Some time ago the exhibition of intangible cultural heritage items-2025 took place at the foot of picturesque Moran Hill in the capital city of Pyongyang.

According to an official concerned, the exhibition was aimed at preserving and adding lustre to the time-honoured history, splendid culture and fine manners and customs of the country, and it drew more than 100 national and regional intangible cultural heritage items presented by some 80 units in Pyongyang and regions.

During the show there were a variety of promotional activities to disseminate and introduce intangible cultural heritage items, such as traditional tales, traditional art, traditional handicraft, traditional medicine, and traditional foods and dietary customs, through demonstration, experiencing, multimedia presentation and other methods.

The Okryu Restaurant exhibited the “practices related with Pyongyang cold noodles” which are on the world intangible cultural heritage list. The Chongnyu Restaurant presented the casserole-cooking method, a practice put on the national intangible cultural heritage list, and other cuisines. The Chilsong Restaurant showed off the methods of making fruit punch and fermented glutinous rice pancake by means of visual aids, real things and decorations in good harmony. And the Pyongyang Tangogi Restaurant offered a deeper understanding of the method of cooking the traditional tangogi soup.

Seeing performers play ssirum (Korean wrestling) and yut (four stick) game, make rice cakes with a mallet and fly kites, the visitors could better realize the long history and excellence of the Korean culture.

Public catering establishments and food producers served mung-bean pancake, Pyongyang onban , Pyongyang pibimpap, jongbangchae, boiled pheasant, Wonsan boiled rice with clam meat, fruit punch, Hamhung potato starch noodles, loach soup, samgyethang and Paekhwa liquor so that visitors could relish their taste and aroma.

Also on display were imposing Korean costumes, world-famous Koryo celadon, porcelains made with coloured clay, silk products of Nyongbyon and embroideries.

Children from Ponbu Kindergarten in Sinuiju attached to the Sinuiju Teachers Training College performed rope-skipping, and students from Munhung Senior Middle School in Taedonggang District, Pyongyang, flew kites, bringing excitement to the visitors.

Put on the stage of the Pyongyang Municipal Youth Park Open-Air Theatre at the foot of Moran Hill were folk songs, national instrumental music, folk dance, Taekwon-Do, rope-skipping and other pieces placed on the intangible cultural heritage list.

During the exhibition, there were activities for exchange such as transfer of skills and technical service.

The event served as a significant occasion in raising the public awareness of intangible cultural heritage and inheriting and developing the excellent traditions and customs created by the ancestors–as required by the times.

Ham Kwang Hyok