Weaving Hansan Mosi (ramie) has been registered in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The 6th UNESCO Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity held in Bali, Indonesia on November 28 finally decided that Weaving Hansan Mosi should be registered in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity along with Jultagi (tightrope walking) and Taekkyeon (traditional Korean martial art). Although there are several places that weave Mosi in traditional ways for supply, the place designated this time is Hansan, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. This means that Hansan Mosi is of top quality and is adequately supplied, and that it perfectly preserves our national tradition. Mosi is fabric woven with extracted fibers from the plant Mosi grass and was called Jeopo. It is an eco-friendly traditional fiber whose legacy has been handed down through the Period of the Three Hans, Period of Three Kingdoms, Koryeo, and Joseon Dynasty period to present. Since Mosi easily snaps in case of contact with moisture, it must be woven in a dugout hut that is not ventilated despite the heat; work cannot continue on a windy or a rainy day. Normally, Mosi ranges from 7 sae to 15 sae (Boreumsae); if it exceeds 10 sae, it is called Semosi. Mosi quality is known to increase as the number of sae goes up. One sae means woven fabric 30㎝ wide with 80-thread warp. Preserving the tradition of Baekje, Hansan Mosi was very popular with its thin and fine texture. In particular, “Hansan Semosi” is of the highest quality and has been considered the most expensive, top-class product. Nowadays, in Hansan, about 500 women including Ms. Bang Yeon Ok, who is the skill holder of Weaving Hansan Mosi (No. 14 among the Important Intangible Cultural Properties), are producing Mosi; such skill has been handed down from generation to generation.

▲ Hansan Mosi Cultural Festival