부산광역시 지정 무형문화재 가운데 전승공예부분 일곱 종목은 중요무형문화재보다 일면은 기량이 우수하며 일률적으로 측정하기는 무리가 있으나 기능적 능력을 따진다면 불화장, 사기장, 주성장, 선화, 목조각장, 화혜장, 지연장의 순으로 서열화 할 수 있다. 한편 부산 지역의 향토성이 반영된 순차로는 지연장, 불화장, 선화, 목조각장, 주성장, 화혜장, 사기장의 순서로 요약될 수 있다.
지연장은 동래연을 만들고 날리는 것으로 전승 계보나 제작 기능에서 가장 동래적인 요소를 많이 지니고 있다. 불화장은 전승계보상 범어사의 불모인 양완호와 그의 제자인 부친인 권정두를 통하여 부산 인근의 석채를 채취하고 범어사의 화통을 이어 부산적 요소가 강하다. 선화 또한 전승계보상 범어사의 중창주인 하동산과 그의 제자 화엄으로 화맥이 계승되고 선통도 동산과 그의 제자 고산으로 이어져 범어사 통으로 지역색을 가진다.
목조각장은 법통은 범어사 계통이나 조선후기 대표적인 불모인 금호 약효(錦湖 若效)에 연원을 두고 문성 보응(文性 普應)의 맥을 계승한 일섭(日燮)과 중요무형문화재 서정(石鼎)의 계보를 이어오고 있어 타지의 영향이 다소 유입된 것으로 파악된다.
주성장은 새로이 재현된 기술이어서 일제강점기 부산 영도의 군수산업에서 비롯하여 이에 종사한 김쾌재의 문하에 입문하여 처음으로 주종기술을 전수받아 부산화 되었다고 볼 수 있다. 화혜장은 화혜 자체가 이동성이 강해 가족 간 전승인데 조부에서 부친이 삶의 터전을 찾아 부산으로 유입된 것으로 부산적 특성은 강하지 않으나 인구가 번다한 부산이라서 명맥이 이어져온 것임을 알 수 있다.
사기장은 경상도지역 민간수요용 도자기의 대표산지인 경북 문경의 가마 전통을 계승하고 있으나 부산지역이 도자기 수요가 가장 많은 일본인들의 왕래가 빈번한 부산으로 이주한 경우로 부산에 정착하면서 인근 기장이 우수한 도자기 산지였기에 여기에서 태토를 수집하고 이 지형에 알맞은 가마를 축조하여 가장 늦게 부산화된 것으로 볼 수 있다.
The seven categories of traditional crafts which belong to intangible cultural assets of Busan may be seen technically better in some aspects than important cultural assets. It’s not easy to determine which of those categories are better. But functionally, Bulhwajang is best, followed by Sagijang, Juseongjang, Seonhwa, Mokjogakjang, Hwahyejang and Jiyeonjang in order. By the way, best reflecting the very locality of Busan is Jiyeongjang, followed by Bulhwajang, Seonhwa, Mokjogakjang, Juseongjang, Hwahyejang and Sagijang in order.
Jiyeonjang or the crafts of making and flying Dongrae kites best represents Dongrae in terms of how it has been succeeded and what manufacturing skills have been used as part of it. Bulhwajang, which means the crafts of Buddhist painting, has been succeeded from Yang Wan-ho as Buddhist painter of the Beomeosa temple to his disciple, Kwon Jeong-du who collected color materials from places near Busan and strongly represented the locality of the region in his painting provided the Buddhist paining tradition of that temple was followed. In terms of Seonhwa or the crafts of Zen painting, its painting style has been handed over from Hadongsan as re-founder of the Beomeosa temple to Hwaeom as his disciple and its tradition, from Dongsan to Gosan as his disciple. Thus, Seonhwa has the features of locality that originated in that temple. Concerning Mokjogakjang or the crafts of wooden sculpture, it originated from Gemho Yakho who was one of the respresentative Buddhist painters in the late Joseon period, though initially began in the Beomeosa temple. After that, it was transcended by Ilseop who succeded Munseong Boeung and by Seokjeong who was one of important intangible cultural assets. This suggests that those crafts were somewhat influenced from outside. Juseongjang or the crafts of iron molding is relatively new skills that began in the military supply industry in Yeongdo in the Japanese colonial period. Those crafts were handed over from Kim Kwae-jae who engaged in that industry to his disciples, becoming skills that represent Busan. Hwahyejang or the crafts of traditional shoe-making has been succeeded from generation to generation within a same family. It was introduced to Busan from outside because shoes themselves are strongly movable in nature and, more fundamentally, because people having those crafts moved to Busan for making a living. Probably, Hwahyejang could survive in Busan despite not much featuring locality, for the region was more populated than any others.
Initially based on the kiln use tradition of Mungyeong, Gyeongbook which was a key place of ceramic ware production for the private sector, Sagijang or the crafts of ceramic ware-making was later settled in Busan where lots of Japanese people visited in order to meet their highest demand for ceramic ware. After that, Sagijang was supported by collecting Taeto as earthen materials from Gijang near at hand, a place where high-quality ceramic ware was being manufactured, and constructing klins fit for the geography of that place. Sagijang was localized to represent Busan later than the above other traditional crafts.