Pots and Pottery
Crockery and clay ware were an important part of daily life. Designed to reflect the
surrounding nature, these pots were used to store and ferment Korean food, such as
kanjang, koch'ujang, deonjang, and kimch'i.
Individual pots preserve their contents from spoiling and can keep kimch'i fresh
for a long time. The jars are made in special kilns through a method of reduction: flames
and air are mixed into a fierce heat. Pine twigs are used to keep the flames intense, and
the kiln's smokestack and fuel-hole are closed to intensify the heat. The clay ware controls
the humidity and helps purify the jars.
A Korean saying states that every house's good taste comes from its Jangdokdae, which
is the place where Koreans place the pots used to store fermented food. Jangdokdae is
usually in the backyard near the kitchen in a high area with plenty of sunshine and good
ventilation. Koreans place a base at the bottom of the Jangdokdae to keep away bugs.
Korean housewives cleaned the Jangdokdae everyday. Koreans often tied straw with red
peppers and pieces of charcoal around the pots to try to prevent the flavor from changing.
Sometimes they also drew traditional socks on the pot as a wish for the original flavor
to come back. These practices stem from shamanistic practices.
clay jars (danji) of various sizes,
shapes, and colors
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