|
The history of Icheon has always stayed with the history of Korea's ceramic art. While going through the era of Japanese rule via the Bronze Age and the post-period of Joseon era, ceramists who reproduce the beauty of Korean ceramics have grown. In the post-period of Joseon era, they gave up ceramic business in order to evade being selected by the Royal Family. Even so, the life of the artisans remained alive and they became responsible for the hidden history of Korea's ceramic art.
Even now, there are many ceramic artisans working in Icheon that has inherited the beauty of Korean ceramics. They are writing a new history to created beauty comparable to that of the ceramics made by ancestors.
`Icheon Ceramic Art Village' imbued with the art spirit of artisans
To suit the name `Mecca of ceramic,' there are many celebrated ceramic spots scattered in Icheon. Many traditional kilns were built starting in 1960's and the Icheon Ceramic Art Village enjoyed a boom in ceramic industry with the visits of Japanese tourists. The Ceramic Art Village has taken root as a site of rich ceramic culture along with Korea's economic growth. At this ceramic exhibition, visitors can meet some 60 traditional kilns and the ceramic masters exhibiting high art spirit, and a variety of works including celadons exhibiting elegant beauty, Punchong-sagi of popular styles, white celadon displaying the beauty of white color, and the practical ceramics that can effectively used during daily life.
The World Ceramics Center where one can view the ceramics of global villages
The Icheon World Ceramics Center surrounded by mountains and lakes is a hall of ceramics culture containing the yesterday, today and the future of Korea's ceramic art. The Center houses 4 large exhibition rooms and an international-class conference room. It also houses traditional wood-fire kilns and Gombangde kilns and the theme parks like Toya Land. At this place, various activities are carried out to promote the development of the world ceramics based on international network offering an opportunity to experience the high level of Korean ceramic art.
The ceramics classes, ceramic festivals and the world ceramics biennale held at this World Ceramics Center show the superiority of Korea's ceramics by directly demonstrating to visitors through what processes Korea's ceramics were born, introducing the excellence of the Korea's ceramic art that has maintained life since long ago. Since the Icheon Ceramics Festival held annually and the World Ceramics Biennale held biennially were held at this Center, it has attracted many domestic and foreign tourists. It is becoming a venue of exchanging international culture where ceramics are studied and developed from the viewpoint of academic and cultural aspects by holding international ceramic art symposiums.
Haegang Ceramics Museum the long-held dream of master
Haegang Ceramics Museum, which was opened in 1990, is the nation's largest ceramics museum where only the ceramics are displayed. The Museum built to promote the understanding with respect to ceramics and to show the past and the present of the ceramic culture houses ceramic culture rooms and exhibition rooms where relics such as celadons, Punchong-sagi, black-glazed ceramics and ceramic pieces are displayed.
The Museum displays the ceramics collected during the whole of life Haegang Yoo Kun-hyong, designated as the master of celadon and the intangible cultural asset No. 13 and the relics of the ancestors. It introduces not only some 1,400 pieces of ceramic works but also some 20 pieces of Haegang's masterpieces from which one can experience the mysterious color of Korea's celadons. The Museum also operates separate audio/video rooms and the ceramics research center concentrating on the academic research into Korea's ceramic art. The site of actual ceramic production is offered to help understand the production of ceramics, while the Museum offers an opportunity for the tourist directly participate in the ceramic making through the ceramic art classes.
cheon, the place one desires to visit and remember
Icheon is located at approximately 1-hour drive from Seoul. The Jungbu Express Highway running from south to north intersects with Yungdong Express Highway, the east-west axis of the Korean peninsula, while the inland of the Jungbu Express Highway is also in the vicinity of Icheon. It is a traffic hub that can easily be accessed from any area because the national road connecting to Seoul, Chungju, Suwon and Yeoju is located nearby.
Icheon, a city offering attractions throughout the year
Icheon of Gyeonggi Province is well known not only as the Mecca of Ceramics, but also as a tourist spot where one can enjoy attractions all through 4 seasons. There are such beautiful mountains as Mt. Doduram and Mt. Seolbong, and hot springs where one can relieve of fatigue. Icheon was famous for medicinal water from some 200 years before, and as the excellent effects of the hot spring bath became known, Icheon is very popular as a hot spring tourist spot for the tourist in the Metropolitan areas. The Spa Plus of Miranda Hotel operated for 24 hours a day, in particular, offers the pleasure of hot spring bath with the latest facilities. The Jisan Forest Resort opened in 1996 is highlighted as a site of winter sports where one can enjoy skiing and snow sleds. It has become a well-known place of Icheon for leisure and sports activities, particularly during winter.
Icheon, a city where variegated festivals are held
Festivals are held one after the other throughout the year in Icheon, attracting more interest. The Corni Fructus festival held under the theme of Corni Fructus, the messenger of spring, decorates the spring of Icheon with the feast of yellow Corni Fructus.
The Icheon Ceramic Festival where the world reputation of Icheon ceramics is more confirmed makes Icheon more active as the Mecca of ceramics, offering an opportunity for the Icheon visitors to appreciate high-quality works.
The Peach Festival held annually offers an opportunity for visitors to check the fantastic taste of the white peaches and yellow peaches at the site of production. In addition, there is the Rice Culture Festival which shows the superiority of Icheon rice, the rice presented to the King and Korea's rich culture where rice is used as the main food. As such, there are festivals held throughout the year in Icheon. Icheon is a village where pleasant memories are created for Icheon visitors.
|
|
