Cheongsong Baekja Center 청송백자전수장

There are a few things that Cheongsong is famous for and one is the white porcelain, or baekja, that was developed there in the mid 16th century. Unlike other porcelains in Korea that are made from clay, the Cheongsong baekja is uniquely made using stone from the surrounding mountains that has been ground down to an extremely fine consistency.This technique makes the porcelain lighter and whiter than in other regions and also gives it the unique characteristic of having lots of microscopic holes when finished. These holes are not a quirk to be looked down upon though, they are quite handy in that they allow water to evaporate easily.

The craft of making the porcelain was lost for almost 40 years, but with one remaining master has seen a revival in production. This porcelain was once popular among the common people as it was more practical and affordable than other porcelain wares of the time but with the introduction of plastics, porcelain saw a steep decline in use in the 1950s and therefore production slowed and the kilns that were once common sights in the area were dismantled. By 1997 Cheongsong county officials and the only living master of the craft Mr. Ko Man Kyeong, 고만경, started the revival of the unique baekja with Beomsugol.

산148 Sinjeom-ri, Budong-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

W10,000