Amore Museum Offers Exhibit on Late Joseon Tea Culture
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
The Amore Museum is holding an exhibition about the tea culture of the late Joseon Kingdom until Feb. 28.
Located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, the museum's exhibit displays tea drinking culture, tradition and history through various historical relics.
The exhibit consists of two parts _ the tea ceremony culture, which was enjoyed by a select few, and its gradual disappearance.
According to the museum, during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), tea was not very popular. Only the royal court enjoyed tea and used it to treat Chinese envoys. It was also consumed at royal ceremonies.
But in the late period of the Joseon era, a small group of scholars such as Jeong Yak-yong and Kim Jeong-hui, began to study teas, based on Chinese documents, to boost tea culture.
However, during the late Joseon era (1897-1910), tea was consumed only in royal court ceremonies, as coffee and other Western culture started entering the nation.
For that reason, tea utensils and accessories from the Joseon period are limited in number and are now highly valued.
The museum exhibits documents about tea culture and tea utensils from that period.
It also includes a portrait (1865) of Master Choui (1786-1865), the great Buddhist priest who re-established the tea ceremony.
Master Choui was a close friend of scholars like Jeong and Hong Hyeon-ju. Master Choui was especially close to Kim, transcending social standing and religion.
In Master Choui's portrait, behind him stands a tall writing desk, on which the Buddhist Scriptures, as well as a teapot and a burner are placed.
Also, the exhibit features a stone mortar inscribed with the Chinese character ``cha'' and a silver teacup used during the late period of the Joseon Kingdom. The mortar was used for grinding tealeaves into powder. There are three tea types _ powder, leaf and solid.
The Amore museum (ex-pacific museum) is a specific theme museum dealing with women and tea culture, which first opened in Daebang-dong, Seoul, in 1979, relocated to Yongin in 1997 and then renovated in 2004.
The collection of the museum consisting of women's ornaments, cosmetics and tea culture, is highly praised.
No entrance fee is required. For more information, call (031) 280-5595 or visit museum.amorepacific.co.kr.