This article lists the practices listed in UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in South Korea.
Understand
The country has 18 practices on the "representative list of intangible cultural heritage From UNESCO.
No practice is included in the "register of best practices for safeguarding culture "Or on the"emergency backup list »..
Lists
Representative list
| Convenient | Year | Domain | Description | Drawing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Gangneung Danoje Festival | Gangneung Danoje Festival is held annually in the city of Gangneung and its surroundings, an area of the Korean Peninsula east of the Taebaek Mountains. It includes a shamanistic ritual on Daegwallyeong Ridge in honor of the mountain god and the patron gods and goddesses. It combines traditional music and Odokddegi folk songs, Gwanno masked theater, oral narrative poetry and other popular entertainment. Nanjang Market, Korea's largest open-air market, is now a major feature of the festival, selling local products and crafts, and competitions, games and circus acts are held there. This four-week festival begins with the preparation of the sacred liquor and Dano shamanistic rituals in which a sacred tree, the sinmok, as well as a ritual object made of feathers, bells and bamboo, the hwagae, play a central role. . One of the peculiarities of the festival is the coexistence of Confucian, shamanist and Buddhist rituals. It is believed that these rituals dedicated to the gods protect the region from natural disasters, thus allowing its inhabitants to live in peace and prosperity. Every year, many visitors attend ritual ceremonies and take part in various activities such as making Danoje fans, making sacred liquor, making masks for the Gwanno theater, preparing and tasting surichiwi (rice cakes ) or washing the hair with iris water. Gangneung Danoje Festival enjoys great popularity. However, cultural standardization and increasing media coverage of the event led to the disappearance of some elements of the festival. In its traditional context, one of its functions was to transcend social differences by allowing people of all classes to participate. |  | ||
| The epic Pansori songs | Pansori is a form of musical drama performed by a singer accompanied by a drum. This popular tradition, which is distinguished by its expressive song, its stylized speech, its repertoire of stories and its gestures, embraces both the culture of the elites and that of the people. Accompanied by a single drum, the singer (male or female) improvises, sometimes for eight hours, on texts mixing erudite literary expressions and rural dialect. The term pansori comes from the Korean words pan which means "place where people gather" and sori, "song". Pansori first appeared in the seventeenth century in southwestern Korea, probably as a new expression of the narrative chants of shamans. An oral tradition perpetuated by the people until the end of the nineteenth century, it was then enriched with more sophisticated literary content, thus winning the favor of urban elites. The actions, characters and situations staged have their roots in the Korea of the Chosen dynasty (1392-1910). To master the many vocal timbres and memorize the complex repertoire, singers must undergo a long and rigorous training. Many virtuosos have developed their own singing styles and are renowned for their particular way of declaiming certain episodes. Threatened with extinction in the context of accelerating modernization in Korea, the pansori was proclaimed a “National Intangible Cultural Asset” in 1964. This measure has generated generous institutional support which has enabled the revival of the tradition. While pansori remains one of the preferred genres among the traditional performing arts, it has lost much of its original spontaneous character. Ironically, this recent development is the direct consequence of conservation efforts, improvisation tending to be relegated to the background with the rise of the written repertoire. In fact, few singers are still able to improvise, and audiences are less sensitive to spontaneous creativity and the language of traditional pansori. |  | ||
| 2 The ancestral royal ritual of Jongmyo shrine and its music | Jongmyo Shrine, at Seoul, is the scene of a Confucian ritual dedicated to the ancestors of the Joseon dynasty (from the 14th to the 19th century) combining song, dance and music. Organized by descendants of the royal family, it is performed once a year on the first Sunday in May. It offers a unique example of a Confucian ritual that is no longer celebrated in China. It is inspired by classical Chinese texts on ancestor worship and the notion of filial piety. The ritual also includes a prayer for the eternal peace of the souls of the ancestors in a shrine built to serve as their spiritual abode. The order of the ceremony, set in the fifteenth century, has remained largely unchanged to this day. During the rite, the officiants, dressed in the ritual costume and the head adorned with a crown for the king and diadems for the others, make offerings of food and wine in ritual cups. The music, the Jongmyo Jerye, is performed with traditional instruments such as gongs, bells, lutes, zithers and flutes. The dance, performed by 64 dancers in 8 rows, presents an alternation of Yin and Yang forces, in accordance with Confucian texts. The Munmu dance, to harmonious and soothing Botaepyong music, always begins with a step to the left, symbolizing the strength of Yang. The Mumu dance, accompanied by Jeongdaeeop music, represents the strength of Yin and begins with a movement to the right. Today, these ancestral rites are often viewed as meaningless formal ceremonies, especially with the increased importance of Christianity. However, the ritual and its music are protected by the National List of Intangible Heritage and the 1982 law for the protection of cultural property. |  | ||
| The Cheoyongmu | Cheoyongmu is a court dance performed today on stage, but once used to drive away evil spirits and ensure tranquility at royal banquets or during exorcism rites performed on New Year's Eve to attract good luck. Inspired by the Korean legend of Cheoyong, son of the dragon king Yongwang who had taken on human form and who managed to sing and dance to ward off the spirit of smallpox from his wife, the dance is performed by five men dressed in white, blue, black, red and yellow to symbolize the four cardinal directions and the center. They wear the wine-colored mask with white teeth of the man-god, pewter earrings and a lead necklace, a black hat adorned with two bunches of peonies and seven peaches to drive away evil and attract positive energy. The dancers evolve with majesty and force, according to different styles and tempos of music punctuated by various lyrical songs. The Cheoyongmu, which is part of a popular mythology articulated around the character of Cheoyong, including the belief that his image engraved on the front door of the house keeps smallpox and other diseases away, also incorporates the philosophy of Confucianism, in particular the theory of the five elements. The making of Cheoyong masks is also an interesting possibility of traditional craftsmanship. |  | ||
| The Ganggangsullae | Ganggangsullae is a seasonal rite of harvest and fertility, very popular in the southwest of the Republic of Korea. It is performed mainly on Korean Thanksgiving Day, during the eighth lunar month. In the light of the full moon, dozens of unmarried young village women form a circle, holding hands and singing and dancing the night away under the direction of a leader. During the interludes, the women mimic scenes from life on the farm or in a fishing village, such as walking on roof tiles, unrolling a carpet, catching a mouse or tying herrings. The dance takes its name from the chorus repeated after each verse, although the exact meaning of the word is not known. Formerly a rare exception to the restrictive rules governing the behavior of young women in rural areas, who were not allowed to sing aloud or go out at night except on the day of the celebration of "Chuseok", this ritual is preserved today. mainly by middle-aged city-dwellers and taught as part of the elementary school music program. Practiced today as a performing art throughout Korea, it can be considered representative of Korean folk art. It is an important hereditary custom originating from the cultivation of rice, which was an integral part of daily life in the countryside. The simple performing tunes and movements are easy to learn for this community practice that contributes to harmony, equality and friendship among performers. | .jpg/150px-KOCIS_Korea_Namsan_Ganggangsulae_09_(9771197415).jpg) | ||
| The Yeongdeunggut rite of Chilmeoridang in Cheju | The Yeongdeunggut rite of Chilmeoridang in Cheju takes place during the second lunar month to ask the gods to ward off storms, grant good harvests and abundant fish catches. The rituals that take place at Chilmeoridang in the village of, Gun-rip are representative of similar ceremonies held across Cheju Island, Republic of Korea. Shamans in the village perform a series of rites in honor of the Wind Goddess (Grandmother Yeondeung), Dragon King Yongwang, and the Mountain Gods. Yeondeung's rite of greeting includes a ceremony to invoke the gods, prayers for good fishing, and a three-act play to entertain the ancestral gods; the farewell rite to Yeondeung two weeks later includes drink offerings and cakes made from rice flour, a ceremony to greet the dragon king, divination exercises using millet seeds and the throwing in the sea from a straw boat by the village elders. When the goddess leaves on the fifteenth day, marking the arrival of spring, she sows seeds and calms the rough waters. Besides the shamans, the Yeongdeunggut rite is mainly supported by the divers and the boat owners who prepare the food and offer the sacrifices. Both a seasonal rite and a cultural festival, this ritual is a specific embodiment of the identity of Cheju and an expression of the villagers' respect for the sea on which they depend for their livelihood. |  | ||
| The Yeongsanjae | A central part of Korean Buddhist culture, the Yeongsanjae commemorates the transmission of the Lotus Sutra by Buddha on Vulture Peak, India, which contains the philosophical and spiritual messages of Buddhism and develops self-discipline in its followers. The Yeongsanjae begins with the ritual reception of all the saints and spirits who inhabit the earth and the heavens and it ends with a farewell ritual illustrating the rules of the kingdom of Buddha in the hereafter, with songs, solemn adornments and various ritual dances, such as the cymbal dance, the drum dance and the ceremonial dress dance. The other highlights of the ceremony are the ritual purification, the ceremony accompanying the tea service, the rice meal offered to Buddha and the Bodhisattvas, the sermon inviting the assembly to find the door of truth and the ritual meal at the praise of the dead who entered the celestial kingdom. Mainly preserved by the Seoul-based Taego Order of Korean Buddhism, Yeongsanjae is celebrated in temples across the Republic of Korea to help all men enter the world of truth through worship and fervor shown to the Buddha. , to its precepts and to its monks. The ceremony plays an important role in the transmission of values and artistic forms of expression, and contributes to meditation, training and awakening. | | ||
| The Namsadang Nori | Namsadang Nori, literally "the theater of traveling male clowns", refers to a traditional multi-faceted folk performance, which was originally commonly presented by buskers and which professional troupes in the Republic of Korea continue to perform. live today. The show consists of six parts: a part of "peasant music" which highlights the percussive sound of metal gongs and drums hung with animal skins; a masked dance with four comic scenes in which members of different social classes are imitated; a tightrope walk act where an acrobat balancing on a tightrope exchanges witticisms with a clown on the ground; a puppet show featuring seven scenes performed by more than fifty puppets, accompanied by a narrator and musicians; acrobatic exercises in which physical feats are performed on the ground against a backdrop of comic dialogues and music; and a complex demonstration of spinning on a hoop with a wooden cane to close the show. Intended to entertain a rural audience gathered around open-air stages, the Namsadang Nori's other function is to convey an important social message. Mask dance and puppet numbers in particular were one way of describing the oppression of lower classes and women in a male-dominated society. Using satirical form, these shows raised issues on behalf of individuals deprived of political expression and publicized the ideals of equality and freedom, a source of support and encouragement for the poor. | .jpg/150px-KOCIS_Namsadang_(6095541967).jpg) | ||
| Daemokjang, traditional wooden architecture | knowledge and know-how know-how related to traditional craftsmanship | The term "Daemokjang" refers broadly to traditional Korean wooden architecture and especially craftsmen who use traditional woodworking techniques. The activities of these practitioners also cover the maintenance, repair and reconstruction of historic buildings, ranging from traditional Korean houses to monumental wooden palaces and temples. The Daemokjang take charge of the entire construction process, including the planning, plans and construction of buildings, as well as the supervision of the craftsmen under their command. The wooden structures created by the Daemokjang are characterized by soft lines, simplicity, and lack of ornamentation - hallmarks of traditional Korean architecture. Traditional construction methods require technical skills to draw up plans for the building taking into account its size, location and function, but also an aesthetic sense in the choice of wood that will be used as the construction material, cutting and the size of the wood, the assembly and the locking of the different pieces of wood without nails, according to the famous technique which allows them "to resist a thousand years". The know-how of the Daemokjang has been passed down from generation to generation; mastering it requires decades of training and experience. By taking care of restoring monumental buildings using traditional techniques, the Daemokjang reinterpret the beauty of traditional architecture with their artistic creativity and recreate it with their technical know-how. | | |
| Mosi weaving (fine ramie) in the Hansan region | traditional craft | Mosi, a fine ramie, is woven by middle-aged women in Hansan City, South Chungcheong Province, Republic of Korea. The region benefits from fertile land and sea winds favorable to the development of ramie. The weaving of ramie cloth involves several stages: it is necessary in particular to harvest the plants, to boil them and to bleach them, then to spin the fiber and weave it on a traditional loom. Ramie fabric, which is particularly comfortable in the hot summer months, is used to make various garments, such as ceremonial costumes and military uniforms or mourning attire. The whiteness of the bleached ramie, as well as its refinement and delicacy, make it the ideal fabric for chic clothes as well as those of the ordinary man. Mosi weaving is traditionally a family business run by women where mothers pass on the techniques and their experience to their daughters or daughters-in-law. The tradition also maintains ties between community members, with neighbors meeting and working in a specific part of town. Currently, about 500 people in the province are engaged in the various activities of ramie weaving. | | |
| Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art | Performing Arts knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe | Taekkyeon is a traditional Korean martial art based on fluid rhythmic movements, similar to dance, which allow you to strike or knock down the opponent. The graceful movements of a seasoned Taekkyeon practitioner are smooth and circular, rather than straight and stiff, but can exhibit great flexibility and considerable strength. The feet play as important a role as the hands. Despite the smoothness it produces, Taekkyeon is an effective martial art that features a wide variety of attacks and parries employing all possible combat methods. It also teaches consideration: a gifted practitioner can quickly overpower an opponent, but a true master knows how to discourage an opponent without harming him. Part of seasonal agricultural traditions, Taekkyeon serves to facilitate integration into the community and, as a sport accessible to all, plays a major role in promoting public health. Taekkyeon is also a daily practice for a large number of people. There are currently around fifty recognized practitioners and the Korean Taekkyeon Association plays an important role in the transmission and promotion of this traditional martial art. |  | |
| The Jultagi, a tightrope walk | Performing Arts | Tightrope walking is a popular form of entertainment in most countries, with acrobatic skills only. The traditional Korean art of Jultagi stands out in that it is coupled with musical accompaniment and a dialogue between the tightrope walker and a clown on the ground. The Jultagi is performed outdoors. The tightrope walker performs various acrobatic feats on the rope, with lots of jokes, imitations, songs and dances, while a clown jokes and a group of musicians play music to accompany it all. The tightrope walker begins with simple figures that gradually become more acrobatic and more difficult, deploying around 40 techniques during a demonstration that can last several hours. Today, tightrope walkers are often invited to local festivals held across the country, especially in spring and fall. Currently in Korea, the transmission of the art of tightrope walking is carried out mainly by the Association for the Preservation of the Jultagi of Gyeonggi-do. There are two types of training: apprenticeship from masters who train practitioners and take students, and public education which takes various forms such as theoretical training, practical courses and summer camps. |  | |
| Arirang, traditional lyrical song in the Republic of Korea | oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage Performing Arts | Arirang is a popular form of Korean song and the collective contributions of ordinary Koreans over generations. It's basically a simple song, made up of the refrain "Arirang, arirang, arariyo" and two simple verses that differ from region to region. Addressing various universal themes, this simple musical and literary composition invites improvisation, imitation and singing in unison, which facilitates its acceptance within different musical genres. Experts estimate the total number of traditional songs bearing the title “Arirang” at some 3,600 variations, which belong to around sixty versions. A great virtue of Arirang is its respect for human creativity, its freedom of expression and its empathy. Anyone can create new lyrics that add to the regional, historical and typological variations of the song, and to the cultural diversity. The Arirang is universally sung and loved by the Korean nation. At the same time, a body of practitioners of the regional versions, including local communities, private groups and individuals, actively seek to promote popularization and transmission by emphasizing the general and local characteristics of the individual versions. Arirang is also a popular subject and motif in various artistic expressions and media, including film, musicals, theater, dance and literature. It is an evocative hymn, with the power to promote communication and unity among the Korean people at home and abroad. | | |
| The Gagok, lyric song cycles accompanied by an orchestra | Performing Arts | Gagok is a genre of traditional Korean vocal music, sung by men and women with the accompaniment of a small orchestral group; it constitutes, along with several other forms of song, the jeongga or "good song". Once associated with high society, Gagok is now very popular music throughout the country. It includes twenty-six namchang, or songs for men, and fifteen yeochang, or songs for women. The namchang are characterized by their powerful, deep and sonorous voices, while the yeochang are distinguished by their shrill and slender voices. The songs of the Gagok are composed in a tone that is either solemn and peaceful, or melancholy, on a 10 or 16 beat rhythm. Traditional orchestral instruments include the geomungo (six-string zither), the daegeum (bamboo transverse flute), the gayageum (twelve-string zither) and the piri (small wind instrument with double reed). The songs of the Gagok are held in high esteem for their lyricism, harmony, refined melodies and sought-after musical composition. It takes a great deal of time and effort to master this song, and concerts require considerable personal investment and control. The Gagok is preserved and transmitted in local heritage training centers by practitioners, their communities and specialized associations. The Gagok played an important role in the formation of Korean identity. | | |
| Falconry, a living human heritage | social practices, rituals and festive events | Falconry is the traditional activity of conserving and training falcons and other raptors to catch game in their natural environment. Originally used as a means of obtaining food, falconry is identified today with the spirit of camaraderie and sharing more than with subsistence. It is mainly found along migration routes and corridors and is practiced by amateurs and professionals of all ages, men and women. Falconers develop a strong relationship and spiritual bond with their birds; strong involvement is needed to breed, train, train and fly falcons. Falconry is passed down as a cultural tradition through means as varied as mentoring, learning within the family, or more formal training in clubs. In hot countries, falconers take their children to the desert and teach them how to control the bird and build a trusting relationship with it. While falconers come from very diverse origins, they share common values, traditions and practices, including bird training methods and how to care for them, the equipment used and the emotional bond between the falconer and the bird. Falconry is the bedrock of a wider cultural heritage, which includes traditional costumes, food, songs, music, poetry and dances, all customs nurtured by the communities and clubs that practice it. |  | |
| The nongak, music groups, dance and community rituals from the Republic of Korea | Performing Arts social practices, rituals and festive events | Nongak is a popular performing art derived from community rites and peasant practices. It has become a representative performing art of Korea, combining a troupe of percussionists (who also sometimes play wind instruments), parades, dances, drama and acrobatic prowess. The artists, from the region, are dressed in colorful costumes; they play music and dance at community events for a variety of purposes: appeasing the gods, driving out evil spirits, praying for good harvests in the spring, celebrating harvests at fall festivals and raising funds for community projects . There are five distinctive regional styles of nongak, generally divided into five cultural centers. Within each region, there are differences from village to village, especially in group composition, style, rhythm and costumes. The dance includes choreographic groups and ribbon dances. Actors wearing masks and special outfits perform funny skits. The acrobatics feature Chinese plate acts and antics performed by children seated on the shoulders of adult dancers. The public becomes familiar with the nongak by attending and participating in the shows; community groups and educational institutions play an important role in the teaching and transmission of its various components. The nongak helps to foster solidarity and cooperation within the community and to convey a sense of shared identity among the members of the community. |  | |
| Kimjang, preparing and sharing kimchi in the Republic of Korea | social practices, rituals and festive events knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe | Kimchi is the Korean name for preserved vegetables, seasoned with spices and fermented seafood. It is an essential part of the Korean meal for all social classes and in all regions. The collective practice of kimjang reaffirms Korean identity and provides a good opportunity to strengthen family cooperation. Kimjang also reminds many Koreans that human communities must live in harmony with nature. Its preparation follows an annual cycle. In the spring, households procure shrimp, anchovies and other seafood which they put in brine and ferment. In the summer, they buy sea salt for the brine. At the end of summer, they dry red peppers and grind them to a powder. Late fall is kimjang season, when communities collectively prepare large quantities of kimchi and share them so that every household has enough food to face the long, harsh winter. Housewives follow the weather forecast to determine when the temperature will be optimal for making kimchi. The kimchi exchange process between families is an opportunity to share and accumulate innovative techniques and new ideas. There are regional differences, and the specific methods and ingredients used for kimjang are considered an important family heirloom, passed down most often from stepmothers to newly married daughters-in-law. |  | |
| Tug of war rituals and games Note South Korea shares this practice with the Cambodia, the Philippines, the Viet nam. | social practices, rituals and festive events knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe | Tug-of-war rituals and games in the rice crops of East and Southeast Asia are practiced in communities to ensure bountiful harvests and prosperity. They promote social solidarity, entertainment and mark the beginning of a new agricultural cycle. Many rituals and games also have deep religious significance. Most variations have two teams, each holding the end of a rope trying to pull it to the other side. The intentionally non-competitive nature of the event removes the focus on winning or losing, asserting that these traditions are carried out to promote the well-being of communities, and reminding members of the importance of cooperation. Many tug of war games bear traces of agricultural rituals, symbolizing the strength of natural elements such as sun and rain while also associating mythological elements or purification rites. Rituals and tug of war games are often organized in front of the town hall or the village sanctuary, preceded by commemorative rites in homage to local deities. The village elders play an active role in leading and organizing the younger ones and in performing accompanying rituals. Tug of war rituals and games also serve to strengthen unity and solidarity as well as a sense of belonging and identity among community members. |  |
Register of Best Safeguarding Practices
South Korea does not have a practice listed in the Best Safeguarding Practices Register.
Emergency backup list
South Korea does not have a practice on the Emergency Safeguarding List.
