Inscribed in 2010 (5.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Mokjang or moksu is a traditional Korean term for artisans who deal with wood. Among the jobs of mokjang, daemok refers specifically to the building of wooden architecture, such as palaces, temples and houses. Woodworkers who engage in daemok are called daemokjang. The term daemokjang also refers to traditional wooden architecture. Daemokjang apply traditional skills and knowledge to construction. Thus, daemokjang complies with the definition of the intangible heritage as ‘knowledge, skills’. In addition, they use traditional materials and techniques. Thus, daemokjang constitutes ‘e) traditional craftsmanship’. Mokjang are divided into somokjang and daemokjang. Somokjang refers to those who make small-scale wooden objects, such as chests, cabinets, desks, dining tray-tables, and wardrobes. Daemokjang are those who build large-scale buildings, such as wooden palaces, temples and houses. Daemokjang are in charge of the entire construction process: planning, design and construction of buildings, and supervision of subordinate carpenters. Thus, the skill of daemokjang cannot be acquired in a short period of time. It takes decades of education and field experience. Wooden architecture has a long history in Korea. Among the best examples are Changdeokgung Palace and Bulguksa Temple, which are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These architectural treasures were constructed under the command of daemokjang. In this sense, traditional Korean wooden architecture, built and restored with the skills and knowledge of daemokjang, are appreciated not as mere buildings, but as works of art. The knowledge and skills of daemokjang practitioners are recorded in historical documents, and verified in actual buildings. These practitioners are recognized as successors of the cultural heritage of traditional architecture. Daemokjang skill holders make efforts beyond preserving and transmitting the skills of traditional architecture. Their activities extend to the maintenance, reparation, and reconstruction of historic buildings, ranging from traditional Korean houses to national treasures. Thus, they are recognized as the guardians of traditional Korean architecture. All in all, daemokjang are recognized as successors, symbols, and preservers of the traditional architecture of Korea. This recognition plays a significant role in forming the identity of daemokjang.

South Korea 2010

Making different kinds of furniture from wood, glass, thin iron, veneer with glue and nails. Now in the process of mking furnitures are used electronic tools.

Blacksmith business is one of the oldest folk crafts in Uzbekistan. For many centuries, the country has been one of the largest centers of craft production, including the art of metalworking. In Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, Kokand, Margilan and other places there are unique workshops where knowledge is transferred from generation to generation, from master to student. Thus, ancient traditions are preserved, and the family of hereditary masters continues. At the blacksmith’s shop, the oven, qura, supa, ura, chupkunda; and instruments sandons, bosqon, hammers, bulls, eaves, mills, and others are used. Hammersmiths make various things such as hoes, mowers, tesha and other household items, doors, gratings etc.

Tais, Timor-Leste’s traditional textile, is a cultural heritage that has been passed from the ancestors, from generation to generation. Tais has an important role in Timorese people’s life, starting from their birth until death. They use Tais to welcome guests, as well as to show their cultural identity and social class. It is also used as an object of value, for example, 'barlake' (dowry) which is given from family of bride to family of groom. Tais is used not only as an element to tighten the relationship between families, but also to pay penalty when people did not follow the rule within the community. Tais is traditional clothes, which has men's style and women's style. In Timor-Leste, Tais has a variety of colors and motifs varying by ethnic groups. These days, cultural creative industry using Tais with respect to the tradition, is also growing. Tais is made from cotton and natural plants are used to dye color. Production of Tais has been mainly done by women, since the past until now. Normally, Tais is woven manually using simple equipment such as 'atis', 'kida', and others. Process of producing Tais is complex and takes long time. Traditionally, Tais has been woven by individuals. However, some family members also contribute to mitigate the work of women weavers, such as in process of preparing cotton, 'kesi futus' (tie-dye) and dying cotton. These days, weavers also began to form groups to facilitate their weaving activities.

Timor 2021

Traditional Ahlat Stonework is the knowledge, methods, skills and aesthetic understanding, transmitted from generation to generation for centuries and based on the extraction of volcanic Ahlat stone from the quarries around Ahlat by the stone miners, shaping and ornamenting of the Ahlat stone by stone carvers, and constructing structure and creating artefacts by the practitioners of the element. Ahlat Stone is a volcanic stone extracted by traditional methods from the foothills of the Mountain Nemrut located near to Ahlat, district of Bitlis province. Stones are extracted from quarries through the "nailing technique" which has been used for centuries. In this technique, the iron wedges are hammered into the rock mass in a straight line and the rock mass is extracted in the desired size and removed as a block. Folk calendar and traditional knowledge of nature have important roles in the extraction of the stone by the stone miners. The extracted stone is cut and shaped then ornamented by stone carvers with hand-tools. The ornamentation on Ahlat stone is formed by scraping, relief and carving techniques. They are generally used vegetal, geometric and calligraphic shapes that reveal a certain aesthetic understanding transmitted from generation to generation. Building a structure by using Ahlat stone requires special technique and knowledge. The construction of the buildings starts and ends in periods determined according to the traditional folk calendar. Besides the architectural works such as houses, mosques, mausoleums and bridges; the stones are also used in tombstones, inscriptions, fountains and today in various artefacts.

Turkey 2022

Inscribed in 2011 (6.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Jultagi, or tightrope walking, is a traditional Korean performing art. Tightrope walking refers to the art of not only walking, but singing, dancing or performing acrobatics, while narrating funny stories, on a single thin rope suspended between two points. Tightrope walking, however, is not a one-man show. The rope walker, called jul gwangdae, obviously is the centre of attention but he needs other artists collaborating on the ground, such as the musicians to accompany his acrobatic feats and funny narratives, and a clown to retort to his remarks or answer questions as a dialogue companion. Today, tightrope walking performers are frequently invited to local festivals that take place throughout the country particularly in spring and autumn. It is a good way to get people excited and laughing in festivals. Since almost all the local festivals host tightrope walking performance, it became one of the traditional performing arts the general public can readily access and feel familiar with. As a full-scale show lasts the whole afternoon, it has to be carefully organized with acrobatics, narratives and music to maintain the audience’s interest and stifle yawns. The tightrope walker starts with simpler feats, gradually moving to more difficult acrobatics such as bouncing up and down from the rope, tumbling and somersaulting, and sitting on the rope with his legs crossed. He displays some 40 different rope techniques. Between his feats he cracks jokes and sings songs while the audience catches its breath from the nail-biting manoeuvres. Tightrope walking, in this regard, is not a simple presentation of rope techniques but an age-old form of integrated performing arts and entertainment. The Korean traditional tightrope walking is distinguished from similar arts of other countries in that it is not all about demonstrating a series of rope techniques but proceeds with dialogue between the rope walker and the clown, who constantly interact with the audience. In other words, the Korean tightrope show is not a unilateral presentation of fun and thrill but two-way communication between the performers and spectators, where the participants can adjust the routine to the atmosphere of the show. The show is for the enjoyment of both the performers and spectators. And this is what makes Korean tightrope walking unique and significant.

South Korea 2011

Today, piled weaving is vividly demonstrated in the patterned piled carpets that are distinguished by their quality and durability. Sheep, caprine or camel hair is used for base of the carpets. Piled carpets are original and colorful as are other items of the applied and decorative arts of the Kyrgyz. Kyrgyz piled carpets, are weaved on a simple horizontal machine – ‘dyukoun’. Instruments of masters also include wooden comb – ‘tokmok’, which is used to nail picks and piles, a knife – to cut piled threads, and scissors – to trim the piles. Geometrical shapes are prevailing in the Kyrgyz piled carpets. These are: squares with jogged edges or elongated endings – ‘omurtka’, triangles – ‘tumarcha’, cross shaped figures – ‘chaidosh’, simple or stepped rhombs – ‘it taman’, star shaped forms – ‘jyldyz’ as well as various octangulars and etc. Plant and horn shaped motifs are also present in the ornaments such as ‘toguz doubou’ (nine hills), ‘alma kouchout’ (apple pattern) and etc.