undong (New Community Movement or New Village Movement) was initiated by the then President Park Chung-hee in a speech addressing a meeting of provincial mayors and governors on April 22, 1970, and has been in continuous operation until the present. The collection of documentary records produced during 1970–1979 was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2013 under the title “Archives of Saemaul Undong.” The inscription covers approximately 22,000 documents, including presidential speeches, official communications, books, photographs, and films created by the Office of the President, reports and correspondence between central and local administrative agencies, leaders and residents of villages, and the Saemaul Undong Training Institute. These materials are housed at the National Archives of Korea and the Korea Saemaul Undong Center; those stored at the Center were registered as State-designated Documentary Material in 2011, subject to special management and conservation by the central government.

Donated documents on display at the Saemaul History Museum.

Saemaul Undong Documents as Memory of the World Although the movement has been in operation for the last 45 years, the inscription on the Memory of the World Register was restricted to the 1970s for the following interconnected reasons. First, the inscription efforts were geared toward emphasizing achievements—among others—in poverty reduction, which was the principal purpose of the movement during the 1970s. Second, the emphasis on the alleviation of poverty during the decade is the primary attribute that endows the movement with global recognition as a successful case of community development. Third, the modernization of rural areas of the 1970s, which was pulled off through the participation of the whole nation, is greatly praised and widely adopted as a role model for the eradication of poverty in developing countries in Africa and Asia. Fourth, documents from the 1970s have been systematically managed at the governmental level, offering an integrated body of information for evaluation. South Korea is the only country in the world that has achieved both economic growth and democratization within a short course of time, rising phenomenally in the wake of Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945) and the Korean War (1950–1953). Rapid economic expansion was accompanied with rural development and poverty reduction: the average income of a farm household had skyrocketed from 825 U.S. dollars in 1970 to 4,602 U.S. dollars in Donated documents on display at the Saemaul History Museum. 1979. Behind this success was Saemaul Undong, which began as a rural development program and, as the movement engendered conspicuous results in improving rural incomes, expanded into urban areas, workplaces, and schools, ending up as a nationwide modernization movement. As the spirit of Saemaul Undong, highlighting “diligence, selfhelp, and cooperation,” was disseminated among farming communities, phenomenal changes came about in terms of hygiene, living spaces, and farming Manuscripts of Saemaul leaders’ success stories. facilities. Saemaul Undong is credited with laying the foundation for catapulting a war-torn country into one of the top ten world economic powers at present. South Korea’s economic journey propelled by Saemaul Undong offers inspiration to the world: the United Nations

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Documentary Heritage

The Archives of Saemaul Undong Text & photos by Lee Hyeon-ju, Korea Saemaul Undong Center

A national meeting of Saemaul village leaders held in the early 1970s.

Donated documents on display at the Saemaul History Museum.

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Documentary Heritage

adopted Saemaul Undong as a role model for poverty eradication, and a number of developing countries are eager to learn from the county’s development.

Major Contents of the Inscribed Documents The Archives of Saemaul Undong are categorized into the following: 1. Documentary materials produced by the Office of the President. These were produced by a special policy division, established by the presidential office for the implementation of Saemaul Undong. The materials include President Park Chung-hee’s manuscripts and speeches, which detail the ideology, vision, and spirit that underpinned the movement; and official plans and reports bearing President Park’s signature in his own hand, which vividly illustrate the ways that the ideas about Saemaul Undong were organized and put into practice. These documents offer eloquent testimony to the president’s staunch commitment to rural development and suggest a clear overview of the movement’s implementation. 2. Documentary materials produced by central and local administrative agencies. In line with related laws and support measures introduced for successful implementation of the movement’s programs, central and local administrative offices produced necessary documents within their respective roles and responsibilities. These documents provide insight on the government’s organization, functions, and roles in the process of carrying out Saemaul Undong. In particular, the Ministry of Public Information and the National Film Production Center produced motivational films and photo albums for public relations and education in support of the movement. These visual materials contain graphic profiles of those who participated in the movement and of farming villages that underwent transformation through the movement.

3. Documentary materials produced by individual villages. As the movement spread nationally, individual villages started to produce documents related to Saemaul Undong. These include village regulations, minutes of community meetings, worksheets, budgetary reports, and results reports, many of which are handwritten and preserved as archival materials. The community meeting minutes, in particular, record in detail the dates and times of meetings, project names, agenda of discussions, problems and countermeasures, and work results. They offer glimpses into how the movement was conducted in each village. 4. Documentary materials on success stories of Saemaul leaders and their letters. Saemaul leaders, who functioned at village level, played a critical role in carrying out the movement. Their success stories vividly portray how Saemaul leaders overcame hardships to lead the movement to success. These stories spread to other villages, contributing to the establishment of success models. Letters of Saemaul leaders to the director of Saemaul Undong Training Institute show the difficulties they faced and how they resolved these problems, benefitting from advice from the director of the institute. 5. Letters from citizens, organizations, and business corporations, and donation certificates. Many citizens, organizations, and business corporations sent letters, cash donations, and goods to the Office of the President and other government agencies to contribute to the movement, conveying hopes that the movement would help the nation overcome poverty. The presidential office replied to every letter, contributing to active communication between the government and the public while the movement was underway.

An official report by the presidential office on the provision of a grant to high-performing villages.

6. Documentary materials produced by Saemaul Undong Training Institute. As the primary agency responsible for education of Saemaul leaders, the Saemaul Undong Training Institute produced training materials. Training at the institute emphasized the spirit of diligence, self-help, and cooperation through group discussion, field trips, and farm skills training. Relevant documentary materials include textbook manuscripts, slide presentations on success stories, tape recordings The Archives of Saemaul Undong on display.

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Documentary Heritage

adopted Saemaul Undong as a role model for poverty eradication, and a number of developing countries are eager to learn from the county’s development.

An official report by the presidential office on the provision of a grant to high-performing villages.

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Documentary Heritage

of lectures, lists of training course participants, activity records, group discussion charts, and verbal testimonials from the 1970s.

Values of the Archives of Saemaul Undong Authenticity The Archives of Saemaul Undong are original documents that authentically deliver information on the contextual conditions under which the movement was conceived; how it was carried out at village level; and what kinds of changes ensued as a result. Rarity The Archives of Saemaul Undong cover handwritten authentic documents created by diverse stakeholders including the president, farmers, village leaders, and citizens, representing various perspectives on the movement’s operation and successful attributes. Few parallels are to be found in the world. Integrity The Archives of Saemaul Undong are preserved and managed by the National Archives of Korea and the Korea Saemaul Undong Center. The materials produced by government agencies are stored at the National Archives of Korea; those from the Saemaul Undong Training Center, villages, and individuals are housed at—and continuously collected by—the Korea Saemaul Undong Center.

Importance of Saemaul Undong Records What buttressed Saemaul Undong were rural communities’ passionate aspirations, voluntary participation, and intellectual revolution to achieve a better life. The communities’ passion for a better life was not just confined to individual and familial levels, but was translated into collective efforts for constructing a better community. The Archives of Saemaul Undong are a body of historic documents portraying the lofty endeavors of farmers and farming communities. They are a record of rural development that took place during 1970–1979, describing how povertystricken villages, numbering about 34,000 nationwide, overcame the vicious cycle of destitution and backwardness. The archives convey success stories of the farmers who broke from the hardship of poverty and serve evidence of the national leader’s strong will and civil servants’ dedication. They are chronicles of rural development enabled by building upon the tradition of communal farming work, the improvement of farm roads, restructuring landscape and ownership of farmland, farm mechanization, and dissemination of novel farming methods. They are records of a social and intellectual revolution, which annihilated the age-old fatalistic mindset and ushered in ownership and a pioneering spirit. In addition, the Archives of Saemaul Undong bear witness to strides for women’s social participation and status in the countryside, empowered by breaking away from traditional customs and actively participating in the movement.

World significance Saemaul Undong showcases a triumphant cooperation between public and private, which was realized through the government’s considerable support and farming communities’ proactive participation. The movement brought about remarkable achievements over a short period, in implanting scientific farming methods, enhancing women’s social status, modernizing rural areas, and nurturing democratic consciousness. Saemaul Undong is attracting global attention for its contributions to both rural and national social development. The rural development initiatives driven by community participation, which are manifest in the Archives of Saemaul Undong, provide insights for global poverty alleviation and international development assistance. These are widely cited as a reference for international development agencies and developing countries intent to achieve improvement in famine eradication, poverty alleviation, rural development, and gender equality.

English editions of Saemaul Undong motivational picture books.

Document files related to Saemaul Undong.

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Documentary Heritage

of lectures, lists of training course participants, activity records, group discussion charts, and verbal testimonials from the 1970s.

English editions of Saemaul Undong motivational picture books.

Document files related to Saemaul Undong.

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Natural Heritage

Enchanting Sceneries of Waterfalls Text & Photos by Lee Won-ho, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Administration

with the two opposing but complementary forces of yin and yang: everything on the ground comes into existence by receiving energy both from up above—heaven, or yang—and from down below—earth, or yin. A waterfall connects the up and the down, or yang and yin. A look at cascading water invokes a sense of freedom, magnificence, and sublimity, engendered by the all-through vertical stream and the symmetric division of the horizontal space. The spectacular view grabs our full attention, imparting catharsis that refreshes and renews all.

Waterfalls Captured in Paintings Waterfalls were a frequent subject of paintings from the Joseon Dynasty. Professional and literati painters, including Yi Gyeong-yun, Kim Myeong-guk, Yun Jeong-rip, Jeong Seon, Yi In-sang, and Kim Hong-do, produced a number of paintings centering around the motif of cascading water, called gwanpokdo. Such paintings symbolized the literati spirit that put a distance from the mundane world to live a harmonious life with nature. Such a lifestyle was highly aspired to by the Joseon literati, metaphorically expressed through the theme of waterfalls. While the word gwanpok means “looking at a waterfall against the background of nature,” a gwanpokdo, or a picture of gwanpok, mainly depicts a waterfall and a human gazing at the falling water, expressing one’s aspiration to break from the mundane world to get close to the truth.

Jeongbangpokpo Falls in Jeju (Scenic Site No. 43).

The Korean Peninsula has long been famous for scenic mountains rising majestically through the length of the peninsula, including Mt. Seoraksan, Mt. Jirisan, and on Jeju Island, Mt. Hallasan. Just as numerous are waterfalls noted for spectacular landscapes. A waterfall is formed when a river or stream drops over a steep rocky height or down a series of shallow steps on its course.

Thus, taking a primary position in gwanpokdo are a waterfall and a human figure observing the falling water. In paintings from an earlier Joseon period, the human looks at the waterfall at a distance; however, the human approaches closer to the waterfall toward the end of the Joseon era, suggesting the waterfall—rather than a conceptual utopia—as a landscape feature that enhances the aesthetics of the painting. Another landscape factor is a rock, which contrasts with the falling water, adding vitality and maximizing the spectacle of the view. A pine tree—expressive of the literati’s fidelity and integrity—also frequently appears in gwanpokdo, emphasizing the symbolism of waterfall.

Magnificent Waterfalls At a waterfall, a ferocious stream of water ceaselessly drops over a vertical slope. The cascading flow of fiercely running water, thundering sound, and delicate mist and foam as it hits the bottom combine to create a magnificent waterfall landscape. The falling water can be regarded as a manifestation of duality in the Asian philosophy of yin and yang. This way of thinking conceptualizes the cosmos as a space overflowing

State-designated Waterfalls The Korean Peninsula is dotted with countless waterfalls renowned for beautiful landscapes. Among them are the four state-designated ones in South Korea: Jeongbangpokpo Falls (Scenic Site No. 43), Biryongpokpo Falls (Scenic Site No.

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Natural Heritage

Enchanting Sceneries of Waterfalls Text & Photos by Lee Won-ho, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Administration

Jeongbangpokpo Falls in Jeju (Scenic Site No. 43).

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Natural Heritage

95), Towangseongpokpo Falls (Scenic Site No. 96), and Daeseungpokpo Falls (Scenic Site No. 97).

Towangseongpokpo Falls in winter.

Cheonjeyeonpokpo, literally meaning “pond of the Jade Emperor.”

Cheonjiyeonpokpo Falls, one of the three most celebrated waterfalls in Jeju.

Jeongbangpokpo is one of the three most celebrated waterfalls in Jeju Island along with Cheonjiyeonpokpo and Cheonjeyeonpokpo. Situated in Seogwidong, Seogwipo-si, Jeongbangpokpo is one of the 10 most scenic sites in Jeju. The headwaters of the waterfall is Dongheungcheon Stream; a historical record can be found of a pond named Jeongmoyeon situated in the upper Dongheungcheon in the 15thcentury atlas Dongguk yeoji seungnam (Augmented Survey of the Geography of Korea). Jeongbangpokpo is known as the only waterfall in Asia that comes down directly into the ocean, mixing with the surrounding oceanic landscape to create a breathtaking scene. Vertically 25 meters and horizontally 10 meters, the water cascading over a cliff of columnar joints goes well with the coastal landscape, and sometimes gives birth to rainbows reflecting the sunshine. Among the columnar joints near Jeongbangpokpo are sea caves, adding wonders to the overall scenery. Although not registered in the national heritage list, Cheonjeyeonpokpo makes picturesque scenery surrounded by subtropical forest, which is itself designated Natural Monument No. 378. Renowned as a three-tiered waterfall, Cheonjeyeonpokpo is home to solipnan (or skeleton fork fern; Psilotum nudum);

and colonies of evergreen trees, deciduous trees, vine plants, and shrubs. Literally meaning a “pond of the Jade Emperor,” Cheonjeyeonpokpo is associated with a number of legends. One of them is about chilseonnyeo, or seven nymphs, who were said to descend from heaven and bathe in the pond beneath the waterfall. The Chilseonnyeo Festival is annually held in Seogwipo-si to the present. Cheonjiyeonpokpo is another most celebrated waterfall in Jeju, recognized for the highest number of Natural Monuments concentrated in a single place. The waterfall, 22 meters long and 12 meters wide, merges with the rugged precipice and subtropical and warm temperate forests to form a spectacular landscape. The area around the waterfall is protected as a Natural Reserve, subject to strict bans on plant collecting, logging, and animal poaching. There are a number of rare varieties of flora growing in the forest, including dampalsu namu (Elaeocarpus; Natural Monument No. 163), gasi ttalgi (Rubus hongnoensis), skeleton fork fern, sanyuja namu (Xylosma congestum), coralberry (Ardisia crenata SIMS), sanhosu (Viburnum awabuki K. Koch). Furthermore, a habitat of giant mottled eels (Natural Monument No. 27) lies within the 20-meter-deep pond beneath the waterfall, and the subtropical forest around Cheonjiyeonpokpo is designated Natural Monument No. 379. As one of the state-designated waterfalls in South Korea, Towangseongpokpo is one of the 10 most scenic sites in Mt. Seoraksan, having Yukdampokpo and Biryongpokpo waterfalls in its vicinity. Situated in Towanggol Valley south of Nojeokbong Peak, Towangseongpokpo is preeminent for its grand scale: the waterfall is composed of three tiers—at 150 meters, 80 meters, and 90 meters respectively—320 meters from top to bottom. Access to the waterfall is normally restricted, but in winter when the water freezes, it is open to ice climbers. The name Towangseong is noted in the 18th-century geography book Yeojidoseo: “Towangseong Fortress: Located east of Mt. Seoraksan. Legend has it that King Toseong built the fortress. There is a waterfall, which runs over stone cliffs for a very long height.” Seen from a bird’s-eye view, the Towangseongpokpo falls, which cascade 320 meters, creates a mesmerizing view. It is said that the falling water looks as if a strip of white silk is stretched over a rock. The water flowing from Towangseongpokpo feeds into Biryongpokpo and Yukdampokpo waterfalls. Robustly cascading flows of water create enormously captivating views. Appreciating the otherwordly sceneries created by waterfalls, Korean ancestors dreamed of a utopian paradise they desired to reach. In the present, the spectacular streams of waterfalls seem to reflect the tremendous economic heights modern Korean society has achieved as well as the people’s aspirations for even better lives.

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Natural Heritage

95), Towangseongpokpo Falls (Scenic Site No. 96), and Daeseungpokpo Falls (Scenic Site No. 97).

Towangseongpokpo Falls in winter.

Cheonjeyeonpokpo, literally meaning “pond of the Jade Emperor.”

Cheonjiyeonpokpo Falls, one of the three most celebrated waterfalls in Jeju.

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Photo Gallery

National Treasures: Royal Palaces Text by Cultural Heritage Administration Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration

The Main Hall of Jongmyo Shrine, enshrining ancestral tablets of 49 Joseon kings and queens.

The wooden structures designated National Treasures epitomize the finest forms of art and cultural expression of the time of their production. Buildings in royal palaces, in particular, are the concise expression of architectural technology, governing philosophy, and political ideology of the day, signifying the dynasty’s authority and splendor. They include Geunjeongjeon Hall and Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Gyeongbokgung Palace; Injeongjeon Hall in Changdeokgung Palace; Myeongjeongjeon Hall in Changgyeonggung Palace; and the Main Hall of Jongmyo Shrine. As the main hall of the main palace during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), Geunjeongjeon was a place where royal rituals including coronations and celebratory ceremonies were held. The Main Hall of Jongmyo, with a floor space of 1,270 square meters, was arguably the world’s largest timber structure of the time, constructed in a modest and unpretentious style in contrast to the splendid and decorative architectural style for other royal buildings and Buddhist structures. Geunjeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace, a two-story structure of five bays both in front and on the side.

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Photo Gallery

National Treasures: Royal Palaces Text by Cultural Heritage Administration Photos by Cultural Heritage Administration

The Main Hall of Jongmyo Shrine, enshrining ancestral tablets of 49 Joseon kings and queens.

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Photo Gallery

Injeongjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace.

Myeongjeongjeon Hall of Changgyeonggung Palace has a hipped and gabled roof.

Gyeonghoeru, a pavilion built in a manmade pond located northwest of Geunjeongjeon Hall.

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Photo Gallery

Injeongjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace.

Myeongjeongjeon Hall of Changgyeonggung Palace has a hipped and gabled roof.

Gyeonghoeru, a pavilion built in a manmade pond located northwest of Geunjeongjeon Hall.

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Design Heritage

Aesthetic Beauty of Jogakbo Design Text by Heo Won-sil, Director, Museum of Korean Embroidery Photos by Heo Won-sil & Good Image

Women during the Joseon Dynasty stitched together multicolored scraps of fiber to make jogakbo, or patchwork wrapping cloths. The craft of making use of leftover cloth scraps developed exclusively among ordinary people, rather than the gentry. Socially and spatially confined to their quarters under rigorous Confucian rules, women applied ingenuity and attentive care in patching together cloth fragments in diverse colors and shapes into artistic patterns on eminently utilitarian wrappers of many uses.

History of Korean Wrapping Cloths The history of wrapping cloths—and of embroidery—is assumed to date back to 2,000 years ago during the Bronze Age, when textile production began. Goguryeo mural paintings from 1,500 years ago, in particular, portray figures wrapped in voluminous cloths, giving evidence to an age-old history of wrapping cloth making on the Korean Peninsula. Wrapping cloths were essential in everyday life for storing many household belongings in a limited space. Four distinct seasons on the Korean Peninsula required the packing and storage of out-of-season garments and beddings several times a year; people used wrapping cloths to make efficient use of limited space for everyday items that were temporarily not in use. Besides, gifts were carefully presented to others covered in wrapping cloth. As such, wrapping cloths have long served multiple functions in the daily life of Koreans. Sewing together pieces of fabric one stitch after another, Korean women perceived the process of making patchwork wrappers as an act inviting good fortune.

Patchwork Wrappers on the Global Stage Korea, along with Japan and Turkey, are the three countries in the world that still retain cultural practices related to wrapping cloths. Turkey’s traditional wrapping cloths have embroidered designs; dyed ones are found in abundance in Japan. Patchwork wrappers are unique to Korea. This distinctive Korean cultural artifact has been shown to the world through special exhibitions. There have been about 60 such exhibitions since about 30 years ago, attracting about seven million visitors. It is estimated that a successful exhibition produces a ripple effect reaching 30 times as many people as the number of actual visitors. The patchwork wrapping cloth is often described in parallel terms with abstract artworks by Paul Klee (1879–1940) and Piet Mondrian (1872–1944). Though the

Red-hued scraps of cloth add vibrancy to an otherwise monotonal brownish color composition.

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Design Heritage

Aesthetic Beauty of Jogakbo Design Text by Heo Won-sil, Director, Museum of Korean Embroidery Photos by Heo Won-sil & Good Image

Red-hued scraps of cloth add vibrancy to an otherwise monotonal brownish color composition.

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Design Heritage

patterns, colors, and sensibility may look similar, Korean patchwork wrappers predate the works of the prominent Western painters. The international appeal of Korean women’s patchwork has been proven in several occasions. After a six-month exhibition of jogakbo at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, about 10 years ago, commentaries noted jogakbo’s influence on local design products. Reports on a similar trend were also made in Turkey after an invitational exhibition of patchwork wrappers in the country two years ago. These examples illustrate the potential of Korean patchwork wrappers to serve as a source of artistic inspiration in the international community in the future. Born in the past and recreated in the present, jogakbo embody Korean ancestors’ innate artistic vision and creativity, being both traditional and modern, practical and artistic.

Aesthetic Value of Patchwork Wrapping Cloth The cloth scraps that are sewn together to form a traditional patchwork wrapper come in mostly circular, rectangular, and triangular shapes evoking the philosophical symbolism of heaven, earth, and humans, respectively. Designs featured in patchwork wrapping cloths embody the unbridled imagination of ancient women: fish and birds swimming side by side in a pond in some, and in others birds are blooming on flowering trees. The lyrics of a Korean folksong graphically portray their imaginative power: “On a tree The needle, thimble, and pin cushion are the main tools for making branch are growing the sun, the moon, and the stars. patchwork cloth wrappers. Pick the sun, and make the topper; pick the moon, and make the lining; pick a star, and make the embroidery. Cover the edges with a rainbow, and complete a wrapping cloth.” An ardent admirer of the value of Korean wrappers, Kim Chun-su, one of the leading Korean poets of the late 20th century, once noted that the artistic sensibility epitomized in traditional patchwork wrappers far exceeds that of the West; the artworks are expressive of freewheeling imagination liberated by anonymity. The wrapping cloth is also recognized as an exemplar of minimalist art. Born out of frugal habits of mind that find uses for textile scraps, the craft of patchwork cloth making is an ecologically friendly art form, and therefore has potential to appeal to a new world seeking sustainability. The patchwork wrappers transmitted from the southwestern section of the country are made of silk cloth remnants, while the Ganghwa Island region in the northwest is known for wrappers

made from ramie. The ramie patchwork wrapper is celebrated for its superlative spatial composition and simple color scheme. When set against a backlight of gentle illumination, the ramie patchwork exhibits a unique aesthetic sensibility, which is attributable to the texture of ramie and the stitching on overlapping patches. As such, patchwork wrappers possess as much artistic value as readily displayed as plastic art works. But whereas plastic arts are executed by first securing appropriate materials with which to create an intended design, the Ramie; dress wrapper; 84 x 81 cm crafting of a patchwork cloth wrapper Ramie patchwork wrappers are usually made of fabric scraps of monochrome color in various takes off from the raw materials found shades. available at hand. Thus the wrapping cloths are to be valued twice over considering that limitations on raw materials do not limit the aesthetics and harmony manifested in the finished product. The skillful needlework and excellent aesthetic sense to assemble scraps of fabric to create a new product are attributes that elevate the craft of patchwork wrapper making to an authentic art form.

Ramie; 62 x 60 cm

Ramie; 86 x 86 cm

Ramie; 67 x 65 cm

A jogakbo patchwork wrapping cloth embroidered with flower patterns on its four corners, front and back.

Creative irregularities in the configuration of cloth scraps and the change of colors are what patchwork wrappers have in common with plastic artworks.

Made of black ramie, this jogakbo is notable for a flower pattern in the center and a symmetrical design.

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Design Heritage

Ramie; 62 x 60 cm

Ramie; 86 x 86 cm

Ramie; 67 x 65 cm

A jogakbo patchwork wrapping cloth embroidered with flower patterns on its four corners, front and back.

Creative irregularities in the configuration of cloth scraps and the change of colors are what patchwork wrappers have in common with plastic artworks.

Made of black ramie, this jogakbo is notable for a flower pattern in the center and a symmetrical design.

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Foreigner's View

Experiencing Korean Traditional Festivals Text by Hendrikje Lange, Korean National University of Arts, Dep. of Traditional Performing Arts Photos by National Intangible Heritage Center & Good Image

Gangneung Nongak, a traditional farmers’ musical performance.

Korea has an amazingly abundant festival culture. Ranging from traditional music gugak to western classical music or Jazz, from dance to film, from martial arts to handcraft, from Korean food to snow or mud, it seems there's no topic which cannot be made into a festival. In that dazzling array of events there are quite many festivals which feature, or at least include in some way, traditional folk performing arts, most prominently pungmul or nongak and the modernized version of it, samulnori, but also mask dance, the namsadang repertory, including tight rope walking, or even shaman ritual music and dance. The festivals are mostly held in a contemporary or Western style setting: on a stage, with all the usual technical equipment, seats for the audience, a fixed performance length and time, etc. I have experienced some of these festivals as a performer and some as a visitor. A trend I recognize, is the attempt to make these festivals and the traditional arts they feature more showy. Which means: brighter, bigger, faster, and louder. Following the setting of TV shows it seems now to be an imperative to have at least one famous figure serving as an MC. Almost a standard is also a row of tents set up on the festival site in which “culture experience programs” are offered, such as trying out some traditional handcrafts, instruments or plays. This is not meant to educate foreign visitors in particular, but a way to educate Koreans about their own traditions. Again another way to bring Koreans in touch with traditional music is to combine

the program with contemporary popular music styles: I remember when in 2014 I was invited to perform with my team, Expats Samulnori Team, at the Nangye Gugak Festival in Yeongdong, we were surprised to play on the main stage in front of a big crowd. Our performance was well received. The reason for that huge crowd though were not us, nor the Korean traditional dancers who had performed prior to us; it was the concert of a popular music star they were waiting for.

A performance of traditional Korean music, or gugak, played by musical instruments including the haegeum (two-stringed zither), daegeum (long transverse flute), piri (flute), and janggu (hourglass drum).

Some festival concepts do take a different approach: for example, the Dongpyeonje Sori Festival in Gurye and the Jeonju Sori Festival. Their core element is the idea to stage pansori (but also other gugak genres) in the intimate and traditional surrounding of a hanok house, but both also present larger productions. In Jeonju the scope of the festival gets broadened even beyond Korea, by inviting other countries’ folk music performers. Personally I hope that the latter approach—to present traditional music in a setting which is suitable for it—could be seen more frequently. I believe that in the long run it is a more sustainable way to highlight the value and particular quality of these arts than trying to align them with the modern entertainment industry. A whole other category than the above-described music festivals is the seasonal folk festivals, which are held according to the lunar calendar: the lunar New Year Seollal , the first full moon's celebration Daeboreum, the harvest and thanksgiving holiday Chuseok, Danoje, which is held at the beginning of summer, or the various shamanic village and fishing rituals, dodanggut, pungoje, etc., which have been held throughout centuries. They might even Donghaean Byeolsingut, a village shamanic ritual from the east coast. not be advertised as “festivals,” but I regard them as prototypes of what a Korean festival is and they are for sure the matrix of many of the folk performing arts which are now taught at universities and are increasingly performed on the international stages. What sets these festivals apart is that they were not thought out and staged by an event organizer, but have developed out of the community life over several centuries

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Foreigner's View

Experiencing Korean Traditional Festivals Text by Hendrikje Lange, Korean National University of Arts, Dep. of Traditional Performing Arts Photos by National Intangible Heritage Center & Good Image

Gangneung Nongak, a traditional farmers’ musical performance.

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Foreigner's View

and through changing cultures. Thus they allow a look into the community's cultural and religious history and identity, not in the sense of a re-enactment of the past, but as a living tradition. The intimately intertwined blend of religious rituals, seasonal food and drink, music and dance, clothing and handcraft form what in German is called Gesamtkunstwerk, or a total work of art. The distinction between ritual and entertainment, as well as performers and audience is blurred. These festivals are basically held by the people for the people. They are part of the community life and take influence in it and they help form a common identity by generating common experience and knowledge. I would like to describe one example of such a seasonal festival: Imsil Pilbong Daeboreum Gut that I had been visiting in February 2014.

Imsil Pilbong Daeboreum Gut It is not one of the “big” festivals, but it features pilbong nongak, which is one of the country’s most representative six styles of nongak, or “farmers drumming and dance,” and is registered as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 11-5. The festival is held to greet the new year's first full moon. It is still largely community-based, even though young drummers are called in to complement and reinforce the local nongak team. I assume that it is an abridged version of the original village festival, but it still shows the core elements of the custom and also still maintains its ritual elements, which are the chasing-away of evil spirits and the prayer for good fortune. The festival site was the Pilbong village itself. To welcome visitors, a small information booth was installed and a flyer, introducing pilbong nongak and explaining the different parts of the festival, was at hand. Some simple food and drink and some traditional activities to try out were prepared as well. A microphone was used only at two occasions, during the dangsanje ceremony and during pan gut for the taepyeongso (conical oboe) player and later the daegeum (long transverse flute) performance of a guest musician. A stage did not exist, though the large field, where the pan gut was held at night, was illuminated with floodlights. Imsil Pilbong Nongak, a farmers’ performance from Pilbong, Imsil in Jeollabuk-do Province.

The festival started at 2:00 p.m. with the gathering on the village square where the gi gut, the greeting of the flag was held, after which the colorful procession of the nongak band and guests proceeded to the holy old tree at the village- entrance to hold the dangsanje ceremony, where offerings, prayers and entertainment were presented to the guardian spirit believed to dwell in the tree. After a good deal of drumming and dancing which set everybody in high Dangsanje, a village ritual for bringing about good fortune spirits, a prayer was read and representatives of the village, and chasing away evil spirits. musicians, as well as visitors were invited to offer a ritual cup of rice wine and three deep bows in front of the altar table which had been set up on the foot of the tree. The procession went then on to visit another spot of great importance to the village, the water well, to hold the saem gut. Next spot to visit was one of the larger homes, situated little above the village, where the band leader, sangsoe, symbolically asked to open the gate (mun gut), after which they entered the court yard to perform madang balbi, a ritual meant to expel the bad and bring in the good fortune to a household. The house wife offered makkeolli rice wine, food was shared, songs were sung, and witty talks were exchanged. When night had fallen, the whole bunch of people went back down to the village. It was by then that the feeling of being an observer had changed to a feeling of “belonging to.” At about 7:00 p.m., the highlight of the day, the pan gut, was held. This was the actual “performance” part, during which the team showed various dance formations, solos were performed by musicians and dancers and a hand-clapping game was played. The audience, standing in a large circle formed the stage for the pan gut but also got involved in dancing and cheering on the performers. Around 10:00 p.m. the bonfire was lit, accompanied by the nongak band and the sound of the teapyeongso, while people were silently making a wish for the new year. This example shows that these folk festivals are not isolated islets of olden times. They are influenced by contemporary lifestyle and modern festival formats. Intangible heritage does only exist as long as it is lived by the people. Living a tradition means to fill it with meaning and purpose, be it as an individual or as a community. So inevitably a tradition will adapt and change according to the people who live it. Experiencing these genuinely Korean events is a whole other thing than just seeing a great performance or being entertained. Being involved in the organism of such a festival in its multifold and complex entirety lets me grasp more than what is teachable and adds depth and meaning to the understanding of Korean traditional music.

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Foreigner's View

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Intangible Heritage

Haenyeo Culture

Haenyeo, or women divers, heading out to sea.

The Haenyeo and their Culture Text by Go Chang-hun, Professor, Jeju National University Photos by Go Chang-hun

Jeju Island, a natural heritage site on the World Heritage List, is noted for stunning natural landscapes. What attract as much attention as the island’s breathtaking sceneries are haenyeo, female divers who plunge into the sea to harvest seafood. Female divers and cultural practices associated with them comprise a unique aspect of Jeju Island, which cannot be found anywhere else in the globe.

Female diving began in the coastal areas of Jeju around the 4th century and had evolved into a full-blown occupation by the mid-19th century. Haenyeo life is structured around jamsuhoe, or selforganized associations, which decide their members’ work ethics and regulations. Working in groups, haenyeo—equipped with nothing but the traditional fishing basket taewak—dive into waters as deep as 20 meters while holding their breath for about two minutes; they do the diving, usually, for four hours a day, 15 days a month. As of 2012, there were 4,754 registered female divers belonging to 100 fishing village cooperatives, or eochongye, who are classified into high, middle, or low-skilled categories. From the late 19th century, women divers of Jeju expanded their operational boundaries, advancing into other sections of the Korean Peninsula and other countries for seasonal work. The term haenyeo culture encompasses a comprehensive range of tangible and intangible heritage which has accrued over time as women divers of Jeju have carried out their profession, generating a trove of tradition including shamanic rituals, songs, the way they make decisions, and lifestyles. The tangible and intangible heritage associated with haenyeo is also referred to as bulteok culture, in that their work at sea—preparing for diving, taking a rest, finishing up the operation, and holding meetings—centers around bulteok, their makeshift open-air dressing rooms at the seashore. Female diving was actually prohibited during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) under Confucian strictures limiting women’s activities only to the indoors. Despite the constraint, the female diving

A boatload of women divers set out to sea in this archival photograph.

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Intangible Heritage

Haenyeo Culture

Haenyeo, or women divers, heading out to sea.

The Haenyeo and their Culture Text by Go Chang-hun, Professor, Jeju National University Photos by Go Chang-hun

A boatload of women divers set out to sea in this archival photograph.

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Intangible Heritage

practice developed into a professional vocation in the distinct socio-environmental context of an island, where people, regardless of sex, should proactively face up to whatever situations are available to them for survival. In the mid-19th century, as marine resources in the waters of Jeju Island came to be overburdened by encroaching modernized Japanese fishing boats, male divers turned to more profitable jobs, hiring on as fishermen for large fishing boats. Left on the island, women divers joined forces to form self-help associations, and worked to maintain and develop their diving practice into a professional female vocation. They did not just passively adapt to their given environment, but exhibited initiative to carry out their profession. As professional workers, Jeju female divers, in search of more lucrative livelihood, advanced into other parts of the Korean Peninsula and out to other areas, as far as 10 coastal regions of Japan, and also Shanghai and Qingdao in China, and Vladivostok in the Russian Far East.

Values of Haenyeo Culture One of the outstanding values of female diving practices in Jeju can be appraised from the perspective of equitable gender roles. Women in Jeju drew on their labor force to maintain the island’s fishing grounds, and created and retained a specific female profession. This value becomes more accentuated in light of prevailing Confucian ethics of the time, which imposed strict restrictions on outdoor activities of women. The international community has noted the value of haenyeo culture in terms

of gender equality: The New York Times ran articles on female divers in Jeju’s subordinate islets of Udo and Marado in 2005 and in 2007; and the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International) held a discussion on this practice in 2014. Political value can be identified as well. The way female divers in Jeju organize and operate self-organized associations, or jamsuhoe, can be analogized with citizens’ assemblies, suggestive of the roots of democracy. Haenyeo’s political potential based on their democratic tradition was manifested when they staged a four-month-long protest in 1932 in order to protect their fundamental rights. Furthermore, it is also notable that Jeju female divers carried out operations in Dokdo every year in the 1960s, asserting Korea’s ownership of the disputed island.

After diving in cold waters, haenyeo warm up around a bonfire on the beach.

Their day’s work done, women divers pack up their gear to go home.

Female diving’s economic value is widely recognized. It is no exaggeration to say that haenyeo used to support the entire economy of Jeju Island in the past. The amount of international remittances female divers sent to Jeju from many other Asian countries they were operating in was more than half of the island’s income in cash during the Japanese colonial period (1910–1945). When the island’s economy was left in tatters after independence in 1945, they gave donations and built an elementary school (Onpyeong Elementary School). When the economy of the entire country suffered a severe crisis in the late 1990s, the women divers of Jeju played a supportive role in the island’s recovery from the downturn. Their international operations in Japan and other countries are still ongoing, making contributions to the economy of the island. Cultural value is found in haenyeo’s role as carriers of traditional knowledge and wisdom. While performing their job, female divers have safeguarded collective lifestyles, transmitted associated cultural practices, and embodied harmonious relations between humans and nature. From an ecological viewpoint, they serve as guardians of the oceanic environment through continuous efforts to maintain and conserve more than 100 fishing grounds in the coastal waters of the island. For the

Female divers in Jeju are organized around jamsuhoe, or self-organized associations.

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Intangible Heritage

After diving in cold waters, haenyeo warm up around a bonfire on the beach.

Their day’s work done, women divers pack up their gear to go home.

Female divers in Jeju are organized around jamsuhoe, or self-organized associations.

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Intangible Heritage

purpose of safeguarding the marine environment of Jeju, joining the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is worth considering as a protection policy.

Sustainable Transmission of Haenyeo Culture Statistics from the Jeju government indicate that the income generated by village fishing grounds plummeted from 30 billion won (approximately 30 million U.S. dollars) in 1995 to half that amount 10 years later in 2005, which was attributable to worsening pollution in the fishing grounds. The coastal conservation policy implemented for more than six years pushed the income back to about 20 billion won in 2011. However, there are further factors that stand in the way of safeguarding the female diving tradition of Jeju. More than 98 percent of the haenyeo are over 50 years old; the profession of diving is not covered by occupational insurance; the young generation regards diving as a hazardous, difficult profession, and avoid succession to their elders’ vocation. Furthermore, worsening depletion of marine resources results in decreasing incomes. Various efforts are being made to inject vitality into the transmission and development of the female diving practice and its associated culture. Haenyeo schools were established to nurture future female divers: one in Gueom-ri in the subordinate administrative region of Jeju-si, and the other in Beophwan-ri in Seogwipo-si. Village-level programs are in preparation, where trainees live in the same space as professional female divers and gain first-hand lessons from them. There are no divers in their 30s or younger to be found in most of Jeju, except for only a few areas including Udo and Marado. Policies should be put in place to support the young generation of women to consider diving as one of their vocational options and to inspire a sense of occupational pride about the profession of diving. If haenyeo communities are willing to implement training programs, these efforts should be actively encouraged and fully backed in administrative terms. In consideration of severe threats facing the profession in terms of its continuation into the future, the Ordinance on the Safeguarding and Transmission of Haenyeo Culture, enacted in 2009, should Haenyeo in full diving gear head to their boat that would take them to the day’s diving spot.

be applied for the support of female divers. Along with these efforts, a diverse range of associated occupations should be fostered at the governmental level, including a new generation of haenyeo, haenyeo culture transmitter, village fishing ground manager, haenyeo cultural interpreter, haenyeo safety manager, sustainable oceanic ecosystem manager, and sustainable fisher-women. A taewoo raft used in collecting the catch by haenyeo divers is displayed overhead at the Jeju To bolster the nurturing of various Haenyeo Museum. Made traditionally of fir logs trussed together, the rafts are very much a part of Jeju’s haenyeo heritage. vocations, issues about coverage for occupational insurance and payment of occupational allowances should also be resolved. Meanwhile, cultural practices associated with haenyeo have been shared with other parts of the world through cooperative programs and international meetings. The Global Peace Bulteok Assembly was launched in July 2010, where students from Hokkaido and from Jeju National University made presentations. Since 2010, the assembly has expanded the field of participants to include undergraduates and graduates from China and Poland, and in 2014 to cover international high school students. A certificate program for haenyeo cultural interpreters was launched in August 2013, and has been operated in association with the Global Peace Bulteok Assembly. The BPW International Congress held in May 2004 allocated a session for Jeju female divers, where a video was shown, featuring young women in East Timor practicing primitive subsistence diving just as Jeju’s haenyeo had done. A proposal was made for international support for them. The World Association for Island Studies, based in Jeju, put forward a proposal at the 2014 UN SIDS (Small Island Developing States) Conference held in Apia, Samoa, that international education programs for female divers should be carried out with the support of UNDP. Back in 2002, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup, academic exchanges for female divers in Korea and Japan (called ama) were initiated, and the Jeju Haenyeo Festival was launched. A Jeju conference on international haenyeo studies to be held in June 2016 is intended to bring the 2002 national event of the “First Jamnyeology Conference: Values of Women Divers and Their Cultural Heritage” to an international level. An international film festival for oceanic peace will be organized to create an arena for sharing documentaries on Jeju haenyeo, made in Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, and European countries, and for exchanges of opinions to take place.

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Intangible Heritage

purpose of safeguarding the marine environment of Jeju, joining the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is worth considering as a protection policy.

KOREAN HERITAGE Quarterly Magazine of the Cultural Heritage Administration

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| June 15, 2015

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KOR E AN HERITAGE 여름 SUMMER 2015

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Vol. 8 No. 2