Tea, History, and a Whole Lot of Fun! Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival

There are so many interesting festival that take place in Korea during May that one could even say that it’s the national month of festivals! This year, VisitKorea decided to make a special trip to one of Korea’s distinctive festivals: the Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival (문경전통찻사발축제). The city of Mungyeong (문경) is perhaps most well-known for Mungyeongsaejae (문경새재), a mountain pass along an old road built in the 15th century during the Joseon Dynasty. The pass was a major gateway from Gyeongsangbuk-do Province to Hanyang (currently Seoul) and its steep topography made it a strategically important military stronghold. It was the favored point of crossing the mountain during the Joseon Dynasty, as it was the fastest way to get to the capital; scholars had to go through the pass when going to Hanyang to take the national examination. Today, the area from Gate 1 to Gate 3 is designated as a provincial park. It is exactly here, in this time-honored region rich in history that the Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival is held.

Owing to an abundant supply of sand, soil, and firewood, Mungyeong has long since had a flourishing ceramics business and is most well known for pottery made in mangdaengi gama (망댕이가마)***, Korea’s oldest kind of kiln. The festival offers a great opportunity to see tea bowls (locally called “chatsabal (찻사발)“) that are produced by the nation's leading ceramic masters. Though deceptively simple sounding, chatsabals can take on a variety of forms and functions, depending on the whims of their creators. Visitors to the festival not only get to experience some of this surprising variety, but also have the opportunity to participate in hands-on ceramic and tea programs. Upon our arrival at the 2010 Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival, we were greeted by a fascinating sight: a traditional pottery kick wheel contest at the entrance of the festival grounds where contestants were creating beautiful works of art, seemingly effortlessly. Spotting a crowd inside the entrance, we went over to see what the fuss was about and found a ceramics program well underway. The large majority of participants were children who were concentrating intensely on hand fashioning little pots and cups. The area from the entrance to Gate 1 was lined with exhibition booths and stands for various hands-on programs. Though the entire fairgrounds were filled with people joining in the festivities, there was a particularly long line of people in front of the pavilion promoting the specialty products of Mungyeong and the exhibition hall hosting the public chatsabal contest. As we made our way along, we couldn’t resist stopping at the food booths to sample some jeon (pan-fried food) and makgeolli (traditional Korean alcohol). Festivities also include a number of performances, shows, and displays celebrating the local history and culture; there was a drum signaling victory in war and life-sized model swords in front of Gate 1. As an added bonus, the area’s drama filming set was open free to the public during the festival as the setting for a number of tea-related events. Chatsabal, orchid, and Buddhist paintings on exhibit throughout the area and programs recreating the life of government officials gave the festival a unique ambience that embraced both the important artistic side of the area as well as its historic side. Plus, we had never had such a great cup of tea. *** Mangdaengi gama: “Mangdaengi gama” refers to the traditional kiln of Mungyeong, a chambered climbing kiln with a firebox about 17 meters long. “Mangdaengi” is the name of the thick raw clay columns used to form the chambers. The parts connecting the chambers have holes, which are used as passageways for heat transmission. A mangdaengi gama is on display in front of the Mungyeong Ceramic Museum.

From the second your hands touch the clay on the pottery wheel, you will begin to see how much skill and care is needed to make even the simplest of ceramics. Every slight of hand and spin of the potter’s wheel helps transform your lump of clay into a finished piece. After you’re finished, leave your piece to dry and stop by again to pick it up before you go home. In lieu of a set participation fee, please make a donation (recommended: 500 won or more). This is an opportunity to decorate and take home a chatsabal. Using glazes and a brush, paint or write letters on a bisque fired chatsabal. Don't forget to put your name or initials on the bottom. Once the painting is done, the dish will be set out to dry fully and will later be fired in the kiln. The final product will be sent to the mailing address you provide. The participation fee for this activity is 10,000 won, plus an additional 5,000 won for shipping. The tea ceremonies are held on the drama filming set in Mungyeongsaejae, in traditional hanok houses. Take a seat on the floor and relax as volunteers wearing hanbok (traditional Korean dress) brew tea and serve you in accordance with traditional etiquette. Choose from a variety of Korean teas: omija (schizandra), dandelion tea, green tea, or lotus leaf tea. Couple your complimentary tea with “tteok,” traditional Korean rice cake that was once the nation’s favorite snack. We particularly recommend the omija tea (“tea of five tastes”) as it is a specialty of the Mungyeong region. Visitors can also sample makgeolli (traditional liquor) and rice cakes made from omija. Locally, the process of roasting tea leaves is called “deokkki.” Leaves are roasted in a heated cauldron and flipped to ensure they are evenly roasted; this process is said to be the key of making delicious tea since the roasting releases the full, rich taste of the leaves. Of course, leaves in the kettle are extremely hot so it’s always necessary to wear gloves when turning over the tea leaves. After roasting the leaves, enjoy the fruits of your labor with a cup of wild green tea. Participation in this program is free of charge. Although the festival is held mainly near Gate 1 of Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park and the park’s drama filming set, visitors who enjoy hiking are strongly encouraged to take the trail up to Gate 3. Along the trail, visitors will see pavilions, a waterfall, a spring, and an inn that was once used by scholars on their way to the capital. The trail takes about five hours roundtrip, so be sure to start early in the morning. Gate 1 - Gate 2 - Gate 3 (13 kilometers roundtrip).

Info Date: Friday, April 30, 2010 - Sunday, May 9, 2010 Place: Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park area Transportation: Seoul -> Mungyeong Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (Subway Line 2, Gangbyeon Station) → Mungyeong Intercity Bus Terminal (2-hour trip; first bus at 06:30, last bus at 20:00; bus every 60 minutes; regular bus fare: 10,800 won) Mungyeong -> Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park At the Mungyeong Intercity Bus Terminal, take local Bus 100 or 200 (10-minute ride) Accommodations: There are many accommodation facilities nearby, including Mungyeong Tourist Hotel, STX Resort, and Mungyeongsaejae Youth Hostel. List of accommodations in Mungyeong (English) Korea Travel Phone: +82-54-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) Go to Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival <!---------- 강조 중간강조 DB링크 홈페이지링크 ------------> Related column : Mungyeong’s Korea Chatsabal Festival Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festiva Official Website (Korean, English, Japanese) Official site of travel in Mungyeong (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)