National Intangible Heritage Center Publishes Five Volumes of 'Oral Autobiographies of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Bearers'

The Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Intangible Heritage Center (Director Lee Jong-hee) has published five volumes of the "Oral Autobiographies of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Bearers," which record the lives of national intangible cultural heritage transmitters through oral history. The books published this year each contain the life stories and activities of Park Yong-sun, bearer of Ganggangsullae; Lee Young-hee, bearer of Gayageum Sanjo and Byeongchang; Lee Sang-hyu, bearer of Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo; Kim Jong-dae, bearer of Yundojang; and the late Lee Seon-bi, bearer of Hwanghaedo Pyeongsan Sonoreum Gut.

▲ ‘Ganggangsullae bearer Park Yong-sun,’ who, after marriage, managed household chores while caring for six brothers-in-law and eight siblings, never forgot to pass down the Ganggangsullae melody, and as a lifelong learner in her seventies, continued to enrich her knowledge, living a diligent and fulfilling life. ▲ ‘Gayageum Sanjo and Byeongchang bearer Lee Young-hee,’ who expanded her musical world by interacting with the era’s top masters and vocalists while working as a teacher at the Korean Traditional Music Arts School, and continues to devote herself tirelessly to training disciples and advancing Korean traditional music. ▲ ‘Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo bearer Lee Sang-hyu,’ who loved singing from a young age and would follow wherever the sounds of pungmul and songs were heard, learning music by observing elders and skillfully making it her own. ▲ ‘Yundojang bearer Kim Jong-dae,’ who has continued the family craft of yundo production with perseverance and sincerity, and recently was able to pass on the heavy responsibility of tradition to his eldest son, who was recognized as a bearer. ▲ ‘The late Hwanghaedo Pyeongsan Sonoreum Gut bearer Lee Seon-bi,’ who was born in Haeju, fled to South Korea during the Korean War, received a shamanic calling, and through various experiences grew into a shaman presiding over representative gut rituals of Hwanghae Province. The stories of those born in the 1930s traverse Korea’s modern history, including the Japanese colonial period, the Korean War, and the Saemaul Movement, offering not only insights into the lives of human cultural assets but also vivid historical and life scenes.

The autobiographies are based on materials secured through the "Oral Recording Project of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Bearers," which has been ongoing since 2011. They undergo a process of reorganization that respects the original meaning according to the flow of time and themes. Additionally, introductions to the historical context, related figures, and events mentioned in the oral accounts are added to make the reading easier and more engaging for readers.

The published books will be distributed to related public institutions such as domestic national and public libraries for easy access by anyone and will be made available on the National Intangible Heritage Center’s Intangible Heritage Digital Archive website.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.