‘Tabak tartuu’ is a special ritual of offering and serving dishes, treating guests. The right offering of ‘tabak’ (meat dish) – considered to be an art and an indicator of knowledge of customs and respect for the rules of decency and hospitality. From the ancient times, special ceremony was followed when distributing the boiled meat. A piece of lamb meat ‘jilik’ is given to every guest according to his/her age, social or family status, the head of ram ‘bash’ is given to the honored guests. The tradition of distribution of pieces of meat may also vary depending on the region.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Jongmyo Jeryeak was performed at the Jongmyo Shrine during ceremonies held for the eternal repose of the ancestors of Joseon’s kings. Each procedure of the ceremony involved the performance of various pieces of music, such as Botaepyeong and Jeongdaeeop, to praise the royal ancestors' virtues, and dances such as Botaepyeong and Jeongdaeeop. The music was originally composed in 1447, during the reign of King Sejong, for performance at royal banquets, but was modified in 1464, during the reign of King Sejo, for performance at memorial rites held to honor the royal ancestors of the dynasty. The ritual performance of music and dance, consisting of eleven works for each Botaepyeong and Jeongdaeeop, is still held on the first Sunday of May. This valuable heritage, which has been handed down for almost 600 years, is now at the top of Korea’s Important Intangible Cultural Heritage list and has been inscribed on the UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity.

South Korea 2008

The literal meaning of Chib-drel is ‘the procession led by the riding horse’. It is the traditional way of receiving important dignitaries as a gesture of honour and respect appropriate to their positions and importance. Such dignitaries range from heads of state to religious heads and high-ranking officials. The procession comprises monks equipped with their traditional orchestral instruments, namely trumpets, clarinets, drums and cymbals, which they play as they walk. The procession also includes a number of other participants such as Pacham (hero dancers) and folk dancers in traditional costume, persons carrying auspicious symbols and substances, people carrying flags associated with deities, and a hierarchy of officials, bodyguards and attendants.

This element was inscribed in 2008 (3.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2001) The Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul is the setting for a Confucian ritual dedicated to the ancestors of the Joseon dynasty (14th to the 19th century) that encompasses song, dance and music. The ritual is practised once a year on the first Sunday in May and is organized by the descendants of the royal family. It offers a unique example of a Confucian ritual, which is no longer celebrated in China. The tradition is inspired by classical Chinese texts concerning the cult of ancestors and the notion of filial piety. It also includes a prayer for the eternal peace of the ancestors’ spirits in a shrine conceived as their spiritual resting place. The order of the ceremony was defined in the fifteenth century and most elements have remained unchanged until today. During the rite, the priests, dressed in ritual costume with a crown for the king and diadems for the others, make offerings of food and wine in ritual vessels. The Jongmyo Jerye is music played to accompany the rituals and is performed on traditional instruments, such as gongs, bells, lutes, zithers and flutes. The dances are performed by 64 dancers in 8 lines representing the opposing yet complementary forces of Yin and Yang as set out in the Confucian texts.The Munmu dance, accompanied by the harmonious and soothing Botaepyong music, is characterized by a first step to the left. While the Munmu dance symbolizes the force of the Yang, the Mumu dance, accompanied by Jeongdaeeop music and characterized by a movement to the right, represents the force of the Yin. The ancestral ritual is nowadays often considered to be devoid of meaning, especially in the context of the growing importance of Christianity. However, the ritual and its music are protected through the National List of Intangible Heritage and the 1982 Law for the Protection of Cultural Property.

South Korea 2008

Mar-chang or wine oblation ceremony is an offering of Chang-phue (first share of wine) or offering of wine to invoke the glorious teacher, the four assemblages of deities, the dakas and dakinis (celestial beings) of the three realms, the dwellers of charnel grounds, guardians of directions, the local guardians (Kshetrapalas) and asking them to remove all obstacles so that the work may be accomplished successfully. On certain occasions, such as an elaborate Chib-dre ceremony, the Mar-chang offering is performed twice. The first offering takes place outdoors at the end of the Chib-dre procession while the second offering is made during the Zhug-dre phun-sum tshog-pa (Ceremonial setting) ceremony. Performance of the Mar-chang ceremony is not limited to specific places but is held anywhere depending on the nature of the programme — be it in the temple, residence, courtyard, or in an open ground. The Mar-chang ceremony is in line with the traditional custom of presenting a guest with wine called Dong-chang (reception wine) in a container, the lip of which was decorated with three horns of butter (Yar-dron) on the guest’s first visit. This Dong-chang or Mar-chang gesture is to wish the guest a long life and success in all his endeavours. So, the act of offering first to the deities and then to the honoured guest is clearly depicted in ceremonial presentation. The verses for the marchang ceremony were composed by Kunkhen Pema Karpo in the 16th century. During the ceremony, in accordance with the recitation of the verses by monks, the marchang is offered first to the lamas and deities, and then offered to the dignitary. After the Mar-chang is offered to the guest, it is followed by the offering of a small white flag. For the reigning monarch and the Head Abbot, instead of the white flag, the National Flag of Bhutan is offered. The offering of flag symbolises victory over all the negative forces, and increases fortune and luck for the people.

The national dress for men is Gho and Kira for women. Gho is a one-piece outfit pulled up to knee-length and fastened with a belt called kera at the waist, leading to formation of an enormous pouch across the belly. Men’s belt is a striped hand woven textile using plain cotton or wool on a card loom. It has fringes at both the ends. Kira is a rectangular ankle-length robe wrapped around the body, tied at the waist with a wide woven belt, and fastened at the shoulders by a pair of shoulder brooches called koma. A necklace-like chain called the jabtha holds together the pair of koma. Jabtha also makes an attractive ornament. Women’s kera is made of cotton woven on card looms with intricate silk designs of varying colours. Elderly women wear the broad kera in three folds. The female kera has also fringes at both the ends. The weft thread used is commonly thicker than the base fabric used. Women also wear a toego (short, loose jacket) over the kira. Toego can be made from any kind of material and be in any colour. Women also wear a garment called wonju under the kira. Commonly made from silk or polyester, the wonju is a loose, wrap-over long-sleeved blouse. The semi-nomadic herders of the high valleys of Merak, Sakten and Laya and some other ethnic communities do not traditionally wear the gho and kira. They have a unique dress, lifestyle and language, and their own weaving specialty. In an effort to preserve and promote cultural heritage, all Bhutanese are required to wear the national dress in government offices, schools and on formal occasions. Necklace: Traditionally, a necklace is also a part of the costume of a Bhutanese woman, and a woman who is not wearing a necklace is considered to be incompletely attired. Therefore, women make it a point to wear necklaces, especially during celebrative occasions. When a woman is dressing, she puts on her necklace at the very end, to complete the outfit. Necklaces of precious stones are passed down from mother to daughter. A traditional Bhutanese necklace consists of a string of beads of various stones such as coral, turquoise, onyx, pearl, agate, and many more. The necklace may reach almost to the waist. If the woman is very rich and possesses many precious stones, she will choose to wear more than one necklace at a time. Since public gatherings and celebrative occasions provide formal platforms for display of wealth and/or position in society, women make it a point to wear as much as they possess. Sword For hundreds of years Bhutan suffered from territorial invasion as well as internal strife and civil war, challenges which were countered by our pazaps (militia), and senior officials. In earlier times, those who performed well in battle were awarded a sword in recognition of their show of courage, valour and success. Once the monarchy was established those officials who served the king and the country with utmost dedication and patriotic zeal were awarded pata (sword) and red scarf (bura marp) in recognition of their selfless service. Awarding kabney along with pata is, therefore, the sole prerogative of the monarch. The awardee is then addressed as a ‘Drasho’, which literally means ‘the best’ as they are exemplary people. Therefore, this award symbolises secular responsibility — the preparedness to fight any enemy harming the interest of the Tsa-wa-sum (the king, the country, and the people) and to safeguard the country and its cultural traditions. Kabney When Gautama Buddha administered vinaya rules at the first sermon, the five chief disciples first wore kabney as a mark of respect to the Buddha. Later, when Guru Rinpoche (Guru Padsambhava) visited Bumthang in the 8th century and sowed the seeds of faith in the dharma, he instructed people not to take the lives of others, and gave ge-nyen vows (vow of lay devotee). He instructed his devotees to wear rezen or kabney as a sign of their having become followers of Buddhism or taking precepts. While dharma practitioners wore red coloured kabney as a mark of following the dharma teachings, ordinary people wore white coloured kabney as a mark of safeguarding the country — their secular duty. Today, we wear kabney as a part of our national dress in accordance with the code of driglam namzha. The smaller scarf worn by women is called rachu. Kabney is a large, fringed scarf (about 90 by 300 cm), which is worn with one half placed over the left shoulder and the other half drawn across the back, below the right arm and across the body, then caught in a loop made by folding the lower part of the left end over it and then throwing the left end over the left shoulder. When the kabney is correctly placed, the right side should loop down at equal level to the hem of the gho, and the two sides should come together at the left breast. There is considerable variation in how the kabney is actually worn, but what is written here describes how it should be worn. Bhutanese at all social levels wear kabney as a part of formal wear along with the national dress, gho. Wearing kabney marks respect for sacred objects and higher authorities, and symbolises the position or rank of officers serving in the government. Scarves worn by women in place of the male kabney are called rachu. These much smaller, colourful, decoratively woven scarves can be worn draped over both shoulders with the two fringed edges falling from the chest, or can be folded in half and placed over the left shoulder with the fringes falling from the chest. Women in general wear rachu by making a fold in the centre and placing the rachu over the left shoulder. Besides kabney and rachu, there are other variants used by religious practitioners. Those worn by lams and monks are called zen or rezen and the one worn over their rezen is called choe-gho. The rezen is worn all the time over the robe but the choe-gho is worn only during special religious occasions. Similarly, the one worn by ngagpas (tantric practitioners) is called ber or dagam; and the one used by togdenpas (adepts) is called rey or rekar and khamar. Kabney and rachu are worn to pay respect to sublime masters or leaders, and to sacred objects enshrined in the dzongs, monasteries and temples. They are also worn as a symbol of official position. The colour of the kabney determines the official rank of the bearer. Traditional Boot Bhutan’s traditional footwear is a kind of boot worn as high as the knee, the upper, cloth part of which is then held and tied by a narrow strap below the knee. Dra-lham, thru-lham karchung and tshoglham are three different types of traditional footwear and form an important part of Bhutanese national costume. Dra-lham are worn by the senior monks in the monasteries. They are similar to tshoglham but red in colour. Thru-lham karchung derives its name from the white colour of the ben (section just above the ankle) which is highly visible from a distance. The traditional boot worn by the general public is called tshoglham. The thil or sole of the boot used to be made from hard leather, but these days tshoglham usually have rubber soles. Above the sole, two layers of red and white leather (or rubber) make the drilden. Above the drilden is the ri karchu, on which comes the ben in different colours. The ben, is yellow, orange, red, blue or green according to the official position of the wearer. Yellow ben is reserved only for the king and the head abbot (the Je Khenpo); orange is for ministers, red is for senior officials, blue is for members of parliament (both houses) and green is for the general public. The cloth part above the ben is generally black or blue silk brocade. It is mandatory to wear thru-lham or tshoglham as a part of formal national dress during any formal occasions.

The element consists of knowledge, skills, and practices concerning management of tea plantations, picking of tea leaves, manual processing, drinking and sharing of tea. Based on natural conditions and local customs, tea producers have developed six categories of green, yellow, dark, white, oolong and black teas, as well as reprocessed teas like flower-scented teas, which results in over 2,000 tea products. Processing tools are woks, bamboo trays and drying frames, etc. Core skills employed include shaqing (enzyme inactivation), menhuang (yellowing), wodui (piling), weidiao (withering), zuoqing (leaves shaking and cooling), fajiao (oxidation or fermentation) and yinzhi (scenting). All these teas, with their diverse colors, aromas, flavors and shapes, meet different needs of people. Tea is ubiquitous in Chinese people’s daily life. Steeped or boiled tea is served in families, workplaces, tea houses, restaurants, temples, etc. and applied as an important media for communication in socializing and ceremonies such as wedding, apprentice-taking and sacrificing. Practices of greeting guests with tea and building good relationships within family and among neighborhood through tea-related activities are shared among multiple ethnic groups, and provide a sense of identity and continuity for communities, groups and individuals concerned. During the transmission, the element has nurtured systematic knowledge, extensive social practices, proven traditional skills and abundant handiwork. It reflects Chinese people’s values of modesty, harmony, comity and respect, and has profound influence on moral cultivation and personality shaping. It also facilitates exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations through the Silk Roads, hence playing a significant role in sustainable social development.

China 2022

The phrase in Dzongkha literally means ‘seated in the rows’ whereby participants are seated in rows at the ceremony, which is called zhugdre phunsun tshogpa. The zhugdre ceremony originates from the tantric teachings of Buddhism and has been adopted to be performed during happy and auspicious occasions. Phunsum tshogpa means grace, glory and wealth combined to represent the three essences of happiness. The ceremony begins with a general invocation to the higher beings that have helped shape the destiny of the kingdom and made it a land of peace and tranquility. Their powers and blessings are sought for the acquisition of the triple attributes of grace, glory and wealth. The ceremony is held during important functions to mark such occasions as promotion, marriages, visits of high dignitaries and consecration and inaugural functions for new buildings and enterprises. For the zhugdre ceremony, participants are seated in order of rank and seniority. The dignitary who is being honoured sits at the head of the row, usually facing all the participants. Once everyone is settled, different items of offerings are made first to the shrine and then to the dignitaries and participants. The first offering comprises the sweet root known in Bhutan as droem (in Sanskrit,kesar) and fragrant saffron water (drizang) and tea with saffron rice. This is followed by the offering of marchang and chagep (token money), and other food items such as zhugdre offering. Zhugdre begins with doma (betel nut) and paney (betel leaf ) and then a fruit that grows on a tree high up from the ground to signify the importance of the occasion. The number of items can range from 11 to 21 or as many as can be afforded in terms of time and resource, but they must end in an odd number and with a hard item such as walnut or chugo (dried cheese) to signify indestructibility by malignant spirits. Prayers are recited while the offerings are being distributed. In Bhutan, the beginning of zhugdre ceremony dates back to 1616 when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, arriving from Tibet, was received with a zhugdre ceremony by Lam Druk Namgyal of the Obtsho family at a place called Lebnathang in Gasa District. Then at the consecration of Punakha Dzong, an elaborate zhugdre phunsum tshogpa was performed and the ceremony gained immense popularity thereafter. In order to receive what is being served during the occasion, participants are expected to bring their own phop (bowl) and torey (small piece of cloth, usually white, to receive food items) to the ceremony to receive what is being served during the occasion. The final stage of the zhugdre ceremony, known as trashi moelam, is a prayer for the good health, wellbeing and prosperity of the dignitaries and those present on the occasion. It is designed to help guests accumulate merits in order to attain the highest qualities of which man is capable, in this way benefiting not only those present on the occasion but also all sentient beings.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Jongmyo, in Seoul, is a royal shrine where the mortuary tablets of deceased royal couples are kept, and is an important site symbolizing the fundamentals of the existence of a state along with Sajikdan Altar, which is the altar for the national soil and grain ceremonies. The regular ancestral rituals were held at Jongmyo in the first month of each season, i.e. January, April, July, and October, while extraordinary rituals were held on special occasions. Since 1945, the ritual has been held only once a year, on the first Sunday of May. The ritual is held in a solemn atmosphere. The ritual is carried out in a way so as to entertain the spirits of the dead royal ancestors. The procedure for the ritual is as follows: Chwiwi (placing of ancestral tablets), Yeongsin (greeting the spirits), Haengsinnarye (King's obeisance to ancestral tablets), Jinchan (presenting the spirits with food), Choheollye (first obeisance), Aheollye (second obeisance), Jongheollye (last obeisance), Eumbongnye (partaking of sacrificial food), Cheolbyeondu (overturing of ritual dishes), Mangnyo (incineration of prayers). The King had to behave discreetly for four days and keep his body clean for three days before the ritual. Jongmyo Jerye featured grandeur and solemnity as a ritual that set an example for the people of a Confucian society that attached particular importance to etiquette. The ritual, along with the music associated with it (Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No.1), was registered with UNESCO in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity in May 2001.

South Korea 2001

Held from March 14-16, since 1926 to commemorate the merits of the village czar Đặng Văn Trước. On the morning of the 14th, they invited the deity from Ong Elder temple to Gia Loc family. After the head of the ceremonial committee asked for the seal, the Chief of the ceremony took the deity out, wrapped it in a new towel, and placed it on the palanquin. After offering Tien Vang is the ceremony of Tuc Yet. Items include: roast pig, live pig, sticky rice, tea cake, flowers, wine. After the drum is poured 'sacred reception', on the background of music, the components according to regulations make offerings to the Citadel. Next is the ritual of blessing and prosperity. The ceremony of building adoration - great boi is an important ceremony. It is indispensable to build adoration drums. The adoration builder is an elderly person who knows the etiquette. The adoration drum must be placed in the right direction to avoid taboos with the celebrant.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Geumsok Hwaljajang refers to the skill of making metal printing type and printing books with it, or to an artisan with such a skill. The world’s first metal printing type was made during the Goryeo Period (877 – 1394). A reprinted version of a book Nammyeong Cheon hwasangsong jeungdoga (Song of Enlightenment with Commentaries by Buddhist Monk Nammyeong) printed with metal type in Gaegyeong after the Goryeo Dynasty relocated the capital to Ganghwado in 1232 (the 19th year of the reign of King Gojong) is still extant. The printing of Sangjeong yemun (Detailed and Authentic Codes of Ritual and Etiquette) with metal type tells us that the skill had developed earlier. During the Joseon Period (1392 – 1910), metal printing type was improved, with the central government offices playing a leading role. In Korea, metal type was made with a forging technique. The production process is composed of four stages, cutting out letter patterns, making prototypes, forging and finishing. There are two kinds of metal type production, depending on forging techniques used. These are lost-wax casting, which was chiefly used at the beginning, and sand casting, which was commonly used after the introduction of Chojugabinja which was the first metal type, during the reign of King Sejong in 1434. Metal printing type is a work of comprehensive art made with a combination of many diverse skills and techniques that display the ingenuity of Koreans.

In the past, plates and cups were not provided for any visitors in Bhutan. Everywhere people must travel with their own plates and cups as this is part of traditional etiquette. Usually, people bring at least two Phob (traditional wooden cups) and a To-rey (a piece of cloth) instead of a plate. The size of the To-rey must be kha-gang, which means slightly more than half a meter and slightly less than a meter, which is equivalent to a two-foot square. This size and quality of the To-rey applies to every person, regardless of status. The Phob wrapped in the To-rey is carried everywhere in the Hem-chung (Gho-pocket or hanging bag) of our Gho and Kira (traditional Bhutanese clothing). The cups come in a variety of shapes and varieties and are made of different types of grains. There are cups with silver and gold layers on the rim and inside the cups, or plain wooden cups that signify the different status of the people depending on the quality of the cup used. There are certain cups that may only be used by monks and lamas (Buddhist spiritual leaders). This is usually the La-phob (monk's cup), which does not have exquisite decorations like the Phob of common people. However, the La-phob has historically used different colors to denote different monastic titles. On formal occasions, when we sit with our legs crossed or in meditation posture, the To-rey must be able to cover the surface of our leg. It was not until the turn of the 20th century that people began to keep extra plates and cups for guests, as there had been no development until then and the country and its citizens were economically backward. This happened only when people began to import tableware into the country from abroad. Until then, people used phob (wooden cups), Dha-pa (wooden plates) and Bang-chung (hand-woven bamboo plates). Each household member owned a Dhapa or Bang-chung, at least two Phobs, and a To-rey, which served as a shawl and a cleaning cloth for the plates and cups. The plates and cups were wiped with the To-rey, which was cleaned after a few days, as there was no tradition of washing the utensils.