| Description |
[Inscribed in 2018 (13.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]
As one of the popular Korean folk tradtion, ssireum is a type of wrestling in which two players wearing long fabric belts around their waists and one thigh grip their opponents' belt and employ various techniques to send the opponent to the ground. It is played on diverse occasions, including traditional holidays, market days, and festivals.
Ssireum games occur on sand in any available space around a neighborhood, and are open to participation by community members of all ages, from children to seniors. The winner in the final game for adults is awarded an ox, which symbolises agricultural abundance, and the title of Jangsa. When the games are over, the Jangsa parades around the neighborhood riding the ox in celebration. The customary practice of providing an ox as a prize is meant to allow the winner to farm more effectively. |
| Social and cultural significance |
Ssireum is a dynamic game in which two players match their strength and skills against one another. The great attraction of ssireum lies in the thrill of the diverse actions—grappling, pushing, throwing, and turning—that all take place within a split second. When a smaller player throws a much larger competitor, evoking a “David and Goliath” event, the excitement of the audience is redoubled. Ssireum games take place on every major traditional holiday and serve as a symbol of Korean traditional sports and of Korean cultural identity.
Ssireum matches do not require special equipment or facilities, and therefore can be held anywhere public. An approachable sport involving little risk of injury, ssireum is used as a means of improving mental and physical health. While ssireum centers on exerting individual physical strength, it also displays the capacities of the community as a whole when organized as group or community events. Matches between neighboring villages provide an opportunity to collectively prepare and share festive food and music, contributing to community solidarity and unity.
Contests between villages would not be complete without sponsorship, participation, and unity from all community members, which explains the social function and meaning of ssireum as a community event. Ssireum helps to foster solidarity among community members as they share the excitement of the match. They also provide an opportunity to pray for harmony and prosperity in the community. |
| Transmission method |
Koreans are broadly exposed to and naturally experience ssireum traditions within their families and local communities. The experience of ssireum acquired within the immediate living environment lays a foundation for the more systematic ssireum education provided at elementary, middle, and high schools through curricular and extracurricular programs. Professional education in ssireum is offered at the university level.
It is worth mentioning the Korea Ssireum Association and its local chapters, which are closely connected with local communities dedicated to the transmission of ssireum. The Korea Ssireum Association, recently incorporated the Civil Ssireum Association of Sport for All, plays the role of nurturing ssireum trainers and professionals. The local chapters provide a variety of ssireum programs with the aim of expanding the popular basis of ssireum practice, including street contests and public lectures. It is particularly notable that efforts are made to disseminate ssireum among children, women, and people from abroad, and even train them into ssireum coaches and professional ssireum players. In addition, public media broadcasts of ssireum matches play a significant role in diffusing the relevant ssireum techniques and knowledge.
As such, the transmission of ssireum is conducted through diverse mechanisms such as customary transmission at the family and community levels; systematic education in educational institutes; expert training by professional ssireum players; and media broadcasts of ssireum games. This multi-faceted efforts has contributed not only to inter-generational transmission, but also to the popularization and specialization of ssireum. |
| Community |
Ssireum, or traditional Korean wrestling, is a popular folk entertainment that is widely enjoyed by Koreans. A diverse range of social groups from many different regions of the country participates in the practice and transmission of ssireum, including families, villages, schools, universities, and social clubs. Also involved is a ssireum organization dedicated to the safeguarding of Korean wrestling: the Korea Ssireum Association. The Korea Ssireum Association is responsible for the management and supervision of professional ssireum games, as well as supporting the practice of ssireum amon general public.
As such, the practice and transmission of ssireum transcend all social, economic, and regional distinctions to encompass the entire population of the Republic of Korea.
While the Korean people as a whole can be considered the community concerned, communities can also be identified according to particular social groups.
The first is individual families. At family gatherings, knowledge and narratives relating to ssireum are transmitted from senior family members to yourger generations. This famillial transmission provides a foundation for the inter-generational transmission of ssireum.
The second is local communities. Senior community members in each village or neighborhood have expert knowledge and techinques on ssireum or may have been professional ssireum wrestlers in the past. They transmit ssireum to the community both directly and indirecly at local events. This line of transmission is the basis for the development of ssireum's local characteristics.
The third is teachers. Teachers in local schools play an importance role in providing and supporting the transmission of techniques to succeeding generations through formal and informal education.
The fourth is private or grassroots organizations. There are a number of such organizations for the practice and transmission of ssireum culture. They not only organize ssireum games, but also disseminate Korean wrestling among those who might not have otherwise developed an interest in ssireum, including children, women, and even people from other cultures.
The fifth is former and current wrestlers. Retired wrestlers play the same role as school teachers in the transmission of ssireum: they demonstrate and disseminate a diverse range of ssireum techniques and methods through games, workshops, and special lectures. |
| Type of UNESCO List |
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |
| Incribed year in UNESCO List |
2018 |
