Jo Nov 11, 2024
Among the national cultural heritages of our people with a 5 000-year-long history is the stone lamp of the Kaeguk Temple known as the stone lamp of the Koryo dynasty.
There was a stone lamp at the Kaeguk Temple in Kaesong City.
The Kaeguk Temple was built in 935. It was famous as one of the top ten temples of the Koryo dynasty, but it became dilapidated during the feudal Joson dynasty.
At the temple there was a seven-storeyed stone tower together with the stone lamp.
The structure of the stone lamp lets us believe that it was made at the same time as the seven-storey tower. According to the records of “Koryo History”, the seven-storey tower was built before 1018.
The stone lamp at the Kaeguk Temple, one of the biggest stone lamps existing in our country, is 3.72 meters tall. It is a square plane lamp made of smoothly faced granite which consists of a base stone, pillars, light space and a lamp head.
Every side of the square plane base stone is 1.92 meters long and the top is engraved with an up-side-down lotus flower.
The stone lamp is one of the precious cultural legacies that demonstrate the stone architecture of the early years of the Koryo dynasty characterized by simplicity and majesty.
At present, it is preserved as a national treasure in the Koryo Museum in Kaesong.
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Jo Nov 6, 2024
The astronomical chart is another name of the picture of constellation.
“Honchonjondo” shows the level of our country’s astronomical development in the eighteenth century.
“Honchonjondo” literally means “a picture of the whole sky”. Showing the stars in the night sky on a sheet of paper, it gives a description of astronomical phenomena and explanation about them, and keeps a record of astronomical constants.
“Honchonjondo” chiefly shows our own astronomical development dating from the ages of the first Korean state founded by King Tangun, with a brief account of the western astronomical development until the first half of the eighteenth century.
All the astronomical contents found in “Honchonjondo” are a precious astronomical heritage of our country, which shows the astronomical development of that time. The national treasure that enriches the treasure house of Eastern astronomy is now preserved in the Grand People’s Study House.
“Honchonjondo”, which is permeated with the wisdom and intelligence of the Korean nation, was registered as a world heritage of UNESCO in May, 2023. This is a brilliant fruition of the Workers' Party of Korea's policy of national cultural protection, and a significant occasion for inspiring the Korean people with national pride and self-esteem.
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Jo Nov 2, 2024
Pine Island on Sea Chilbo is an island off Pochon-ri, Myongchon County.
It is one of the scenic spots in Sea Chilbo of Mt. Chilbo, which has been widely known as “Kumgang in North Hamgyong Province” from olden times.
The island is not too far from the land. It was originally a single one but a crack widened gradually to split the island into two.
On the mid-slope of the island is a cave called “Dragon Cave”.
The island is covered mostly in pine, oak and maple.
The pine island has been known as a noted place of Sea Chilbo from olden times for its wonderful scenic beauty.
The pine island is of academic significance and scenic worth.
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Jo Oct 10, 2024
Fishing started in Korea thousands of years ago.
Spears and hooks made of bone and stone, and sinkers made of broken earthenware are often found from the Neolithic remains in all parts of the country that have been known so far.
These fishing tools demonstrate that the Korean ancestors started fishing before the Neolithic Age.
Fishing tools developed into various types through a long course of history.
According to the archaeological discoveries, it is guessed that a wooden sailing boat must have come into being in the Bronze Age.
A big heavy sinker for deep sea fishing, an implement for spearing a fish caught in the net, scallop shells in the deep sea, etc. were found from the Chodo Remains (remains of the Bronze and Iron Ages) in Rason City. All these prove that fishing on a sailing boat in the deep sea already started in this period.
The Korean people developed the fishing method in a more efficient and diverse way over a long period of time, considering the nature and habitat of fish. They also devised a way of pickling, freezing and drying the fish for effective storage and processing.
From olden times, the Korean people have steadily developed fishery while fishing in conformity with the nature and terrain of the country.
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Jo Oct 6, 2024
Kkaktugi is a kind of kimchi that Korean people usually make for winter.
It is a mixture of cubed radish or cucumber with seasonings like pepper or garlic. The name kkaktugi has been said to imitate the sound heard when radish is being cubed.
Old records say that Kuryo people regarded radish as a main ingredient together with bean paste and kelp and that foodstuff preservation technique was on a high level in those days, which demonstrates that Korean ancestors processed radish and other vegetables in several ways from olden times.
A lot of seasonings added to kkaktugi make it look delicious and taste strong, which improves appetite even more.
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Jo Oct 2, 2024
Proverbs are known to have been widely used in Korea since the period of Three Kingdoms.
The proverb found in “Samgukyusa” (“Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms”) is the first one in all the existing historical documents. At that time it was called “rion”. After that it was given the name “sangon” and it has been called “soktam” (Korean pronunciation of “proverb”) since the middle years of the feudal Joson dynasty.
The first book of proverbs in Korea is “Sunoji” (by Hong Man Jong) published in the seventeenth century. It has a collection of more than 130 proverbs that were popular in those days. Later, “Paekonhae” (by Ri Ik), “Yangyopki” (by Ri Tok Mu), “Idamsokchan” (by Jong Yak Yong), etc. were compiled.
The first proverb dictionary written in Korean is “Joson Rion” compiled by Choe Won Sik in 1913, which has over 900 proverbs. Later, several proverb books were compiled.
After liberation, “Book of Korean Idioms and Proverbs”, “Book of Korean Proverbs”, “Korean Proverbs”, “Dictionary of Korean Idioms and Proverbs”, etc. were compiled and published.
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