Sagijang (Ceramic Making)
Lee Eun-gyu, Sagijang (Ceramic Making)This photo shows Lee Eun-gyu, Sagijang (Ceramic Making) who has been transmitted based on Yucheon-ri, Boan-myeon, Buan-gun.
Lee Eun-gyu, Sagijang (Ceramic Making)This photo shows Lee Eun-gyu,Sagijang (Ceramic Making) who was designated as Jeollabuk-do Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 29.
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Location1594-10, Cheongja-ro Boan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- CategoryCultural Heritage / Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Korean사기장
- Chinese砂器匠
- FieldLifestyle & Folklore / Folklore
- Contents TypeConceptual Terminology / Conceptual Terminology (General)
- Definition
- Holder of Celadon Production Skill handed down among locals mainly in the area of Yucheon-ri, Boan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do.
- Summary
- People of this country used to call pottery “sandy soil chinaware,” as white sandy soil was used to make pottery. Literature dating back to the Joseon Period refers to celadon and white celadon as “blue sandy soil chinaware” and “white sandy soil chinaware,” respectively. The people and village engaging in the production of pottery were called sandy soil chinaware craftsmen and place, respectively. Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsango, an encyclopedia compiled by Lee Gyu-gyeong, says that “sandy soil chinaware” is slang for pottery, i.e. it refers to porcelains. A “sandy soil chinaware craftsman” refers to a man holding the skill of producing sandy soil chinaware by firing an object made with white clay or the like in a kiln whose temperate goes up to more than 1,300°C. Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do along with Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do, was a leading place for the production of Goryeo Celadon. Lee Eun-gyu is a craftsman specializing in the production of sandy soil chinaware handed down in Yucheon-ri, Boan-myeon, Buan-gun. Lee Eun-gyu is famous for his appearance in the scene of making pottery from the official promotion video of the Korean national anthem.
- Lee Eun-gyu
- Lee Eun-gyu (penname: Yucheon) was born in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do in 1955. At the recommendation of his elder brother Eungu (penname: Cheongpa)[1943~], he started playing with soil when he was twenty. In Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, he learned the skill of Goryeo Celadon production for eight years from Yu Geun-hyeong (penname: Haegang)[1894~1993], and then for five years from his brother Eungu. He looked for the best soil for celadon production, finally settled in Yucheon-ri in 1986, and started Yucheon Celadon Kiln. By April 2003, he succeeded in the re-creation of jade-green color of the original Goryeo Celadon.
He engages chiefly in the production of celadon with inlaid patterns. To make decorative patterns, necessary patterns are made by means of depressed engraving on the surface of the object; the engraved lines/parts are filled with white/violet clay, and glaze is applied there, with the object made to go through the firing process. After going through the process, the violet and white clay turns black and white, respectively. Lee Eun-gyu uses olden-day technique rather than modern-day pigment. With the addition of glaze made of caustic soda, the inlaid parts turn clearer, producing a three-dimensional effect. He was designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 29/Sandy Soil Chinaware [Celadon] Craftsman in September 10, 2004.
- Current Status
- Lee Eun-gyu holds a session for the presentation of his works every year. At Yucheon Celadon Kiln, he engages in the work for the production of celadon objects and holds hands-on education sessions. He hands down his celadon production skill to his students including Lee Yeon-ju, Lee Seon-jeong, Gang Eui-seok, Kim Mun-sik, and Han Jeong-hwa.