The Everlasting Lights of Gochang Muyeongseong Fortress
The night at Gochang Muyeongseong Fortress is one that never sleeps.
The Muyeongseong Festival was held in Gochangeupseong Fortress, a symbol of Gochang. Although I visit often, I was particularly amazed by the increased scale this time.
Held in the area of Muyeongseong (Gochang Eupseong Fortress) in Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do, this festival is more than just a village event; it is a meaningful event where the region's history and folklore come together.
The name 'Muyeongseong' is said to have originated from a Baekje-era place name, showing that Gochang has been a part of history for a long time.
It was a natural stone fortress and defense base built in the first year of King Danjong of the Joseon Dynasty (1453) by the people and local officials of Jeolla Province to prevent invasions by Japanese pirates.
The Gochang Muyeongseong Festival is an event planned to inherit the historical significance of this fortress along with the local residents' folk and cultural traditions. It is held every year around the 9th day of the 9th lunar month (Chongyang Festival), with the 'castle walking (dapseong nori)' custom at its center!
I was born and raised in Gochang, and I remember walking around Gochang Eupseong Fortress in hanbok when I was in high school. That photo was taken and exposed in articles and broadcasts. My mother, who walked around the fortress with me, said that she had been walking around since the girls' high school was inside Muyeongseong Fortress.
Castle walking is a folk custom that has been passed down with the legend that walking around the inside or outside of the fortress once cures leg diseases, twice ensures a long and healthy life, and three times crosses the gate to the afterlife.
In fact, to make this stone and earth wall stronger, the wall weakens as the frozen soil melts in winter. It is said that if people step on it from above at that time, it becomes strong again, so this custom has been continued.
Now, it is not only about walking around the castle but also about various festivals with the residents. Local food and sculptures symbolizing Gochang, and people dressed in Joseon Dynasty clothes were welcoming us everywhere.
The night of the Gochang Muyeongseong Festival is fun to watch the night view through not only performances but also various lights. Characters in the shape of Gochang's symbolic dolmens are cutely welcoming us.
Every street is lit up with bright lights, making the festival more realistic.
Wishes were written one by one on the road full of Cheongsachorong lanterns.
I hope all the big and small wishes come true.
Shall we go to the place where the food is now?
This place was always crowded, regardless of the time. Since it is a disposable plastic-free space, used dishes had to be returned to the designated place. We wanted to eat on the platform, so we took a seat here.
I ordered all the fried food, green onion pancakes, and fish cakes. The price and taste were all reasonable, so I could buy and eat without any burden.
Walking around the castle, participating in the parade, and meeting local residents and visitors, this festival seems to allow not only Gochang residents but also outsiders to experience 'Gochang-ness'. It was especially interesting to meet multicultural families.
I had a brief conversation and got to know a friend of my age from Cambodia who had been in Korea for 13 years. I happened to have traveled to Cambodia at that time, so we were both amazed.
I arrived at night and came here again the next day because I regretted going for only one day. It was a festival that I wanted to enjoy for a long time, so I stayed without realizing how time was passing.
That's all for the Gochang Muyeongseong Festival, which I'm looking forward to next year!
Written, Photos by Kim Min-ji, Reporter
Source :https://blog.naver.com/jbgokr/224064478520
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