Cheongju Craft Biennale stresses connection with nature, Jikji legacy

CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province – Cheongju, the largest city in North Chungcheong Province, 137 kilometers south of Seoul, is home to the world’s oldest metal-printed book Jikji. Acknowledged by UNESCO, Jikji was created in 1377 during the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) at Heungdeok Temple in the city.

Cheongju Craft Biennale was launched in 1999 to succeed the legacy of Jikji, or Jikji Simche Yojeol, that preceded Europe’s Gutenberg Bible in 1455, in dedication to the craftsmanship of artists across the world.

The 13th edition of the biennale kicked off Sept. 1 under the theme of “The Geography of Objects” at the Culture Factory, a 51,000-square-meter building. The building, established in 1946, was used as a tobacco factory right after Korea's liberation from the Japanese.