'Tolling bell taught me courteous attitude'

By Lee Kyung-min

When people think of the Bosingak Bell in Jongno in central Seoul, which is tolled mainly on national holidays, including Foundation Day, Liberation Day and New Year’s Day, few are aware that every single ring is carefully managed by a bell-ringer, Shin Chul-min.

Shin, 41, a Seoul City official in the Department of Cultural Asset Management, has helped people ring the 3-meter-high bell since 2006 after learning it from the late Cho Jin-ho, a fourth-generation member of a family that had been doing the job.

Shin, who was volunteering for tolling at a ceremonial event, was chosen by Cho and received one-on-one training for six months. Cho died of bile duct cancer soon after.

“People think that ringing the bell does not require any technique, but it is quite the opposite,” Shin said.

“People say they like the sound as it calms their mind, but do not think about how the sound is actually made. In fact, the bell is being damaged, or I’d rather say ‘sacrificed,’ every time it makes that sound by being hit by the 200-kilogram bell pounder. That is why it requires the utmost effort in controlling the power to pound the bell.”

Usually seen on TV are as many as eight people standing on each side of the large pounder to toll the bell, but it is actually Shin who does the ringing.

“The ringing participants usually want to pound the bell as hard as possible to make the loudest sound possible, which is very damaging to the cultural asset,” he said.

In such celebrations, the bell is tolled 33 times. After such physically demanding work, he usually gets ill and stays in bed for a week.

Shin said that through his job, he had learned not only the act of bell ringing, but also the philosophy of courtesy.

“My master Cho emphasized that I should treat and serve the bell with respect, saying what matters is the attitude toward the responsibility,” he said. “That still lives on with me.”

Shin said that he hopes he can help Cho’s grandson carry on the family tradition.

“When Cho died in 2006, his dying wish was that I take good care of the Bosingak Bell,” Shin said. “I know that his son could not do what I do for personal reasons, but I hope I could help his 18-year-old grandson learn what I learned and help honor the valuable work.”