National Intangible Heritage 'Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo' Holder Anyongchung Passes Away

"Dedicated to Preserving and Passing Down the Tradition of Local Nongyo Folk Songs"

National Intangible Cultural Heritage holder of 'Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo,' An Yongchung, passed away on the 7th at the age of 87.

Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo is a song passed down in the Tongmyeong-ri area of Yecheon-eup, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk Province. It expresses the hardships of farming and prays for a bountiful harvest using the unique musical style of Gyeongbuk. It became widely known after receiving the Presidential Award at the 1979 National Folk Arts Competition (now the Korean Folk Arts Festival) and was designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1985.

The late holder, born in Tongmyeong-ri, grew up singing Nongyo with adults from a young age. During the 1979 National Folk Arts Competition, he sang the response part following the lead song by holder Lee Sang-hyu (92). Since 1973, he also learned to play farming instruments such as the jing and kkwaenggwari.

After becoming a certified performer of Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo in 1986, he served as the president of the Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo Preservation Society and as a transmission education instructor (currently transmission educator), and was recognized as a holder in 2006. The Cultural Heritage Administration praised him for "steadfastly preserving the tradition of regional Nongyo and dedicating himself to the preservation and transmission activities of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Yecheon Tongmyeong Nongyo."

Survived by his wife Choi Sook-yi and children Ildong, Dohyun, Kyungsook, Kyunghui, and Kyungja. The funeral is being held at the VIP room on the 3rd floor of Yecheon Kwon Hospital Funeral Hall, with the funeral procession scheduled for 8 a.m. on the 10th.