UNESCO likely to list traditional Korean paper 'hanji' as cultural heritage
Summary
UNESCO’s deliberative body recommended the traditional knowledge and skills associated with making hanji, or Korean paper, for inscription on its intangible cultural heritage list on Thursday. The paper, made from mulberry bark, has been produced for about a thousand years, with skills passed down through generations. A final decision is expected at a committee meeting in Xiamen from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5. If inscribed, hanji-related knowledge and skills would become South Korea’s 24th entry on the list.
Key Facts
- Hanji has expanded beyond writing to uses in eco-friendly building, household products and artistic works.
- Applications are categorized as inscribe, refer or not to inscribe, and items recommended for inscription generally tend to be adopted by the committee.
- South Korea’s existing entries include ancestral royal rites, pansori and the 5,000-year-old dance ganggangsullae.
- The culture of making jang, a traditional fermented soybean-based condiment, was the last South Korean intangible cultural heritage added to the list, in 2024.
This file photo, provided by the Korea Heritage Service, shows the process of making "hanji," or traditional Korean paper. Hankookilbo
The knowledge and skills associated with the production of "hanji," or traditional Korean paper, are likely to be added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.
UNESCO said Thursday its deliberative body has categorized "traditional knowledge and skills associated with the production of hanji, traditional Korean paper, and related cultural practices in the Republic of Korea" as recommended for inscription. The Republic of Korea is South Korea's official name.
The tradition of hanji, paper made from the bark of mulberry trees, runs for about a thousand years and the meticulous handcrafting skills of hanji masters have been passed down through generations.
The traditional paper has evolved over time, with hanji not only used for writing but also as a material for eco-friendly building, household products and artistic works.
A final decision on the inscription is expected between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5, when the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage meets in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen.
Applications for the list fall into three categories: "inscribe," "refer" and "not to inscribe." Items recommended for inscription generally tend to be adopted by the committee as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage.
If inscribed, the tradition of hanji-related knowledge and skills would become South Korea's 24th entry on the UNESCO list, which already includes ancestral royal rites, a percussion instrument performance known as "pansori" and the 5,000-year-old dance "ganggangsullae."
The last intangible cultural heritage in South Korea to earn UNESCO heritage status was the culture of making "jang," a traditional Korean fermented soybean-based condiment that forms the foundation of many Korean dishes, in 2024.
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