Childbirth, Family, Joy... National Folk Museum of Korea "Recording the Blessings of the World"

"Childbirth, A Celebration for All" Exhibition
Until May 10 Next Year
Showcasing Mothers, Children, and Childbirth Artifacts

An exhibition highlighting various stories related to childbirth has been organized.

Child Growth Period (A Father's Parenting Diary). Provided by the National Folk Museum of Korea

The National Folk Museum of Korea announced on December 2 that it will hold a special exhibition on childbirth, titled "Childbirth, A Celebration for All," in Special Exhibition Hall 1 until May 10 next year. The exhibition presents 328 items, including a hundred-day jacket made by sewing together 100 pieces of fabric to wish for a child's longevity, a parenting diary written by a father, and the Cheonin Cheonjamo (Thousand People, Thousand Characters Book), which was created by collecting one character each from 1,000 people for a child.

This exhibition focuses not only on mothers and children, but also on the stories of those who have waited for and supported childbirth together. It explores the warm wishes for a child's longevity, such as the Cheonin Cheonjamo-a book placed on a child's first birthday table with one character written by each of a thousand people to pray for the child's health and happiness-and the hundred-day clothes, made by sewing together a hundred pieces of fabric to celebrate a child's hundredth day.

Also on display are items containing the stories of more than 50 people, such as a father's parenting diary recording his child's growth, a blanket made by a mother as part of her daughter's wedding trousseau to wish for the health of her first grandchild, and a midwife's travel bag, kept ready day and night while waiting for signs from expectant mothers.

Encyclopedia of Modern Women. Provided by the National Folk Museum of Korea

"In the past, elders would say that if the baby didn't come out easily, you should tie the husband's belt around the mother's belly, or swallow a raw egg to help the baby be born smoothly." - An 80-year-old grandmother who gave birth to seven children

"After becoming pregnant, I gained a lot of information from an open chat room where my younger sister, who gave birth before me, my mother, and others expecting around the same time as me gathered." - A pregnant woman in her 30s awaiting childbirth

The exhibition also offers a hidden delight by examining how women have obtained information about childbirth throughout different eras-from household guides containing superstitions and taboos about childbirth from the late Joseon Dynasty, to letters of advice from mothers to daughters in the early 1900s, government-issued booklets from the 1950s, childcare books from the early 2000s, and today’s blogs and group chat rooms.

Bobo Tribe Mask. Courtesy of the National Folk Museum of Korea

The exhibition also sheds light on childbirth customs from distant countries. Visitors can explore exhibits from 14 countries, including a mask of the Bobo tribe from Mali, the Indian Balai Kaapu ritual for safe delivery, and a Pachamama statue from Peru wishing for fertility.

The exhibition takes a multifaceted look at the various "ways of being born" encountered in Korean society, including adoption as well as biological childbirth. There is also a participatory space where visitors can share their own experiences of birth and childbirth.

A representative from the National Folk Museum of Korea stated, "Through this special exhibition, we hope to widely share the preciousness of life and the value of community care. Childbirth is a universal experience and a culture created together by communities that remains unchanged despite the passage of time. We hope that 'Childbirth, A Celebration for All' will be an opportunity to share the meaning of life and care."

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