National Heritage Administration: “Outstanding Skills in Heritage Transmission”, Yoo Seon-ok, the recognized holder of the national intangible heritage ‘Wanchojang’. Provided by the National Heritage Administration. A craftsman who has been weaving sedge for half a century has been recognized as a holder of national intangible heritage.
On the 13th, the National Heritage Administration announced that Yoo Seon-ok (70) has been recognized as a holder of the national intangible heritage ‘Wanchojang’. Wanchojang refers to the craft or craftsman of making items such as mats, cushions, and small baskets using sedge, a one or two-year-old plant that grows in rice fields or wetlands. The handmade Wancho crafts, preserving the color and texture of the plant, were historically used by the upper classes and were popular in international trade.
Mr. Yoo was recognized for his outstanding and ongoing dedication to preserving and transmitting traditional skills through a national intangible heritage recognition survey conducted by the Heritage Administration this year. The field survey confirmed his skills in key aspects of Wanchojang, such as ‘making the warp (vertical threads)’, ‘weaving the base’, ‘tying three wefts (horizontal threads) at bent or folded parts using a technique called Samorichigi’, ‘raising the height by weaving the perimeter with sedge’, and ‘adding patterns’.
Trained as a Wanchojang by Her Husband…57 Years of Skill Development
Born in Gyodong-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, a region known for cultivating sedge, Yoo encountered craft-making from a young age. She apprenticed as a Wanchojang in 1967, learning the craft from her late husband and master, Lee Sang-jae, and honed her skills in Wancho craft-making for 57 years. Recognized as a Wanchojang Transmission Educator of National Intangible Heritage in 2004, she and her husband have worked together to preserve and pass down the craft.
The National Heritage Administration stated, “Recognizing the holder of Wanchojang is expected to bring vitality to the field of heritage transmission. We will continue to recruit successors to expand the foundation for transmitting our intangible heritage.”