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Located in a small village in Oeseo-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, Jangjibang is a hanji manufacturing company where hanji master Jang Yong-hun promotes the traditional method of papermaking and the unique characteristics of hanji. Designated as the Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 16 of the Gyeonggi Province, the hanji master started learning the trade from his father at the age of 17. Now, his son Seong-u is learning the trade from him.
Born in 1900, Jang’s father was engaged in the business in Geumcheon-ri, Gurim-myeon, Sunchang-gun, Jeollabuk-do but moved to Jeonju and then to Imsil-gun, Cheongwung-myeon after the Korean War. After his father passed away in 1966, Jang Yong-hun moved to Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do, having heard that the quality of mulberry trees there was excellent, and opened a workshop, naming it Jangjibang.
Hanji produced at his workshop has a rough surface and is not quite white, as he does not use bleaching chemicals but sticks to the traditional method of screening out particles with his bare hands. His products are recognized as the best-quality hanji that well-maintain the traditional characteristics.
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As he puts it, “We do not use bleaching chemicals such as lax when steaming mulberry bark. Instead, we use the traditional method of filtering alkaline solutions using a steamer. Because we stick to the traditional methods, the mulberry fiber is not damaged and lasts longer. It is good to see that many Japanese artists especially prefer our products, saying that the washi made in their country is not as durable, although it does look pretty.”
Ssamji paper and lacquered hanji are also popular export items. Ssamji paper refers to paper with a crinkle-treated surface. It is said that, thanks to the know-how of Jangjibang, the ssamji paper has a more beautifully crinkled surface than that of papers made in Japan. Lacquered hanji appears to be yellowish white as if it has been discolored. It is loved by calligraphers and painters as scenery paper. The quality of hanji made at Jangjibang has been recognized to be suitable for the repairing of old books. According to Jang, books repaired using his hanji will last at least 200 years if preserved well indoors.
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His son Seong-u, succeeding his father, is also a hanji master as well as a jiseung (paper string) handcraft artist. Seong-u said, “A lot of wastepaper comes is produced when making hanji and it is such a waste to dispose of and waste this papper. So, I started making household goods, twisting the wastepaper. With the elapse of time, my skill has continued to improve and thus I have held five exhibitions.”
There are many products that can be made of jiseung handcraft. These products include kettles, tea tables, rice boxes, handheld lamp covers, mats, underclothes and others. There is no need to worry that the products will be damaged by moisture. The lacquer coating protects them from moisture.
As mentioned earlier, Jang’s father left his native place and moved to a location where there were better quality materials necessary for making hanji. His son became a hand craftsman using remnant hanji as it was too good to throw away. And the life of the 3 generations appears to have been centered on hanji. They did not choose to embark on the road of mass production, which would have been an easier way to make a lot of money. At seems that all that is on their mind is how to make better hanji. Thanks to the stubbornness of Jang’s father, Jang and his son, hanji has attracted great interest and admiration from around the world.
- Curriculum vitae [ Jang Yong-hun ]
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- Representative, Jangjibang
- Designated by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office as master hanji craftsman (Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 16)
