ALL
lacquer
ICH Elements 11
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Troe-zo: Gold/Silversmithy
Gold and silver smithy or metal carving had flourished in the country for a long time as evident from the ornaments worn by women and religious artefacts in monasteries and temples. This art is still being practiced and transmitted. It is a highly specialized art form. A special class of craftsmen called Troe-ko make jewelry of gold and silver and other items such as swords, boxes, teapots, and various ornaments of silver, often thinly plated with gold. Traditional symbols such as the dragon and other beautiful motifs are engraved on the objects. Silverwork is also found on the pillars of temples, altar tables, jewelry and other religious items. Using precious stones and metals such as coral, turquoise, silver and gold, these artisans make brooches, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, amulets with religious content, traditional vessels (Chaka and Trimi) for carrying the much-chewed beetle nut, ritual objects and much more.
Bhutan -
Nga-zo: Buddhist Drum Making
Shagzo or the traditional art of woodturning is an ancient art that has been passed down for generations. Shagzo is vibrantly practised in Bhutan and the master artisans are known as Shagzopa. Bhutan’s abundant and wide range of woods like tashing (Juglans regia), hashing (Taxus baccata), baashing (Picea spinulosa), tsenden shing (Cupressus corneyana), sermaling shing (Acer camphellii) and etometo (Rhododendron arboretum) have enabled the Bhutanese Shagzopa to create a variety of exquisite functional and decorative products like turned wooden bowls, cups, plates, and containers of various shapes, sizes and colours unique to Bhutan. Skilled wood turners also craft traditional hand drums that are beaten during religious ceremonies. Since Bhutanese tradition is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Buddha, use of drums and drum sticks are a part of the rituals performed everywhere. Used in all religious ceremonies and rituals, the Bhutanese traditional drum known as Nga, and the Nge-tog (drumstick) are indispensable articles found in every temple, monastery and home. An ancient instrument of musical offering, the beatings of the Nga symbolizes the subjugation of evil, indicates the fluctuation of tunes and wordings, and regulates the pace of other instruments during rituals and propitiation ceremonies.
Bhutan -
Si-dam-pey: Burying the obstacles/negativities
Generally, there is three wrathful tantric rituals; Nen (suppression), Seg (burn) and Phang (throw), exorcize and overcoming destructive evil spirits which the rituals reveal to be our own negative thoughts. In the Norbugang village community there are only a few households who organize the Se-nen ritual, which is performed along with the annual ritual called Lha-sey (lha gsol). Locally called Se-dam-pey, “burying the evil spirits,” the power of blessing of this annual ritual suppresses the source of ill-luck, famine, drought, diseases, quarrels, untimely deaths, and other unfavorable circumstances for the forthcoming year. It bestows peace and tranquility to the members of the family and the community as well. Se-dam-pey is performed according to the Lama Nor-jam liturgy text of the Pema Lingpa tradition, and it also includes local variations and worldly activities such as using household items to suppress the spirits and cheering with songs while dragging the Se to be buried. Locals believe this ritual was performed by Guru Padmasambhava while building the majestic Samye monastery in Lhasa, Tibet in the 8th century. Padmasambhava was invited by the Tibetan King Trisong Detsen to build Samye monastery after Vairocana, the eminent translator, could not control the evil activities at the construction site through compassionate acts. When Guru Padmasambhava arrived he used his unique accomplishment in tantric methods to summon the soul of the evil spirits and gather the country’s bad fortune which he suppressed into the ground and buried underneath the foundation of the building, concealed by vajra seal. Thereafter, the construction of the monastery proceeded without unfavourable circumstances or evil accidents. The final monastery was magnificent and could propagate the tantric teachings. Those teachings were brought to Bhutan by Guru Padmasambhava himself in the mid-eight century, and propagated by numerous eminent Vajra practitioners. Se-nen is revered as one of the most grand and powerful blessing rituals. In contemporary practice, the ritual is conducted by a community for the benefit of the people and is dedicated to all sentient beings. The power of the ritual is believed to suppress negativity and evil spells and leave blessings of peace, happiness and tranquillity. Prerequisite tools to prepare Se: -\tSe-ama or Se-lud (effigy representing the evil spirit), a painted human face on a boiled egg. -\tChong (gourd) to conceal the effigy. Although the original text requires a monkey skull to conceal the Se-ama, villagers use a gourd. -\tThe anchor is inserted through the knot and the rope is fastened to drag the Se ama into the Se-ga gang hole. -\tGo-tham shum (Egg shell to draw the face of the Se-ama -\tNab-sang (black cloth) for wrapping the gourd -\tKud-pa ney-nga (five colored thread) to bind -\tLa-cha (lacquer) for sealing -\tTek-pa (anchor) for clinching -\tRong-shong (rope) for pulling -\tThag-chey (all the traditional weaving tools) -\tNye-shing (pestle) -\tTok-tsi (small mortar and pestle) -\tGu-ga gang-che (drum handle) -\tRol-moi gang-che (cymbal handle) -\tSe-ga wang (hole to bury the Se-ama). The hole is usually dug just outside the threshold of a door. It is believed that the Se ama buried there will always remain underneath people’s feet.
Bhutan -
Robam Trud (Trud Dance)
"Trud" Dance is originated in rural communities and is now only found in Siem Reap and some villages of Battambang adjacent to Siem Reap. "Trud" in Sanskrit means “The act of cutting, detachment) The locals play this dance only during the Khmer New Year, in the sense of cutting off the old year to move on to the new year, as well as expelling evil spirits in order to get good fortune. However, during the dry season, this dance is also performed to pray for rainfall. In addition, the importance of playing this dance is to raise funds to build and repair communal infrastructures in the community, especially in the pagoda, which is not for personal gain. This dance can be joined by more or fewer dancers according to the preferences of the village or the number of volunteers. The equipment also depends on the number of dancers. The equipment is also doubled as the props and accompaniment to the dance. The complete Trud Dance can consist of instruments such as: Kanh Chhe (bamboo mast with bells on top), Changkrang Dombe, ChangKrang Rong, Sko Arak (hand drum), Bei Pok (flute), Tro Ou, Tro Sor (bowed strings) and Dang Santuch or Dang Doy (pulling bar of an ox cart) attached with an open bag for retrieving the donations. The main accessories for the Trud Dance are clown masks and crowns made of paper mache and lacquer, real deer and banteng antlers or artificial antlers made of paper mache, peacock feathers,s and fake long nails made of rattan. When performing, there are two or three priests leading the group and holding a fundraising bowl, and giving blessings to those who Donate. If it is played in rain asking ritual, the priest who leads the ceremony is called “Dangkhao”. The lyrics are not the same, it depends on the preference of the group or the village because some lyrics can be created immediately according to the actual situation in order to convince the donor to give more donations. But the interesting thing is that most of the "songs" contain 4 syllables in each line. 6 The following are some excerpts from the lyrics in the document of Samdech Preah Vanroth Iv Tuot, Chief of Monk from Battambang Province: Lyrics on arrival at the ceremonial ground I arrive outside your gate, calling out to you. My respected master Can I come inside? (Vocalizing) oh na neang na Can I come inside? Permit or not, Please let us know. We can come in or not, Please quickly tell us. (Vocalizing) oh na neang na Please quickly tell us. Fellow team! Fellow team! That the fire is lit Means that we are welcomed. (Vocalizing) oh na neang na Means that we are welcomed. Lyrics when asking for alms This Trud is not from here. This Trud is not from here. The master ordered us That we came here to play. (Vocalizing) oh na neang na That we came here to play. Big house with sculptures Stair steps made of silver Suiting his wealth (Vocalizing) oh na neang na sa ra mom bong. Lyrics when collecting the scattered alms Some hide, some throw, Some scoop up, Don’t talk, lads! Catch the money quietly (Vocalizing) Yeur chhai nao nao neang nan a na oun euy. Lyrics to bless the givers Fellow team! His silk and thread He gave us all We shall bless him. To have a son She weaves silk to bless regularly Officials He gave us all To get a mouthful for a daughter Soup for money. We bless him. Children as well. Sculpture land. Before performing, people prepare an offering for Lord Vishvakarman and the spirits of the land and nature. Then the priest ties holy thread to the wrists of the dancers and puts on the masks and horns for the performers. Mr. Pol Sam Oeun researched this dance in Battambang province and choreographed it as a performance on stage and performed for the first time by Mr. Meas Kok, who was the first singer to hold the Dang Santuch, and the following performers: Mr. Ros Lon, Mr. Meas Sam El, Ms. Mom Hoy, Mrs. Sieng Sivhun, Mrs. Kaing Steng, Mrs. Ok Leung, Mr. Hing Tim, Mr. Moeung Chandara, Mr. Kong Samith, Mr. Pen Lon, Mr. Put Lon, Mr. Suon Sareth, Mr. Eam Sean, Mr. Pen Yet. The dance ceased to be performed in 1975 and resumed in December 1979. Today, Trud Dance is very popular because during the period before the New Year. It is performed in government institutions, companies, or private houses to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity.
Cambodia -
Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan
Float festivals are communal festive events in which all members of the communities get together to pray for peace in the communities and protection from disasters. At the heart of the festivals is the procession of floats bearing creative decorations that showcase the diversity of local cultures. Community members derive their pride and identity from the float festivals that are the biggest single festive event of the year for them. The oldest float festival dates back to the 9th century, but most of the festivals began after the 17th century and spread to various regions. Local people in these regions then modified the festivals with their own creativity. Floats are huge constructs pulled or shouldered by members of communities. They are inhabited by the gods honored in the festivals or are meant to entertain and appease these gods. The techniques of making and repairing floats have been transmitted for centuries by craftsmen such as carpenters, lacquer artisans and dyers. Furthermore, efforts are made to preserve the natural environment when securing materials for the floats; these sustainable methods have been handed down through many generations. The festivals’ most significant feature is the communities’ devotion to the preparation and celebration of the festivals. Community members including men, women, the young and the elders share their tasks and responsibilities all year around preparing for the float festivals, the most important event of the year for them. Float festivals therefore foster communication and teamwork between community members, and play vital roles in uniting them.
Japan 2016 -
Mokjogakjang (Wood Sculpture)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Mokjogakjang refers to the skill of wood sculpture or to an artisan with such a skill. Among the woods commonly used for this skill is paulownia, pine, fir, gingko, zelkova and pagoda wood. It is presumed that wood sculpture started on the Korean Peninsula, mostly on temples and Buddha images, with the introduction of Buddhism during the Three Kingdoms Period (circa 57 BC – 668 AD). Many of these wood sculpture works were destroyed during the frequent foreign invasions suffered by Korea. As for the process of wood sculpture production, first a sketch is made on well-dried wood and the remaining parts are cut off. When a rough form is made, the inside is gouged out to prevent cracks or to make a space for inserting ancillary objects according to the custom. Lacquer is applied to the completed object.
South Korea -
Najeonjang (Mother-of-pearl Inlaying)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Najeonjang, or mother-of-pearl inlaying, is a Korean traditional method of decorating the surface of diverse household objects by lacquering and inlaying them with strips of mother-of-pearl. This traditional handicraft is known to have originated from Tang China, but discoveries made at many archaeological sites related with ancient Korean kingdoms prove that Korea has a long tradition of the craft and that ancient Korean people exploited it profusely to produce all kinds of everyday household objects. To produce a lacquer work inlaid with a mother-of-pearl design, the artisan needs to make a “white frame” with wood first of all. He then lacquers its surface and decorates it by inlaying carefully prepared strips of mother-of-pearl, some of which are as thin as threads, on a prearranged pattern by using the techniques of kkeuneumjil and jureumjil. Each of the individual work processes is completed with a stage of grinding, lacquering, and polishing the surface. In the Goryeo and early Joseon Periods, the most favored designs included peony blossoms, chrysanthemums, and lotus flowers. Designs became more diverse during the mid-Joseon Period as artisans began to extend their interest to flowers with birds, white cranes, grapes, apricot flowers, and the Four Gracious Plants. The traditional technique of inlaying mother-of-pearl is a time-consuming process that is currently preserved by, among others, two government-designated artisans, Song Bang-ung and Yi Hyeong-man.
South Korea -
Seonjajang (Fan Making)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Seonjajang is the skill of making a traditional fan and a master artisan who holds such skill. In general, Korean fans are divided into two styles: Danseon, i.e. fans with a large, rounded shape, and Jeopseon, or folding fans. Hapjukseon, a type of folding fan exhibiting a high degree of refinement and sophistication, has been one of Korea’s most representative craft products — along with other craft wares made with mother-of-pearl, metal, lacquer and jade — ever since the Goryeo Dynasty. Hapjukseon were made mainly by artisans at the Seonjacheong, the government office responsible for making fans (located in Jeonju, where the Jeolla Provincial Office was situated during the Joseon Dynasty), and were used for diplomatic purposes and foreign trade. Meanwhile, hapjuk were made of double slips of bamboo originating from Damyang in Jeollanam-do Province, the main production site of bamboo in Korea.
South Korea -
Shag-zo: Wood Turning
Wood turned utensils and dishes were present in Bhutan since ancient times. Communities from different parts of Bhutan have a similar type of craft as cups and plates are necessary for all household meals. However, the labour-intensive wood turned lacquer wares from Yangtse earned a considerable reputation in the kingdom. About a century-old traditional woodturning art (Shag-zo) in Yangtse is still a vibrant and popular means of family business and occupation. The present young artisans in Yangtse who are in their 20s and early 30s are the fifth-generation descendants of Lobazang from Kham in Tibet. Like other crafts of Bhutan, Shagzo demands a long process. The extracted wood knots and burls have to be dried; soaked in water; roughly shaped (first turned); roughly turned bowls are boiled; dried again; final turned bowls are smoothened with sandpapers and dried leaves of Trema politoria (locally known as Sog sogpa-shing). After colouring them yellow or red, it becomes ready for the next step – lacquering. Lacquering is another time-consuming process. Traditionally, lacquerers mostly use an urushiol-based lacquer common in East Asia derived primarily from toxic wax trees known as Sey Shing in Yangtse. These wooden bowls are an integral part of both the Bhutanese and Tibetan lifestyles and this explains the high demand for these products in Tibet. In the medieval period, people from Yangtse and Bumdeling traded wooden plates (not Dhapas) and bowls (cups) to Assam (India) and Go-phors (wooden bowl with lid), Lha-phor (bowl with lid used by monks), Dra-phor (bigger than other Phobs originally used by Tibetan Drapas), and Bay-phor (used by Tibetans, and has a deeper interior than Bhutanese hobs) to people of Tibet. Other than products historically exported to Assam and Tibet, Shagzopas make varieties of wood-turned products.
Bhutan -
Chiljang (Lacquerware Making)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea The term chiljang refers to the craftsman who creates lacquerware by applying lacquer -- or the refined sap of lacquer trees (Rhus verniciflua) -- to various objects. The first trace of lacquer use dates back to the third century BCE, but the earliest relics of lacquerware date back to the first century BCE. Lacquerware began to develop into an art form during the Nangnang (Lelang) Period and progressed further in the Silla Kingdom. In the Goryeo Dynasty, lacquered works were decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay, creating a new art form called najeon chilgi. In the Joseon Dynasty, lacquerware became more common, and many works were produced. The state compiled data on the distribution of lacquer trees nationwide and collected the sap from these trees. Lacquer craftsmen working in the capital and in the provinces were affiliated with their local government offices. The raw lacquer from the trees had to be refined before it could be used, and lacquer craftsmen would do the refining themselves. The refining process removes impurities and creates a fine particle liquid. Creating lacquer works is a long, laborious process. The item to be lacquered, called soji, had to be made of materials that are easy to work with and to paint, including wood, bamboo, cloth, paper, clay, and metal. First the object is smoothed down, and then the lacquer is built up in many coats, requiring lacquering, smoothing, and drying over and over again. Basically, the process is divided into three steps: chochil (first lacquering), jungchil (middle lacquering), and sangchil (final lacquering). After the final coat, the object is vigorously polished.
South Korea -
Muk Khmok Robam (Dance lacquer Mask)
"Lacquer" is a material composed of resin from (Kreol Tree), the last resin, water resin, and ash palm leave. That is why we sometimes hear the composition called "Mareak lacquer". Lacquer has been used since ancient times, as there are sculptures and inscriptions describing the use of this lacquer. For example, temple inscriptions. Kork Poti (K, 814), the inscription in Kampong Thom (K. 444), and the inscription of Prasat Chi Kreng (K. 168). Apart from being used for painting luxury and auspicious objects such as “Tork” wooden or golden plate used for holding valuable objects, “Tang Rong” wedding boxes, betel nut and leave boxes, and other everyday items, lacquers are also used to decorate crowns and masks for royal ballet and Lakhon Khol. That is why to this day, although the decoration on the mask of the dance is not made of lacquer, it is still called "mask lacquer". In general, the lacquer masks that are produced often have a giant mask, monkey masks, Ey sei masks, Ream masks, Preah Leak masks, or other animal masks, all of which are used in classical and Khol dance. According to the traditional method, in order to get the mask for the dancer, the clay is first kneaded into the desired shape, then applied glue on paper one layer at a time until another layer is thick enough. Next, left it to dry before removing the sample. However, this type of lacquer can only be used once or twice because the clay mold is easily damaged. After 1960, Mr. On Sok, a professor of "Khmok-Smach" at the School of Fine Arts, came up with the idea of making a mold from cement that can be used for a longer period than the one made of clay. When the mask sample is dried, you need to start gluing paper on it, but before gluing you need to soak the mask with water first to make it easier to peel off. Then use a piece of parchment paper to cover the mask and crumble another paper to glue on it with 10 layers but if the mask is small, it will be glued only 6 layers. The glue known as (Bay Marn is made by cooking rice flour with water). Let the mask dry before peeling, gluing, and sewing. When the mask is completely dried, start drawing ornament details of the mask such as Kbang, crown, ears or called (Jhon Trojeak) all of which are made by the lacquer. To make it you will need to boil Mareak resin, last resin, water resin and ash palm leave together then pour it into Kbach mold and let it cool before using it to glue on the mask. Then apply a layer of tan paint before applying gold foil on the lacquer. In the past, the molds were carved on marble, but later wax was added and cemented instead. The next step is to paint the mask according to the characters and then use a small brush to cut the strands into eyebrows, mustache, ears, and neck. Lastly, holes are pierced in the eyes and nostrils for the performer to see and breathe. Nowadays, traditional mask lacquer making is very rare as raw materials are becoming more and more difficult to find, and lacquer masks are sold at high prices, making it difficult for artists to buy and use them. Therefore, most of the dances that artists wear today are paper ornaments instead of lacquer.
Cambodia