Adrienne DeMilner
Teaching About East Asia
Teacher Implementation Plan #2
ART LESSON PLAN: KOREA
KOREAN POTTERY: The Punch’ong Tradition
I.
Opportunities to teach: I teach at East Kentwood High School. A major portion
of my 9th grade Sculpture 1 class is devoted to ceramics. I like to incorporate a
rich cultural heritage in my pottery lessons, since so many artisans throughout
history have created objects out of clay. My research has uncovered interesting
factual evidence of a sculptural tradition used exclusively in one culture, Korea,
and ending with the threat of an invasive force. I plan to teach this technique to
my 9th grade Sculpture 1 students as part of their unit on pottery techniques. I
also plan to share this information with my art colleagues in the district.
II.
Seminar Inspiration: During the course of our study of Korea, we read a book
entitled “Lost Names” and heard about the devastation of the Korean national
identity during the Japanese invasion. I wondered what impact this invasion had
on the creativity of Korean artists. Upon research, I uncovered interesting facts
about a particular art form and it’s demise.
III.
National Standards: Target 9-12
Standard #1 – Understanding and applying media, techniques and
processes.
Standard #4 – Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and
cultures.
Standard #5 – Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and
merits of their work and the work of others.
Achievement Standard – Students describe meaning of
artworks by analyzing how specific works are created and how they relate
to historical and cultural contexts.
IV.
Lesson Overview:
I like to incorporate a rich cultural heritage in my pottery lessons, since so many
artisans throughout history have created objects out of clay. My research has
uncovered interesting factual evidence of a sculptural tradition used exclusively
in one culture, Korea, and ending with the threat of an invasive force. I plan to
teach this technique to my 9th grade Sculpture 1 students as part of their unit on
pottery techniques.
Length of Lesson:
Eight 60 minute class periods.
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Instructional Objectives:
Understand the impact of the Japanese invasion of Korea and it’s affect on
Korean national art.
Learn about the celebrated styles of Korean pottery.
Experience the art of punch’ong pottery decoration by creating a ceramic piece in
that style.
Supplies:
White porcelain clay - 2 lbs. per student
Clay building tools
White slip
Blue/green underglaze
Incising tools
Clear overglaze
Instructional Plan:
ORGANIZATION
Many of the Asian cultures created pottery, and each borrowed tradition from
another to encourage advancement in their craft. The Korean Potters, though,
developed the craft to the highest level. It may have been this craftsmanship that
archaeologists say led to the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 16th century.
One form of pottery, the Punch’ong tradition, lasted for less than a century; and
ended with that invasion.
Introduction
In the Koryo dynasty of Korea (918-1392 AD) art was produced mainly for
glorification of the church and for aristocrats. A formal pottery technique, called
“Celadon” was used. Buddhism was the main religion at this time. In the early
15th century, Korea saw a change in belief to Confucianism. With this change,
came a national preoccupation with plainer, more practical wares. The Choson
dynasty (1392-1910) witnessed a new evolution in a national art form. A new
technique called “Punch’ong” (which literally means powder green) was created,
using a more versatile clay called stoneware. The decorative techniques used
on these wares were plainer and more practical. The pottery was functional yet
retained a certain elegance of master craftsmanship. The designs were organic
and reflected the beauty of nature around them. The Punch’ong wares were
highly prized by the Japanese, who used them in tea ceremonies. The tradition
ended, however, in 1592 with the invasion of the Japanese who were said to
have kidnapped these Korean potters to work in their Japanese kilns. This
became known as the “Pottery War” and is believed, according to recent
archaeological evidence, to have partly contributed to the invasion of Korea.
We will recreate the form of Punch’ong Pottery in the art room and celebrate the
short lived tradition one of Korea’s most celebrated forms of art.
Vocabulary:
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Stoneware – ceramic ware made from clay that is fired at a high temperature;
and is hard and nonporous.
Slip – a liquid clay used to decorate or join clay.
Inhwa punch’ong sagi – stamped punch’ong wares. This style uses repeated
rows of regular patterns including a ‘rope’ or a chrysanthemum floret.
Chohwa punch’ong sagi – pottery is incised with a linear decoration.
Pakji punch’ong sagi – pottery is painted over a slip, and background is
incised to reveal an underglaze.
Cholhwa punch’ong sagi – decoration is painted on top of a slip layer.
Activity:
Lesson #1 - Students will begin the lesson by studying ancient punch’ong pottery
forms and researching traditional Korean designs from books, internet, and
handouts.
Lesson #2 - Students will create several thumbnail designs of their pottery shape
first, then the design that will surround the form.
Lesson #3 - After a demonstration of coiled pottery technique, students will
create a pot of their own, trying to adhere to the original shape in their sketches.
This step may take 4-5 class periods to complete.
Lesson #4 - Once finished, the pottery will dry and be bisque-fired.
Students will choose from 2 of the 4 forms of punch’ong decorating:
Chohwa – the pot is coated with a blue/green underglaze, covered with a white
slip, then incised or ‘scratched’ into with their chosen design; usually a simple
graphic in a linear style.
Cholhwa – the pot is coated with a white slip, then painted over using a dark
glaze for their chosen design. This design would be more pictorial than the
previous form.
Lesson #5 - Both styles are then coated with a clear overglaze and fired again.
Bibliography
Portal, Jane KOREA Art and Archaeology, Thames & Hudson, 2000
(A history of Korean Art from Prehistoric to Modern Day)
Koreana Korean Cultural Heritage Vol. 1 – Fine Arts, Son Chu-hwan 1994
(A visual feast of Korean art forms throughout history)
Orban-Szontagh Traditional Korean Designs Dover, 1991 (Korean designs)
www.koreafolkart.com (An informational source for Korean traditional art forms)
www.kofo.or.kr/koreana (Traditional and historical Korean motifs)
www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/painting (Includes descriptions of traditional symbols
in Korean painting.)
KOREAN POTTERY:
The Punch’ong Tradition