Mungyeong to host tea bowl festival

Participants try pottery-making at last year’s Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival. This year’s festival will run for nine days starting April 27 in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province. / Courtesy of Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival’s organizing committee

A festival meant to promote Korea’s traditional tea bowls or “chasabal” will kick off in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, April 27, for a nine-day run under the theme “Harmony of clay, fire and wind.”

The annual Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival has been recognized as the “best” festival of this kind by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The town is a renowned pottery-producing center with over 900 years of history. This festival celebrates the traditional chasabal, whose modest, simple, almost rough exterior creates its unique beauty.

“This festival celebrates the identity of Mungyeong traditional ceramic ware based on the oldest kiln called ‘Mangdaengi’ in Korea, and hopes for Mungyeong’s reputation to spread across the whole country,” the city government said in a statement. “For the last few years, we have learned traditional things. Now it is time to innovate.”

Officials said the event will help increase public awareness of traditional tea bowls so more people will use them.

“We are trying hard to make it the best festival of its kind in Korea,” said Go Young-jo, head of the festival’s preparation organization. “What we pay attention most to is how to attract as many visitors as possible. We will do our best to make all visitors happy.”

A variety of events and performances will be held on stages that will be set up alongside Mungyeong Saejae, a mountain pass. Several foreign potters will be invited for an international exhibition, while Korean experts and scholars will host a conference in which they will discuss the latest trends in the industry.

Visitors will be given an opportunity to make a traditional bowl on their own under the guidance of professional potters.

Visit www.sabal21.com for more information available in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese