Braille and English Book Introduces Traditional Architecture Artisans and Tools
An Illustrated Guide to the Tools of Daemok the Masters of Korean Traditional Carpentry Released with Sign Language Video and Artisan Demonstrations
The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) at the National Wanju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (Director Choi In-hwa) has published a tactile Braille and English book titled An Illustrated Guide to the Tools of Daemok the Masters of Korean Traditional Carpentry designed to help visually and hearing impaired individuals foreigners and overseas Koreans unfamiliar with the Korean language to better understand traditional Korean architecture and the tools used by its artisans.
Daemok: A master carpenter skilled in traditional wooden architecture who is responsible for the planning design and construction of buildings as well as overseeing other carpenters.
The book introduces 41 traditional carpentry tools such as the saw chisel and plane used by Korean master carpenters. The Braille version includes explanations in Braille and tactile illustrations of the tools allowing readers to feel the shapes with their fingertips. Additionally QR codes are provided linking to videos featuring artisans demonstrating the tools accompanied by sign language interpretation making the content accessible to both visually and hearing impaired individuals.
The English version of the book titled An Illustrated Guide to the Tools of Daemok the Masters of Korean Traditional Carpentry provides explanations in both Korean and English. It includes illustrations historical photos and images of current artisans at work making it easy for foreign readers to understand. The book also features QR codes linking to videos where artisans share stories about tool usage maintenance and related anecdotes.
The National Wanju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage hopes that these books will be widely used providing opportunities for people of all abilities and languages to appreciate Korea’s national heritage.
The published books will be distributed to major libraries museums schools for the visually impaired and other relevant institutions both domestically and internationally. The English version can also be accessed by anyone through the Cultural Heritage Administration’s website (http://www.khs.go.kr) and the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage’s portal (https://portal.nrich.go.kr). The videos linked through the QR codes are also available on the National Wanju Research Institute of Cultural Heritages YouTube channel where additional content such as the process of creating the tactile Braille book will be released in the future.
National Wanju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@user-sp7qv3fp4k
Since 2022 the National Wanju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage has been conducting comprehensive research on traditional architecture techniques. Last year they published the books Modern and Contemporary Daemok Tools and An Illustrated Guide to the Tools of Daemok the Masters of Korean Traditional Carpentry and co-hosted the special exhibition The Power of Korean Traditional Architecture: The Strength of Tools (November 17-28 2023) showcasing the tools used by real artisans. These efforts are part of ongoing activities to preserve and study traditional architectural techniques.
The National Wanju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage will continue its research and efforts to widely promote the excellence of Korean traditional architecture producing and sharing a variety of cultural heritage content as part of its proactive administrative initiatives.
Website: : http://www.wip-news.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=24601
