Every morning memories of Korea greet me as I drink my coffee. The coffee is usually made using Korean instant coffee sticks, but it is the cup that holds the coffee that also holds the memories. They were gifted to me in 2017 by a dear friend, and remind me of the afternoon that my family spent with him. Three cups were given to us—two made of white porcelain (baek-ja) and one the more familiar green celadon. It is the white porcelain ones that have become a part of my daily routine since they came home with us in October 2017.
It was a sunny Friday afternoon that my family made our way from our apartment near Seoul Station to a pizza restaurant near Bukchon Hanok Village. We met our friend on one of the main streets, just outside the Kwangjuyo store on Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu. After greeting us, he handed me a bag, saying that this pottery was his family’s favorite. He said he always picked up a couple of pieces when he was in the area and he wanted to share it with us.
My friend explained that the cups inside were done in two different styles of Korean pottery. The white porcelain baek-ja is a style of pottery that predates celadon, and the baek-ja cup set was to be a gift for my husband and I. The celadon cup was given to our son. After lunch, we enjoyed an afternoon with my friend showing us around Bukchon Hanok Village and indulging my son in several different desserts (macaroons, cheesecake, and a smoothie) at some of his favorite places in the neighborhood.
Later that evening, I unwrapped the pieces and instantly fell in love. The baek-ja pieces are beautiful white and are decorated with delicate flower and leaf engravings, the glaze clinging to the carved areas making them slightly darker in color. It relaxes me to run my fingers over the patterns each morning as I take in my morning dose of caffeine. The celadon cup is a simple green, but the shape of the cup is interesting and unique.
Long before receiving these gifts, I had loved the beauty of Korean pottery. I knew of celadon, the more universally famous of Korea’s pottery, and owned one celadon vase that I purchased at a fundraiser. My son and I had enjoyed the book “The Single Shard” by Linda Sue Park, which tells the story of a potter who creates celadon pieces. Celadon rose in popularity during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Onggi, the Korean earthenware pots that are used in Korean kitchens, are my absolute favorite. But until this trip in 2017, I was not familiar with baek-ja. The cups set me a journey to learn more.
Baek-ja dates to the 9th century CE, when it was made in small quantities, but the white porcelain was perfected during the Joseon Dynasty when it was chosen as the pottery of the kings. A group of kilns, called bunwon, were built in Gwang-ju, near present day Seoul, and were assigned the task of producing the imperial pottery, as well as pieces for government officials and other wealthy citizens. It’s popularity began to grow and kilns were built throughout the peninsula, allowing the less affluent access to baek-ja, although it was usually of lesser quality than the imperial pieces.
My research informed me that there is a place I can visit to learn more, so now I have another place to add to my Korea “must-see” list. The Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do Province, is dedicated to collecting and conserving both celadon and baek-ja that were produced at kilns throughout the province. Until that visit happens, I’ll continue to enjoy my morning coffee in the beautiful baek-ja cup that is filled with memories.
Here are a couple of links if you’d like to learn more. www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chpo/hd_chpo.htm
“The Beauty of Korean Pottery” was originally published on May 12, 2020, on Korea.net’s TalkTalkKorea site, a site featuring the products of their Honorary Reporters.
Amy G. Park 