By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Tea can be enjoyed in various ways, but sometimes, the cups and bowls need credit for creating a more sublime, and sometimes interesting, experience. Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, is hosting the 11th Traditional Tea Bowl Festival May 1-10, offering visitors the chance to appreciate the beauty and culture of traditional tea and tea bowls.
The festival was originally a regional program, but when it was recognized as one of outstanding festivals here by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, it was upgraded into a bigger event with more than 20 countries participating.
Mungyeong is known for its beautiful mountains and trees, and along with clean water and fertile soil, allowing it to become the perfect place to produce ceramic ware and thus bring a festival under the theme ``Smell the Aroma of Traditional Tea.''
``The festival will be held at Mungyeongsaejae, the filming location of KBS' period drama `The Great King Sejong,' boasting a bigger venue and better programs. It will be an opportunity to learn and appreciate our traditional tea bowls,'' Shin Hyun-guk, the mayor of Mungyeong, said at a press conference Thursday at central Seoul.
Mungyeong's traditional tea bowls are famous for being simple and plain in color and texture. Despite the modest exterior, the tea bowls still hold a simple yet warm charm, which compliments the clear tea when it is poured into them.
The festival is divided into three main events: The Exhibitions section, the Participation section and finally, the Public Performance section.
At Mungyeongsaejae, the hill between Mungyeong and North Chungcheong Province's Goesan, various exhibitions will greet visitors. The festival committee has prepared an international exchange exhibition with craftsmen from 26 different countries like Japan, China, and England and Canada, participating, while seven of Korea's best ceramic craftsmen will display their works at a special exhibition. There will also be one displaying foreign teas, where guests can learn more about the various teas served in other cultures and regions.
The participation section will offer various activities and events where visitors can join in and enjoy the festival, like drawing illustrations of the bowls, setting the fire in the kiln where the bowls are baked and also making their own traditional tea bowls.
Tea lovers will also get to learn Korean traditional tea ceremonies from tea experts. Join the tea lectures, where you can learn the different types of tea, both local and overseas, the proper utensils needed and some handy tips to make the perfect tea.
At the public performance section, various performances like the samulnori, the Korean traditional percussion quartet, poem recitals, and even an auction for Mungyeong teapots will take place.
To get there, take a bus from East Seoul Bus Terminal or Seoul Express Bus Terminal to the Mungyeong-eup or Jeomchon Bus Terminals, which is a two-hour ride. The site is about 25 kilometers from the terminals, and connected by bus. For more information, visit www.sabal21.com (Korean, English and Japanese).