Bowyer, Important Cultural Asset #47
For those who are interested in Korean Traditional Archery I can once again recomend Thomas and Nicholas Duvernay's book on the subject listed in this topic of the forum.
For those interested in the process of making traditional Korean bows and arrows let me reccomend "Bowyer, Important Cultural asset #47". My copy was purchased in a bookstore in Soeul this year for $14 after seeing a copy at the workshop of Kim Park Young. The book is about Mr. Kim, master bowyer, the only nationally recognised Cultural Asset bowyer in Korea. The book is written entirely in Korean so one might ask how this book can be useful to the craftsman. The answer is the 212 high quality photographs documenting bow and arrow making. I include pics of the front cover and a sample pic from the front of the book illustrating the tools of the trade. I actually saw these same tools in use the day that I visited the workshop.
In the following pages are step by step pics showing exactly how these tools are used in the year-long process of making a bow. This might be the only printed document on the subject and makes the process about 90% clear to the student who has read/studied about the subject.
Besides bowmaking there is a long section, or rather three sections on arrowmaking by three master arrowmakers. The same process is followed showing the materials, how they are gathered, the layout of the various workshops, the tools used and each of the processes in progression. If one cannot read Korean, this is the next best thing.
The tools are fundamental and hand opperated while sitting on the workshop floors. It would be simple to adapt the techniques for the modern craftsperson.
Thomas translates the front cover of the book, "In green, the title says "Bowyer". Text by Kim Il-hwan and photos by Jeong Su-mi. In the black bar next to the title, it says "Important Intangible Cultural Asset #47". The publisher is "Hwasan Munhwa".
I do not know how to buy the book but am sure that Mr. Won of the WTAF would be glad to facilitate as WTAF is genuinely interested in promoting Korean Traditional Archery. I include his email.
[email protected] Jack
For those interested in the process of making traditional Korean bows and arrows let me reccomend "Bowyer, Important Cultural asset #47". My copy was purchased in a bookstore in Soeul this year for $14 after seeing a copy at the workshop of Kim Park Young. The book is about Mr. Kim, master bowyer, the only nationally recognised Cultural Asset bowyer in Korea. The book is written entirely in Korean so one might ask how this book can be useful to the craftsman. The answer is the 212 high quality photographs documenting bow and arrow making. I include pics of the front cover and a sample pic from the front of the book illustrating the tools of the trade. I actually saw these same tools in use the day that I visited the workshop.
In the following pages are step by step pics showing exactly how these tools are used in the year-long process of making a bow. This might be the only printed document on the subject and makes the process about 90% clear to the student who has read/studied about the subject.
Besides bowmaking there is a long section, or rather three sections on arrowmaking by three master arrowmakers. The same process is followed showing the materials, how they are gathered, the layout of the various workshops, the tools used and each of the processes in progression. If one cannot read Korean, this is the next best thing.
The tools are fundamental and hand opperated while sitting on the workshop floors. It would be simple to adapt the techniques for the modern craftsperson.
Thomas translates the front cover of the book, "In green, the title says "Bowyer". Text by Kim Il-hwan and photos by Jeong Su-mi. In the black bar next to the title, it says "Important Intangible Cultural Asset #47". The publisher is "Hwasan Munhwa".
I do not know how to buy the book but am sure that Mr. Won of the WTAF would be glad to facilitate as WTAF is genuinely interested in promoting Korean Traditional Archery. I include his email.
[email protected] Jack