Jeonju Hanji, Opening the Way for World Cultural Heritage Preservation and Restoration

Obtained Certification in Cultural Heritage Restoration from Italy's ICRCPAL

Photo by Jeonju City Provided

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hong Jaehee] Jeonju Hanji, which remains unchanged even after a thousand years, has been recognized for its excellence by Italy’s specialized paper institution, opening the way to becoming a world-class restoration paper.

On the 10th, the city announced that it had obtained a ‘Certificate of Validity’ from the Italian Central Institute for Conservation and Restoration of Archival and Library Heritage (ICRCPAL), which is globally recognized for its authority in the field of European cultural heritage preservation and restoration, confirming that Jeonju Hanji is suitable for cultural heritage preservation and restoration use.

The certified Jeonju Hanji includes two types: ▲SH4 with a basis weight of 35g/㎡ ▲SH5 with a basis weight of 45g/㎡, both made by Jeonju Hanji master Choi Seong-il using traditional raw materials such as Jeonju-grown dak fibers and the mucilage from the roots of Hwangchokgyu (dakpul).

Master Choi produced the Hanji considering ICRCPAL’s quality standards for preservation and restoration paper, including fiber composition and orientation, foreign substance content, thickness, and acidity(?). The paper was sent to ICRCPAL through the Korean Cultural Center in Italy in March for evaluation.

Through this certificate, ICRCPAL stated, “Hanji SH4 and SH5 showed positive results that meet all chemical, biological, physical, and other technical criteria,” adding, “They are not only reliable but also possess durability and a high level of stability, making them suitable for use in preservation and restoration.”

The city expects that this certification will not only allow Jeonju Hanji to replace Japanese washi paper, which holds an absolute market share in Italy’s cultural heritage preservation and restoration field, but also expand its market in the preservation and restoration of cultural assets such as artworks, art pieces, and ancient books in Europe’s three major museums: the Vatican in Italy, the British Museum in the UK, and the Louvre in France.

Furthermore, it is evaluated that Jeonju Hanji has laid the groundwork to be registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage by boosting momentum in the global cultural heritage preservation and restoration field beyond Italy’s cultural heritage restoration.

Jeonju Hanji has long been recognized as suitable for cultural heritage preservation and restoration due to its delicate qualities in strength, dimensional stability, and relative transparency.

To promote the excellence of Hanji and to industrialize and globalize it, the city has carried out various projects such as ▲Overseas diplomatic mission Hanstyle space production project ▲Jeonju-grown dak tree purchase project ▲Traditional Hanji production facility establishment project ▲Traditional Hanji archive construction project.

Notably, Jeonju Hanji was used in 2016 to reproduce the ‘1333 letter sent by the Vatican State to Goryeo,’ and in 2017, it was used to restore the ‘Bavarian Maximilian II desk’ held by the Louvre Museum. In the same year, the city also reproduced the ‘1904 letter of friendship between Emperor Gojong and the Vatican Pope’ on Jeonju Hanji and delivered it to the Vatican Papal Office.

Additionally, in November last year, officials from the Louvre Museum’s restoration department and world-renowned paper scholars visited Jeonju to tour the traditional Hanji production process. In February, the Louvre Museum’s exhibition and preservation/restoration directors personally touched and experienced Jeonju Hanji, confirming its excellent appeal.

Mayor Kim Seung-su said, “Hanji is the essence of record culture and a material with infinite potential to grow into a new industry,” adding, “Based on the great achievement of certification from Italy’s ICRCPAL following the Louvre in France and the Vatican, we will do our best to develop not only the restoration of world cultural heritage but also the Hanji material itself and the Hanji composite material industry.”