Namwon
Encyclopedia
Namwon is a city
in North Jeolla Province, South Korea
. Namwon is about 45 minutes from the provincial capital of Jeonju
, which is three hours away from Seoul
.
The official city flower is Royal Azalea (철쭉) while the city tree is the crape-myrtle (배롱나무) and the city bird is the swallow
(제비).
Namwon is a small city located just outside of Jirisan National Park
, which has the largest set of mountains on the South Korean Mainland. It is 3 and a half hours from the Seoul Central City Bus Terminal and about one hour from both the U-Square Bus Terminal in Gwangju and the Jeonju Inter City Bus Terminal. It is called "the City of Love" because of the famous Korean love story of Chunhyang. Gwanghallu Garden is a shrine to this love story.
of Silla
Kingdom. Namwon county was founded on April 1, 1895.
The city suffered during the Siege of Namwon
in 1597 which was part of the Imjin War. During the siege that lasted from August 13 to August 16 the only defenders against the Japan
ese army of 56,000 men were 3300 Korean and Chinese soldiers and 6000 women and children. In the end the Japanese found a way to enter the city and killed all the soldiers and civilians.
bordered by the Sobaek Mountains
to the east and the Buheung Mountain Ridges to the west with the Yocheon River flowing through the city. Namwon is bordered by the counties of Imsil and Sunchang to the west, Jangsu to the north, Hamyang
and Hadong
in Gyeongsangnam-do
to the east, and Gurye and Gokseong in Jeollanam-do
to the south.
, the climate of Namwon varies greatly. Winds in Namwon are usually weak and blow north to west in the winter and south to west in the summer. However, temperatures can sometimes (briefly) drop below -10℃ in January. Temperatures in July can often reach 33℃. Temperatures in spring (April and May) and fall (September and October) are often in the mid 20's℃ and with low humidity.
The annual four-day Chunhyang festival commemorates a legendary love story and folktale, Chunhyangga
. This festival is said to be the oldest in Korea.
According to the legend, Chunhyang was a maiden who was taken advantage of by an immoral local governor who forced her to marry him while the young man she really loved was away on government affairs. When the young man returned he disguised himself as a common person and saw for himself the myriad of injustices that the local governor had perpetrated; using his authority to kill him, things are set straight and the maiden is set free, giving the tale a happy ending.
The main bridge that crosses the river that runs through the middle of the city is lit up, and along the river bank there are vendors selling food and items of all kinds. The Chunhyang beauty contest can be entered by the most beautiful female residents, in traditional dress
. Another event is the Chunhyang parade which runs through cordoned sections of the city along the river bank, and which comprises just about the entire complement of the city's mid-grade schoolgirls (numbering probably in the low hundreds) who are dressed in full chogori and carry musical instruments of some type, and who march in a very long line. There are also other parades of men and anyone else who is not a young girl may dress up in traditional dress and join the procession. The festival lasts four days and fireworks are launched every night.
For the rest of the year when the festival is not on, there is a small theme park dedicated to Chunhyang (Namwon Tourist Complex) complete with hypothetical dwellings and surroundings that someone like Chunhyang would have had (a mock house and yard). There are other sights in the park unrelated to Chunhyang such as a fish pond where visitors are free to feed the fish and some old-fashioned swings and horseshoe-style throwing games. Outside the park, along the river bank, there are also mini paddle boats that people can rent to traverse the small river.
, United States
Seocho
, South Korea
Yancheng
, China
(since June 13, 1998)
Administrative divisions of South Korea
||South Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city...
in North Jeolla Province, 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...
. Namwon is about 45 minutes from the provincial capital of Jeonju
Jeonju
Jeonju is a city in South Korea, and the capital of Jeollabuk-do, or North Jeolla Province. It is an important tourist center famous for Korean food, historic buildings, sports activities and innovative festivals.- History :...
, which is three hours away from Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
.
The official city flower is Royal Azalea (철쭉) while the city tree is the crape-myrtle (배롱나무) and the city bird is the swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
(제비).
Namwon is a small city located just outside of Jirisan National Park
Jirisan National Park
Jirisan National Park is a national park in South Korea, located on the boundaries of Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do. Jirisan was the first park to be designated as a national park in South Korea, in 1967...
, which has the largest set of mountains on the South Korean Mainland. It is 3 and a half hours from the Seoul Central City Bus Terminal and about one hour from both the U-Square Bus Terminal in Gwangju and the Jeonju Inter City Bus Terminal. It is called "the City of Love" because of the famous Korean love story of Chunhyang. Gwanghallu Garden is a shrine to this love story.
History
Namwon was founded in 685 during the reign of King SinmunSinmun of Silla
Sinmun of Silla was the thirty-first king of Silla, a Korean state that originated in the southwestern Korean peninsula and went on to unify most of the peninsula under its rule in the mid 7th century. He was the eldest son of Silla's unifier-king, Munmu and Queen Jaeui...
of Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
Kingdom. Namwon county was founded on April 1, 1895.
The city suffered during the Siege of Namwon
Siege of Namwon
The Siege of Namwon was one of the battles of the Imjin War.- Ming-Chinese forces 3,000 men :Yang Yuan Middle Army : Li Xin FangMao Cheng Xian Jiang Biǎo- Korean forces 1,300 men :...
in 1597 which was part of the Imjin War. During the siege that lasted from August 13 to August 16 the only defenders against the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese army of 56,000 men were 3300 Korean and Chinese soldiers and 6000 women and children. In the end the Japanese found a way to enter the city and killed all the soldiers and civilians.
Geography
Namwon is located in a basinDepression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
bordered by the Sobaek Mountains
Sobaek Mountains
The Sobaek Mountains are a mountain range cutting across the southern Korean peninsula. They split off from the Taebaek Mountains and trend southwest across the center of the peninsula. They are traditionally considered to reach their southwestern limit at Jirisan, which is also the highest peak...
to the east and the Buheung Mountain Ridges to the west with the Yocheon River flowing through the city. Namwon is bordered by the counties of Imsil and Sunchang to the west, Jangsu to the north, Hamyang
Hamyang
Hamyang County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.-Symbol:* Flower : Azalea* Tree : Zelkova tree* Bird : Cuckoo* Animal : Asian black bear* Major : Lee, cheolwoo -External links:**...
and Hadong
Hadong
Hadong County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.-History:The county of Hadong was called 'Dasachon' when it was a part of the Jin state; later becoming a part of 'Nangnoguk', one of 12 statelets of the Byeonhan confederacy...
in Gyeongsangnam-do
Gyeongsangnam-do
Gyeongsangnam-do is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Changwon. It contains the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. Located there is UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana and attracts many...
to the east, and Gurye and Gokseong in Jeollanam-do
Jeollanam-do
Jeollanam-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Jeolla province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea...
to the south.
Climate
The average yearly temperature of Namwon is 12.3℃ with the average temperature in January being -1.4℃ and 25.2℃ in August. Due to its location in a mountainous basin with a high rate of precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
, the climate of Namwon varies greatly. Winds in Namwon are usually weak and blow north to west in the winter and south to west in the summer. However, temperatures can sometimes (briefly) drop below -10℃ in January. Temperatures in July can often reach 33℃. Temperatures in spring (April and May) and fall (September and October) are often in the mid 20's℃ and with low humidity.
Chunhyang festival
Chunhyangga
The Chunhyangga is the most famous Pansori in Korea. The Chunhyangga has delighted all Korean for a century. The Chunhyangga is the best Pansori as musically, literary, and a well-made play....
. This festival is said to be the oldest in Korea.
According to the legend, Chunhyang was a maiden who was taken advantage of by an immoral local governor who forced her to marry him while the young man she really loved was away on government affairs. When the young man returned he disguised himself as a common person and saw for himself the myriad of injustices that the local governor had perpetrated; using his authority to kill him, things are set straight and the maiden is set free, giving the tale a happy ending.
The main bridge that crosses the river that runs through the middle of the city is lit up, and along the river bank there are vendors selling food and items of all kinds. The Chunhyang beauty contest can be entered by the most beautiful female residents, in traditional dress
Chima jeogori
Chima jeogori is a Korean term for a women's outfit consisting of a chima skirt and jeogori top. Men wear baji jeogori: baji and jeogori...
. Another event is the Chunhyang parade which runs through cordoned sections of the city along the river bank, and which comprises just about the entire complement of the city's mid-grade schoolgirls (numbering probably in the low hundreds) who are dressed in full chogori and carry musical instruments of some type, and who march in a very long line. There are also other parades of men and anyone else who is not a young girl may dress up in traditional dress and join the procession. The festival lasts four days and fireworks are launched every night.
For the rest of the year when the festival is not on, there is a small theme park dedicated to Chunhyang (Namwon Tourist Complex) complete with hypothetical dwellings and surroundings that someone like Chunhyang would have had (a mock house and yard). There are other sights in the park unrelated to Chunhyang such as a fish pond where visitors are free to feed the fish and some old-fashioned swings and horseshoe-style throwing games. Outside the park, along the river bank, there are also mini paddle boats that people can rent to traverse the small river.
Sights
- Mangbok Temple Site, constructed between 1046 and 1083 during the rule of King MunjongMunjong of GoryeoMunjong was the 11th monarch of the Goryeo that ruled Korea from 1046 to 1083.Emperor Munjong was born in 1019 and reigned from 1046 until his death in 1083. During his reign, the central government of Goryeo gained complete authority and power over local lords. Munjong and later emperors...
of GoryeoGoryeoThe Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392... - Silsangsa Temple, a BuddhistBuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
temple - Gwanghallu Garden, a traditional garden that symbolizes the universeUniverseThe Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
(commonly attributed to the ChunhyangChunhyanggaThe Chunhyangga is the most famous Pansori in Korea. The Chunhyangga has delighted all Korean for a century. The Chunhyangga is the best Pansori as musically, literary, and a well-made play....
story) - Cheongheobu Gate, the main entrance to Gwanghallu Garden
- Wanwoljeong Pavilion
- Chunhyang Shrine, built in the memory of ChunhyangChunhyanggaThe Chunhyangga is the most famous Pansori in Korea. The Chunhyangga has delighted all Korean for a century. The Chunhyangga is the best Pansori as musically, literary, and a well-made play....
- Wolmaejib House
- Chunhyanggwan Hall
Additional Pictures of Namwon area
Sister cities
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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...
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Yancheng
Yancheng is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest jurisdiction area in Jiangsu, Yancheng borders Lianyungang to the north, Huai'an to the west, Yangzhou and Taizhou to the southwest, Nantong to the south, and looks out to...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(since June 13, 1998)
See also
- List of cities in South Korea
- Geography of South KoreaGeography of South KoreaSouth Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula jutting out from the far east of the Asian land mass. The only country with a land border to South Korea is North Korea, lying to the north with of border running along the DMZ. South Korea is mostly surrounded by...