Gijang-gun
Encyclopedia
Gijang County is a gun, or county
, located between Haeundae-gu
and Ulsan
in northern Busan
, South Korea
.
period. At that time it was made the hyeon
of Gijang, part of Dongnae-gun. The Samguk Sagi
records that it was known as Gaphwayanggok (甲火良谷) previously.
Historical landmarks in the county include the Buddhist temple of Jangansa, said to have been first built by Wonhyo
in the 7th century. The 14th-century Gijang fortress wall has been preserved, as has a Japanese fortress dating from Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea in the 1590s.
(East Sea
), Gijang is known as a center for the production of various kinds of seafood. These include anchovies and brown seaweed (miyeok).
Administrative divisions of South Korea
||South Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city...
, located between Haeundae-gu
Haeundae-gu
-Administrative divisions:Haeundae-gu is divided into 7 legal dong, which altogether comprise 18 administrative dong, as follows:* U-dong * Jung-dong * Jwa-dong...
and Ulsan
Ulsan
Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
in northern Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
History
Gijang first appears under its current name in the annals of the year 757, during the Unified SillaUnified Silla
Unified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
period. At that time it was made the hyeon
Hyeon
The hyeon were administrative subdivisions of Korea during the Silla, Goryeo, and Joseon periods. They were typically slightly smaller than today's si and gun . They were abolished in the Gabo Reform of 1895.During the Goryeo period, there were about 335 Hyeon; during the Joseon period, 164....
of Gijang, part of Dongnae-gun. The Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The Samguk Sagi is written in Classical Chinese and its compilation was ordered by Goryeo's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
records that it was known as Gaphwayanggok (甲火良谷) previously.
Historical landmarks in the county include the Buddhist temple of Jangansa, said to have been first built by Wonhyo
Wonhyo
Wonhyo was one of the leading thinkers, writers and commentators of the Korean Buddhist tradition. Essence-Function , a key concept in East Asian Buddhism and particularly that of Korean Buddhism, was refined in the syncretic philosophy and worldview of Wonhyo.As one of the most eminent...
in the 7th century. The 14th-century Gijang fortress wall has been preserved, as has a Japanese fortress dating from Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea in the 1590s.
Geography and demographics
Gijang is the most rural of Busan's districts, and consists mostly of vacant and agricultural land. Approximately 156.7 of its 217.9 square kilometers are empty and forested, mostly hilly land. The county's population has risen steadily since 1990, when it stood at 56,847.Economy
Due to its location along the coast of the Sea of JapanSea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
(East Sea
Sea of Japan naming dispute
The international name for the body of water which is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia, and South Korea is disputed. The Japanese government supports the use of the name "Sea of Japan", while South Korea supports the name "East Sea", and North Korea supports the name "East Sea of Korea"...
), Gijang is known as a center for the production of various kinds of seafood. These include anchovies and brown seaweed (miyeok).
Tourism
Apart from the culture-historical and Buddhist sites mentioned above, other points of interest in Gijang include Toam Pottery Park and Ilgwang Beach.Administrative divisions
Gijang is divided into five parts:- eup (larger towns):
- Gijang-eup
- Jangan-eup
- myeon (rural townships):
- Cheolma-myeon
- Ilgwang-myeon
- Jeonggwan-myeon