Can you believe that a jar can breathe?

Korean people have long used such a jar called an Onggi which can breathe. This special vessel is used specifically to store Korean traditional food such as doenjang(soybean paste), kimch, pickled food and soy sauce. Onggi can preserve water as well as food for a long time .The food contained inside can be well-ripened and preserved longer because the sand particles in the clay make micro air holes on the vessels to circulate the air. As the clay used for Onggi contains dust and roots of plants, the pots get tiny holes in them when they are baked in the kiln. In addition, It is a natural pot made from fine clay and It is never harmful to human body.

 How can we make  such a wonderful and useful vessel ?   Follow these instructions to make an Onggi.

Materials and equipments

You will need

· Clay

· Water

· Spinning wheels

· Clubs, wooden rake, hoe

· Knife (wooden knife)

· Kiln ( traditional or modern style )

· Glaze

1. Refine the collected or purchased clay.

 - spread water on the clay and leave it for one day to soak up 

the  water.

2. Spread the refined clay.

 - spread and even the clay with a wooden rake or hoe.

3. Form the base of Onggi on spinning wheels.

 - mark off the base size desired, revolve the wheel and cut off

the   excess clay with a wooden knife.

4. File the clay in the form of Onggi.

 - attach a coil of clay from the lower part to the upper part.

5. form the walls of Onggi.

 - involve a coordinated pressure of the left palm on the outside surface   of the coil together with a series of half rotations on the right hand  exerting a downward and opposing lateral pressure.

6. Shape the top part of Onggi.

 - hold the strip firmly in both hands and create a thickened lip form.

7. Dry Onggi in shades, glaze and add patterns.

 - be allowed to dry for around fifteen days depending on temperature  

 and  humidity, be dried again after being glazed, and be added patterns.

8. Put dried Onggi in the kilns.

 - insert Onggi into the kilns and dry it a few days.

9. Bake Onggi in kilns.

 - bake Onggi in kilns for four days at around 1200 ̊C.

 Onggi can be made through these procedures, more and more pepole are getting realized the value of Korean traditional pot, Onggi.

Reference

http://www.koreafolkart.com/e1-5.htm

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2880938

http://english.chosun.com/english/contents/magazine/2001/Attraction200102_1.html

http://www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/onggi.htm