As Bhutan remained under self-imposed isolation for several centuries, modern economic development made its way to this country very much later than in many other countries. Agriculture is still the main source of livelihood for a large majority of the population. More than sixty percent of the people still live in rural villages tilling their land and raising livestock. Farmers generally use traditional methods of farming and homemade tools, but increasing numbers are beginning to use modern technology appropriate to their individual farming needs. Bhutanese farmers grow nine basic varieties of cereal grains – wheat, barley, paddy, maize, bitter buckwheat, sweet buckwheat, pulse, foxtail millet, and finger millet. These are grown at different places and times, depending upon the altitude and season. The most dominant crop is rice followed by maize and wheat. Due to the introduction of new farming technologies and growth in market opportunities, farmers are venturing into commercial crops such as oranges, apples, cardamoms and potatoes. Commercial gardening of chilly, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, and asparagus is also undertaken nowadays. Traditionally, when farming works are due, a suitable day is sought from the village astrologer for ploughing and sowing of seeds. Days coinciding with animal signs such as Ox, Tiger, and Sheep are avoided when oxen are used in the fields. Similarly, days bearing the signs of Rat, Rooster, and Pig are avoided for sowing seeds. Nevertheless, farmers generally stick to the throejor\u0002throechen and throechung, which are combinations of two of the five elements according to astrology. Every farmer aspires for a good harvest in any season. Therefore, the very first step is to gather stubble and twigs, which are then burnt in the field. Thereafter, manure is collected from cowsheds and scattered in the fields. The farmlands are ploughed with the help of a pair of male animals – oxen or yaks yoked together. In the eastern region, two men are required to guide the oxen with one at the yoke and the other holding the plough. In order to encourage the animals, some farmers sing inspirational songs called Lang ke or Lang kor. Please come, my Dongkar, Listen, with your golden ear, Concentrate your mind. Please come, my Yangcha, Even if my voice is not soft as wool, Prove that you are as strong as iron. Come on, my Dongkar, The breakfast that we have eaten this morning, It is vanishing as the sun passes the midpoint. Come on, my Yangcha, Without having worked ahead, It is hard to leave the results behind. Come; turn on, my Dongkar, The time has come for the sun to set behind the mountains, You have to complete one more round of work. Come; turn on, my Yangcha, After successful completion of one more round, The repressing yoke will be removed from your neck. Maize is the first crop to be sowed, right after the New Year celebrations. It is followed by paddy and other crops depending upon the elevation of the land. The maize seeds are thrown directly into the hollows of the soil as the ploughing is in progress. Unlike other crops, rice involves several cycles of attention and is the most tedious of all crops for cultivation, requiring constant irrigation and frequent weeding. Seeds are sown in separate nurseries in early spring and seedlings are transplanted during the monsoon season. Both maize and rice are harvested between September and October. While harvesting the paddy, a beautiful song seeking high production is sung as follows: Please shower, shower with prosperity! The white-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering. Please shower, shower with prosperity! The yellow-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering. Please shower, shower with prosperity! The red-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering. Please shower, shower with prosperity! The green-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering.

Inscribed in 2009 (4.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Korea and the rest of East Asia, engaged in rice farming for several millennia, have formed a rice culture that can be compared to the wheat culture of Europe. Ganggangsullae is one of the most representative seasonal rituals of Korea’s rice farming culture, which permeates nearly every aspect of life among Koreans. Ganggangsullae gives hints about the origins of recreational music and dance emblematic of the Korean peninsula, as it used to be widely performed in the southwestern coastal region of the peninsula and is closely linked to inland circle dances accompanying music, including Notdari Bapgi (Walking Over a Human Bridge) and Wolwoli Cheongcheong (Moon, Moon, Radiant Moon). A combination of various recreational elements based on the basic form of holding hands to form a circle while singing and dancing, Ganggangsullae has been named as such since the refrain “ganggangsullae,” whose exact meaning is unknown, is repeated with every bar. It was originally performed by unmarried youngsters aged between 15 and 20, and sometimes allowing the participation of recently married youngsters. But, when it was designated as a state cultural heritage the community members, largely women in their 40s or 50s, rendered the performance. Since then, Ganggangsullae has been handed down by middle-aged female members of the community, displaying proficient skills, rather than the creative vividness and dynamics of youngsters when they perform it. Traditionally, Ganggangsullae was performed on Korea’s representative seasonal occasions, including Seol (the lunar New Year), Daeboreum (the first full moon day of the year), Dano (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month), Baekjung (the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month), Chuseok (the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month), and Junggu (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month), with the one on Chuseok being the largest. As such, Ganggangsullae has been developed into a performance most commonly conducted on Chuseok (Korea’s Thanksgiving). Under the bright full moon, dozens of young village women hold hands to form a circle and sing and dance. While the sun symbolizes men, and the moon, women, and women’s physical features are represented by a round shape, Ganggangsullae assumes the characteristics of the law of imitation, one of the laws of magic, reflecting primitive aesthetics. Because the dancing is strenuous, only young women are allowed to perform, but it is also their privilege as women of child-bearing age. Ganggangsullae is a ballad dance unique to Korea. The songs are poems written by ordinary people and a lead singer set the pace. Fellow performers follow the lead with the next lines in a song. Besides folklore and folk dance, folk music is also incorporated in the performance as traditional Korean music instruments such as a drum and an hour-glass shaped drum accompany the dance, adding to the entertainment. Ganggangsullae is so exciting and dynamic that participants often lose themselves and end up performing from the early evening when the moon rises until the moon sets. Depending on the tempo set by the lead singer, the music is categorized into gin (slow) Ganggangsullae, jung (middle) Ganggangsullae, and jajeun (quick) Ganggangsullae. The tempo of the dancers’ movement also varies according to the music. During interludes, games reflecting life in farm or fishing village are played. They include imitating the Korean terrapin (one person goes into the circle to dance and the next comes in and imitates her), gathering brackens, tying herrings, treading on roof tiles, rolling and unrolling straw mats, catching a mouse (picking the tail), playing gatekeepers, riding palanquins, and looking for a handkerchief. The archetype of Ganggangsullae is found from agricultural folk customs of Mahan, a Korean state that existed 2,000 years ago, according to ancient Chinese historical texts. In the history of man, it is not common to see an intangible cultural heritage handed down for such a long time. This long transmission of Ganggangsullae implies that expectations for the role of women both in the society and in the family have continued for such a long time as well. Traditional Korean society was male centered, and young women were not allowed to sing aloud or go out at night. On Chuseok, however, women could freely sing and enjoy outdoor amusements under the full moon, venting their long-suppressed emotions through Ganggangsullae. The festival guaranteed women a chance to break away from usual restrictions and enjoy the festive mood. Throughout its history, Ganggangsullae also had other functions. It is said that in 1592, Admiral Lee Sun-sin had women perform Ganggangsullae at night around a fire. The flickering shadows fooled the invading Japanese into overestimating the size of Lee’s forces, who ultimately prevailed. Also, listening carefully to the song verses, one can notice that there are many lines criticizing the society. In particular, the words written under the Japanese colonial rule reflect the Koreans’ resistance to the occupation forces. Ganggangsullae is rarely performed in today’s rural villages since most young women have left for cities. But thanks to its national designation as an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage and state-level cultural and educational policies, Ganggangsullae has spread outside its traditional base in the southwestern region of the Korean peninsula. Today, Ganggangsullae is part of the music curriculum of elementary schools and is performed at many secondary schools and universities as well as public festivals across the country. In recent years, research has been conducted regarding the application of Ganggangsullae in the field of art therapy. Ganggangsullae is expected to help those suffering from psychological problems such as depression. Also, new possibilities are being explored as an alternative therapy to help obese women lose their weight and as a means to enhance the well-being of lonely senior citizens.

South Korea 2009

"Plowing” has been a traditional royal ceremony of the Khmer kings since ancient times. That is why to this day, the Royal Palace still plays an important role in organizing this ceremony. The rainy season, a king or a representative plow the fields to be the first to follow the path, because in the belief, the king is considered a deity who is in human appearance to rule over the kingdom. Therefore, the king is the king of the earth or the lord of the earth, that is, the "master of the field." On the other hand, even though the king does not farm directly, this ceremony shows the king's concern for the livelihood of the people. The plowing ceremony is also to pray for good rain according to the season, abundant harvest, prosperous district and free from all diseases. The history of the Khmer plowing ceremony probably dates back to the time when the Khmer came to know Indian civilization, as there are statues of Preah Pol Ream or Preah Tep (the avatar of Preah Nareay), the main deity of agriculture, holding a plow in Phnom Da (Takeo province) since pre-Angkorian times. Preah Pol Ream is probably quite popular, as there are sculptures in Banteay Srei, Angkor Wat, Baphuon, Banteay Sarae .... In the inscriptions, there are names of Preah Pol Ream who have different functions in the temple and are known as the name of Preah Pol Ream, for example, "សង្កស៌ណ" which means "plowed" or "pulled out". The evidence that Preah Pol Ream was the god of agriculture became clearer in the Middle Ages: the role of an official in charge of agriculture in the whole country is called "Oknha Pol Tep" and until the law governing this field, the Khmer people called it "Krom Pol Tep" (or called "Krom Peak Huk Pol Tep"). Therefore, it is not a coincidence that Preah Pol Tep, a deity, has a duty in the Royal Plowing Ceremony. His image was on a flag that was solemnly flown at the ceremony. Not only that, they built a statue of Preah Pol Ream (modeled after the statue of him at Phnom Da temple) in a stall for the ceremony and offerings that emphasize the importance of Preah Pol Ream in the plowing ceremony. Every year, the Royal Plowing Ceremony is held on the 4th of Roch Pisak (May-June), the beginning of the rainy season, and is celebrated in a designated field, sometimes in the capital and sometimes in the provinces. If it is done in Phnom Penh, the field of Preah Meru is used, and if it is done in Siem Reap, the field in front of the terrace of the elephants is used as the field. Before the day of the ceremony, they usually build a pavilion at Veal Preah Srae and other five pavilions as a place where the deities can watch the plowing from all five directions. According to tradition, before the 4th day of Roch, Visakh, from the 1st day of Roach, 2nd Roach and 3rd Roach, 5 Brahmins perform the Pali ceremony in the middle of Preah Srae to ask permission from Krong Pali, Preah Phum and Neang Kong Hing Preah Thorani Ceremony. After offering to Krong Pali, it is time to offer to Deva Rub in the ceremony hall by inviting Preah Panchakset (other Devarub) to be displayed in the ceremony hall and to hold ceremonies in the five directions. In the east, the Brahmins Preah Reach Kru invited the Preah Komjay to set up and perform Horm ceremonies. In the southeast, the Brahmins Thireach invited Preah Narayan to set up and perform Horm ceremonies. In the southwest, the Brahmins Preah Jeak Yea Thib Dei invited the Preah Chanti to set up and perform Horm ceremonies. In the Northwest, the Brahmin Preah Minthor (Mahenthor) invites Preah Ey So to set up and perform Horm ceremony. The northeast, the Brahmin invited Preah Kanes, to set up and perform Horm ceremonies. When the Brahmins perform the ritual for three days, the fourth day is the day of plowing. Previously, the king was the direct plowman. But if he does not perform this, a representative of Oknha Pol Tep must be appointed. If Oknha Pol Tep had other business, Oknha Pochnea was assigned to replace from time to time. Nowadays, it is rare to see a king plowing, often his representative, sometimes as a royal family and sometimes as a high-ranking official in the government. Representing the King is called "Sdach Meak”, wearing a robe like the King is a plowman." As for the wife of King Meak, called "Chumteav or Preah Mehua", she wears a robe in the manner of the king's wife, who sows rice crops. Early in the morning ... King Meak and Neang Mehua went to worship His Majesty to be appointed. The king put incense on the foreheads of the king Meak and his wife as a symbol of appointment, and the King gave Sdach Meak a sword. Meak. The King Meak holds his sword and travels to the procession which is waiting. The King Meak sits on Preah Sor Leang, and Preah Mehua sits on a hammock accompanied by a procession led by the music of Pin Peat (play the song called Klom). Upon entering the Royal rice fields, King Meak and Preah Mehua must worship at the southwestern center before starting the plowing ceremony. This plow has three plows: the front plow is called "Lead plow", the middle plow is held by the king Meak and there is another plow in the back. Preah Mehua must follow the third plow and sow the seeds such as the sesame, bean, corn, and the rice crops following the path. After plowing three rounds of the royal rice fields, the plowing procession stopped at the eastern Mondob so that the king Meak could enter to worship the deity of the Mondob. The last task is for the Brahmin to perform a prayer ceremony, the cows are removed from the yoke of the plow to eat the seven kinds of food prepared on a table with pedestal dishes, including water, rice, grass, corn kernels, sesame seeds, beans and wine. The cow’s prediction is predicting the well-being and productivity of the people this year. If the cows drink a lot of water, the prophecy predicts that this year there will be enough water and enough rain. If the cows eat a lot of grass, the animals will get sick. If the cows eat a lot of rice, beans and sesame, these crops will bear a lot of fruit. But if the cows do not eat, the prophecy is that this year there will be wicked people, many drunkards, and the nation will suffer and war. At the end of the ceremony, people, young and old, compete to pick rice, corn, and soybeans to be used for seed, because it is believed that when all these seeds are mixed with their own seeds, the yield will be good. What is special is that Cambodians believe that when everything goes through the ceremony, "Mongkol, Serey Soursdey, the yield will come.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Nongyo (Farmers’ Songs) are sung by farmers while working in wet rice paddies or dry fields to recover from their fatigue and enhance the efficiency of the work. They are also called Deullorae (field songs). It is presumed that farmers’ songs started in this area during the mid-Joseon Period (1392 – 1910). There are different songs sung for different occasions in the area, Abureisuna (Song of Rice Planting), Doumso sori (Song of Finishing Rice Planting), Aebeolmaegi sori (Song of Weeding the First Rice Paddy) and Sangsadieo (Song of Weeding the Rice Paddy), Bangae sori and Eiyong sori (Songs of Finishing Rice Paddy Weeding), and Bonghei (Song of Finishing Work and Returning Home). Farmers’ songs in this area feature slow tempos, long-stretched tunes, duet-like effects made by the lead and the following in singing, graciousness in simplicity and plainness, and a unique local atmosphere.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Nongyo (Farmers’ Songs) are sung by farmers while working in wet rice paddies or dry fields to recover from their fatigue and enhance the efficiency of the work. They are also called Deullorae (field songs). Farmers in Goseong, Gyeongsangnam-do usually start these songs around haji (summer solstice). The songs are called Deungji (songs sung while planting rice seedlings). It is said that one day the Gyeongsang-do governor was passing through a field in Goseong and he stopped there to spend hours listening to the beautiful melodies of the songs sung by local farmers. There are different songs sung for different occasions in Goseong. There is Mojjigi deungji (Song of Picking Rice Sprouts), Mosimgi deungji (Song of Rice Seedlings), Dorikkaejil sori (Song of Flailing), Sangsa sori (Song of Rice Planting), Banga taryeong (Song of Milling), Samsamgi sori (Song of Hemp Weaving), and Mulle taryeong (Song of the Spinning Wheel). These songs are also performed in public. Their lyrics embody the sentiments of local farmers while the melodies display the influence of of Jeolla-do songs, probably due to the area’s geographic proximity to Jeollanam-do.

‘Mibu no Hana Taue’ is an agricultural ritual in which people worship the deity of rice fields, and pray for a good growth and abundant harvest of the rice crops for the year through ploughing fields, and transplanting rice seedlings. The Mibu community, located in a mountainous area of Western Japan, has developed and transmitted “Mibu no Hana Taue.” Both the Mibu and neighbouring Kawahigashi communities have been areas of rice cropping for a long time ‘Mibu no Hana Taue’ is carried out on the first Sunday of June every year after actual transplantations in the community are completed. Villagers gather at a large rice field, specially kept in reserve for the ritual. The deity of rice fields is welcomed, and a series of agricultural works such as ploughing, preparation for the transplantation and the actual transplantation are demonstrated in the presence of the deity. On the day of the ritual, villagers bring more than a dozen cattle to Mibu Shrine to be dressed with elaborately decorated saddles called Hanagura and a colourful necklace. The cattle are then equipped with agricultural implements called Manga, and pulled into the rice field, following a man with a sacred stick in his hand. The man who manages the first cattle in line is called Omouji or Omouji-zukai. He skilfully controls the cattle to plough the rice field. This is an honourable role in ‘Mibu no Hana Taue.’ When most of the ploughing is completed, girls called Saotome begin to prepare for the transplantation. They wear colourful dresses, and hats called Suge-gasa. They take the seedlings that grow at the edge of the rice field and put them into a case called Naebune while singing a song under the conduct of an elder man, called Sambai. After the ploughing and preparation for the transplantation are completed, a man called Eburitsuki begins to level the rice field with an implement, called Eburi. It is said that the deity of rice fields rests on Eburi. Transplantation begins in the presence of the deity. Saotome aligned with Sambai transplant the seedlings one by one, walking backwards. While the Sambai sings a leading song, locally considered as a parent song, with lengthwise-cut bamboo called Sasara in his hands, Saotome sing another song, locally considered as a child song. Eburitsuki and the person who carries the seedlings in Naebune follow Saotome, and level the rice field as the seedlings are planted. A musical band follows them, and plays the drums, flutes, and small gongs accompanying the songs of Sambai and Saotome. Once the transplantation is completed, Eburi is placed upside down in some water, and three bunches of rice seedlings are put on it. Some say that the deity of rice fields resides in this Eburi, while others say that the deity launches from it and goes back to the heavens. In this way, an abundant harvest of rice can be expected. ‘Mibu no Hana Taue’ has been transmitted as an agricultural ritual indispensable to the Mibu and Kawahigashi communities. The people in both communities gather for this ritual to transplant the rice seedlings in the presence of the deity of rice fields, and pray for an abundant harvest. The ritual features the fundamentals of the Japanese lifestyle and culture that make the ritual’s social functions and meanings important. The farmers and local people of the Mibu and Kawahigashi communities have preserved and transmitted ‘Mibu no Hana Taue’ as an agricultural ritual. The elderly called Sambai are in charge of a smooth execution of the entire ritual. They are familiar with the songs and music for rice planting, and belong to the Association for the Preservation of Mibu no Hana Taue. Some even say that the deity of rice fields rests upon them. ‘Mibu no Hana Taue’ is an agricultural ritual carried out on a specially reserved rice field by habitants of the Mibu and Kawahigashi communities together in a vibrant way every year. It is said to have declined during the Meiji period. Later, however, people became eager to pass it on the future generation as a valuable element of cultural heritage, and the ritual has become quite active up to today. Therefore, the people in both communities consider the ritual as part of their own cultural heritage. ‘Mibu no Hana Taue’ dates back to before the Edo period, and has been transmitted from generation to generation. The people in the Mibu and Kawahigashi communities have gathered every year to transplant rice seedlings at the season of rice transplantation when rice cropping enters its crucial stage. It inevitably gives them a sense of identity. The ritual assures an abundant harvest in these communities. As a result, it gives them a strong sense of continuity. In order to pass down the knowledge and skills concerning ‘Mibu no Hana Taue’, practice sessions of the ritual’s songs and music are held regularly for the pupils at Mibu Elementary School. Many of the current Saotome and music players also come from these practice sessions.

Japan 2011