Bucheon Heritage Expo Seeks Global Reach
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
When National Treasure No. 1 Sungnyemun, or the Great South Gate and also known as Namdaemun, was destroyed by a fire last year, many Koreans felt a great sense of loss and sorrow. Why?
``It is not because we just lost the gate, but because the ancient masters' skills that built the gate 600 years ago disappeared. We can build a better structure than the old one with advanced techniques but we cannot revive the craftsmanship of the old times,'' said Park Chan-soo, a wooden sculptor master and executive committee chairman of the Bucheon World Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo, in an interview with The Korea Times.
Park said that's why intangible cultural properties are important in supporting the nation's spiritual culture and conjuring up the national image. To keep alive the vanishing craftsmanship, the Bucheon World Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo is gearing up to promote traditional heritage both to the world and at home.
He said the expo was designed to focus on showcasing invisible cultural assets and their holders, reflecting historical thoughts and ideas as well as the national identity.
In Korea, an intangible cultural heritage is classified into two levels: state-designated important intangible cultural properties, recognized at the national level; and local intangible cultural properties, designated by cities or provinces.
Since the inception of the intangible cultural heritage protection system in 1962, the number of state-designated important intangible cultural properties has more than tripled, increasing to a total of 113 items involving 201 persons in 2007 from 31 items in 1964.
Intangible cultural heritage ranges from drama, music, dance to various craft techniques. ``The intangible properties have no physical form, such as artistic performances or techniques. But once craftsmen make their artwork, they become tangible cultural assets. We craftsmen have both tangible and intangible cultural value,'' Park said.
The 58-year-old sculptor was designated as the Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 108 in 1996 for his wooden sculptures and owns the Moka Buddhist Museum in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.
He took the helm of the expo's executive committee chairmanship from last year to promote the importance of the national intangible cultural properties to the world. This year, from Sept. 18 to Oct. 7, the expo will mark its second anniversary at the Bucheon Visual Culture Complex, Gyeonggi Province.
The chairman said the expo will become a world-class cultural festival by offering visitors the chance to experience intangible cultural heritages elevated by the mind and spirit of cultural masters, and to share time-honored traditions of diverse countries. Through this festival, too, Bucheon, rich in contemporary cultural assets such as animation and comics, movies, and music, is expected to rise as a hub of global culture, he added.
However, the artisan said that it was not easy to serve the role as executive committee chairman because it's now just in the early stage of planning.
``I am well aware of how traditional artisans live and are treated. They lead a tough life. Sometimes, they just manufacture commercial products for sale to make a living, instead of trying to make masterpieces. So even though I know it's a daunting task for me to push ahead with the expo due to the scanty funding and recognition, I thought it's my duty for my colleague artisans,'' he said.
Park said that Japan has a well-established system to preserve traditional craftsmanship, and its people and the state have a good recognition toward them.
``I hope our country will raise the awareness about the significant role of traditional artisans, so we can concentrate on our own duty ― making a masterpiece that takes a lot of effort over a year or more,'' he said.
Park has had cultural exchanges with Japan and China to show his works through exhibitions. ``Every culture has its own creativeness and uniqueness. Japanese traditional art has its own color, touches and spirits. Korean artwork also shows our own identity even in a simple drawing. So I am very active in holding various exhibitions in other countries to showcase our spirit and culture,'' he said.
He added that intangible cultural properties can contribute to enhancing the national brand as he has done with his work. ``Making a good piece of traditional artwork is making a national product that represents Koreanness. I made some sculptures for others living in other countries. The worth of the sculpture I made creates enormous economic value. So many corporate leaders and state officers must pay attention to it,'' he said.
For this year's festival, a variety of events will be presented with a wide range of intangible cultural heritages including 1,079 cultural assets at the national treasure level. Also, 1,000 people from 12 nations in Asia, Europe and South America will take part in the event. The event will feature African artwork such as the Shona Stone Sculptures of Zimbabwe.
Visitors will find opportunities to witness master artisans practicing their skills in person, see exhibitions of traditional arts and crafts, and watch top-caliber performances from home and abroad. Visitors can also take part in hands-on experiences that will stimulate their creativity.
Particularly noteworthy at this year's expo is the expansion of performances by ensembles from abroad. Two of the must-see ensembles this year are the Mongolian Traditional Music of the Morin Khuur, and Apsara Dance by the Cambodia Royal Ballet, both of which have been registered by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritages.
Other events that shouldn't be missed include an ``International Tightrope Masters' Competition'' and a special concert performance for Chuseok, the Harvest Moon festival. This year's Expo is also marked by a significant expansion of performances geared toward kids, such as a musical featuring gukak (Korean traditional music) and a traditional-culture-themed animation, as well as hands-on programs with educational outcomes.