Onggi
Encyclopedia
Onggi are Korea
n ethnic earthenware
, which were extensively used as tableware
as well as storage containers in Korea
. It includes both unglazed
earthenware fired near 600~700°C and pottery
with a dark brown glaze
that burnt over 1100°C.
The origin of onggi dates to approximately 4000 to 5000 BC. There were two types of earthenware: a patternless earthenware which is called Mumun pottery and a black and red earthenware. The former, a patternless earthenware, was made with lumps of clay including much fine sand; however, the predecessor of Goryeo
celadon
and Joseon white porcelain
, a black/red earthenware, was being made with only lumps of clay
. The color of earthenware is determined by the iron contained in the mud and the way of burning the pottery. The present onggi shape dates from the Joseon
era. There are many records about onggi in Sejong Sillok Jiriji (세종실록지리지, King Sejong's Treatise on Geography): "There are three kilns that make the yellow onggi in Chogye-gun and Jinju
-mok, Gyeongsang Province" (Lee and Jeong, 16).
, onggi has a microporous structure and has been found to assist in the fermentation of Korea
n fermented foods such as gochujang
(chili pepper
paste), doenjang
(soybean paste) and soy sauce
. Onggi with proper porosity and permeability needs to be used in order to produce an optimally ripened quality in fermented foodstuff. Fine tuned onggi containers are, in fact, suitable for many different kinds of fermented products. Since early times, Korea has been famous for fermented foods. In ancient Chinese historiography
, in the chapter on Dongyi
(烏丸鮮卑東夷傳) in the Records of Wei (魏志), which is part of the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志), there is this remark: "Goguryeo people have a custom of making fermented foods" (Lee and Jeong, 100). The abundance of soybean
, which grows naturally in Korea, the fresh fishery resources from the sea surrounding the Korean peninsula
and a proper climate for microbial development, all give account of the importance of fermentation as food processing. However, onggi ware also contributed to the development of fermented dishes within Korean cuisine.
s its surface. This glaze plays a key role in giving a waterproof surface and preventing leaks. Following up, many particles of sand are included in the body of the clay acting as passages for air. This way, air can move through onggi while water cannot. Koreans call this action, "onggi drawing breath." This is one of the most critical reasons to use onggi in making Korean fermented foods. As time goes by, the surface of onggi containing fermented food becomes sticky because the toxines of food tend to come out.
and smoke which occur when firing wood as a fuel in the kiln
adheres to the whole surface of onggi, making it a rotproof material for foods. This works together with the glaze, which also prevents the decomposition of food contained within.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n ethnic earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
, which were extensively used as tableware
Tableware
Tableware is the dishes or dishware , dinnerware , or china used for setting a table, serving food, and for dining. Tableware can be meant to include flatware and glassware...
as well as storage containers in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. It includes both unglazed
Ceramic glaze
Glaze is a layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fired to fuse to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it.-Use:...
earthenware fired near 600~700°C and pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
with a dark brown glaze
Ceramic glaze
Glaze is a layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fired to fuse to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it.-Use:...
that burnt over 1100°C.
The origin of onggi dates to approximately 4000 to 5000 BC. There were two types of earthenware: a patternless earthenware which is called Mumun pottery and a black and red earthenware. The former, a patternless earthenware, was made with lumps of clay including much fine sand; however, the predecessor of Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
celadon
Celadon
Celadon is a term for ceramics denoting both a type of glaze and a ware of a specific color, also called celadon. This type of ware was invented in ancient China, such as in the Zhejiang province...
and Joseon white porcelain
Joseon White Porcelain
Joseon white porcelain or Joseon baekja refers to the white porcelains produced during the Joseon dynasty .-History:White porcelains were preferred and praised than any other porcelains during the time to represent Korean Confucian ethics such as frugality and pragmatism...
, a black/red earthenware, was being made with only lumps of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
. The color of earthenware is determined by the iron contained in the mud and the way of burning the pottery. The present onggi shape dates from the Joseon
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
era. There are many records about onggi in Sejong Sillok Jiriji (세종실록지리지, King Sejong's Treatise on Geography): "There are three kilns that make the yellow onggi in Chogye-gun and Jinju
Jinju
Jinju is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first and second Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War...
-mok, Gyeongsang Province" (Lee and Jeong, 16).
Usages
Compared to porcelainPorcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
, onggi has a microporous structure and has been found to assist in the fermentation of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n fermented foods such as gochujang
Gochujang
Gochujang is a savory and pungent fermented Korean condiment. Traditionally, it has been naturally fermented over years in large earthen pots outdoors, more often on an elevated stone platform, called jangdokdae in the backyard...
(chili pepper
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
paste), doenjang
Doenjang
Doenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. Its name literally means "thick paste" in Korean.-Production:...
(soybean paste) and soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
. Onggi with proper porosity and permeability needs to be used in order to produce an optimally ripened quality in fermented foodstuff. Fine tuned onggi containers are, in fact, suitable for many different kinds of fermented products. Since early times, Korea has been famous for fermented foods. In ancient Chinese historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
, in the chapter on Dongyi
Dongyi
Dongyi was a collective term for people in eastern China and in lands located to the east of ancient China. People referred to as Dongyi vary across the ages.The early Dongyi culture was one of earliest neolithic cultures in China....
(烏丸鮮卑東夷傳) in the Records of Wei (魏志), which is part of the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志), there is this remark: "Goguryeo people have a custom of making fermented foods" (Lee and Jeong, 100). The abundance of soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
, which grows naturally in Korea, the fresh fishery resources from the sea surrounding the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
and a proper climate for microbial development, all give account of the importance of fermentation as food processing. However, onggi ware also contributed to the development of fermented dishes within Korean cuisine.
Features
Onggi, made by a specialized group of workmen called onggijang (옹기장), has been influenced by the characteristics and climate of the regions where it has been made. Therefore, there are shapes and sizes of onggi and ways of manufacturing it that vary from region to region (Jeong, 138). Nevertheless, all onggi types share some properties. These are biodegradability, porosity, and rotproofness as well as firmness or "vertebration" (Jeong, 132).Decomposition, the Biodegradable Nature of Onggi
When onggi is chipped or broken into bits, it decomposes into earth. That is why it is difficult to find old shards of onggi.Porosity
While burning onggi, the onggijang master glazeCeramic glaze
Glaze is a layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fired to fuse to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it.-Use:...
s its surface. This glaze plays a key role in giving a waterproof surface and preventing leaks. Following up, many particles of sand are included in the body of the clay acting as passages for air. This way, air can move through onggi while water cannot. Koreans call this action, "onggi drawing breath." This is one of the most critical reasons to use onggi in making Korean fermented foods. As time goes by, the surface of onggi containing fermented food becomes sticky because the toxines of food tend to come out.
Rotproofness
The carbonCarbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
and smoke which occur when firing wood as a fuel in the kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
adheres to the whole surface of onggi, making it a rotproof material for foods. This works together with the glaze, which also prevents the decomposition of food contained within.