 A farmer works in a salt pond on Bigeum Island, South Jeolla Province. / Courtesy of National Folk Museum of Korea |
By Chung Ah-young
South Jeolla Province is the nation’s biggest producer of salt. The specialized production has influenced the lifestyles and folk culture of the region.
To introduce and highlight the special characteristics of the regions’ culture and as part of the “2011 Year of Jeonnam Folk Culture,” the National Folk Museum of Korea is holding a special exhibition titled “Flower of Salt” through Sept. 13.
Salt is hand-harvested by farmers, and aided by the harmonious mixture of the natural environment such as sunshine, seawater, mud flats and wind.
South Jeolla Province has the finest mud flats ranked among the world’s top five. The region has relatively shallow waters, a large tidal range, and clean fresh air along with an abundant amount of sunshine, offering ideal conditions for producing high quality salt.
The region’s salt ponds were created later than that of Juan in Incheon and Gwangyang Bay in Pyongyang in North Korea, which were established by the Japanese colonial government in 1907. But Sinan’s Bigeum County is the first salt pond that was formed in 1947 in South Jeolla Province. Since then, Bigeum Island’s solar salt producing technology has spread to other parts of Sinan region. Currently, the salt production of South Jeolla Province represents 86 percent of the nation’s whole salt production, of which, Sinan’s salt production takes up more than 63 percent.
Salt as art
The exhibition is divided into two parts — changes in salt production methods and diverse cultural spinoffs.
The first part of the exhibition aids the understanding of the production process between traditional salt called “jayeom,” which is made by boiling seawater and solar salt called “cheonilyeom,” which is created through natural evaporation of seawater. The process of traditional salt manufacturing through boiling seawater in Taean in South Chungcheong Province and Gochang in North Jeolla Province can be viewed in this section. The section displays the various tools used in solar salt ponds.
Also, a 3D video offers an opportunity to experience the process and depicts the daily life of a salt farmer in his salt pond in Sinan.
The second section features the process of the sale and distribution of salt along with the folk beliefs and folk remedies related to salt commonly practiced by the locals in the region. Traditionally, salt was used in homes and temples to drive off fire and evil spirits. Various salt products as well as international salt production methods are also featured.
For more information, call (02) 3704-3152 or visit www.nfm.go.kr.
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