News

Valuable Geography Book ― “Taedongjiji”

Jo Nov 9, 2023

“Taedongjiji”, also called “Taedongbangyogo”, is a geography book of our country. It was written in the middle of the nineteenth century by Kim Jong Ho, a geographer and cartographer of those days. It is in 32 volumes and 15 books.

It was written at the same time as his republication of “Taedongyo Map” in 1864 reflecting the demand of the times concerning the development of commerce and transportation in our country in the nineteenth century.

The book contains a detailed description of about 40 items by counties and districts such as the statistics of population, disposition and power of army, kind and number of ships, customs, taxes, etc., all of which were impossible to show on the map.

The first part of the book shows a table of contents and a list of 65 references. Volume 1 is about the capital. Volumes 2 to 24 deal with the geography of 8 provinces of the country. Volume 25 covers mountains and streams and Volume 26 is about national defence. Volumes 27 and 28 are on transportation and communication each. Volumes from 29 to 32 give the historical geography of territory changed over the period from the ancient times to the Koryo dynasty.

The book is organized in a new system on the basis of the new practical data the author obtained from his field surveys over a long period of time and a great number of references.

In terms of system and description, “Taedongjiji” could not pass the limit of feudal stereotype and facts enumeration but it still serves as one of our country’s geographical legacies with its own characteristics as a modern geography book.

National Treasure ― Chronicles of the Feudal Joson ...

Jo Nov 4, 2023

“Chronicles of the Feudal Joson Dynasty” is a “government journal” where the 500-odd-year history of the feudal Joson dynasty from 1392 to 1910 is recorded in order of year, month and date classified by the kings.

It is in 1 763 volumes and over 900 books.

“Chronicles of the Feudal Joson Dynasty” is classified by the kings into “Thaejo Sillok” (Chronicles of Thaejo), “Jongjong Sillok” (Chronicles of Jongjong), “Thaejong Sillok” (Chronicles of Thaejong), “Sejong Sillok” (Chronicles of Sejong), etc.

With huge amount and rich contents that could hardly be found in the world, “Chronicles of the Feudal Joson Dynasty” is a precious treasure of our nation.

During the hard-fought Fatherland Liberation War decisive of the destiny of the country, President Kim Il Sung saw to it that some officials were dispatched to Seoul to rescue the book amidst the gunfire and it was treasured at the Supreme Headquarters during the whole period of war.

Under the wise leadership of the great leaders possessed of ardent love for the nation, all the contents were translated into Korean, thus widely used these days for historical studies.

Custom of Moving into New House

Jo Nov 1, 2023

When a villager builds or moves into a new house, the whole village turns out to sincerely help them rejoicing over it as over their own. It has been our peoples’ fixed way of life from earlier ages.

On the day of moving into a new house, people in the neighbourhood regarded it as courtesy to help remove household goods or bring some kind of presents needed for housekeeping like a match or a gourd dipper, and the host would serve them with simple food in return.

This fine custom shows the good manners of our people, who have regarded being friendly with neighbours as moral norms of life and have kept to it traditionally.

Folk Games on Chusok

Jo Oct 11, 2023

From ancient times, our people enjoyed Chusok (Harvest Moon Day) playing a variety of folk games altogether.

The most interesting of them was ssirum. On the day, it was played on a large scale in every part of the country for a bull prize. Ssirum in Pyongyang was particularly well known across the country.

When ssirum was attracting men, swinging was popular among women. Swinging was widely spread in the care of our people and it was played on public holidays everywhere in the country.

Another popular pastime was singing and dancing where thirty or forty neatly-dressed women dance in a circle singing “Kanggang Suwollae”.

Thanks to our Party’s policy of protecting national heritage, the custom of all folk games on Chusok including archery, yut game, janggi (Korean chess) and tug of war is still being carried forward and developed in line with the socialist lifestyle and aesthetic tastes of the times.

Pyongyang Bell

Jo Oct 6, 2023

The Pyongyang Bell, which was founded during the feudal Joson dynasty, is a precious legacy of national culture indicative of high creative wisdom of our people of those days.

The bell is 3.1 metres tall and about 13 tonnes heavy, with a 1.6 metre-wide mouth.

The present bell is said to have been refounded of bronze for approximately four months in 1726.

The bell looks harmonious, well-balanced and stately. The ring at the head that is shaped like a blue dragon and a yellow dragon entangled together looks so sophisticated and vigorous. With the most charming shape and the most solemn peal of the bells during the feudal Joson dynasty, the Pyongyang Bell has been known as the “attraction of Pyongyang” from olden times.

It was used for telling the time and sounding an alarm to the Pyongyang citizens.

President Kim Il Sung, who had accomplished the historic cause of national liberation, saw to it that the bell rang at 00:00 on January 1st, Juche 35 (1946), the first New Year’s Day after liberation so as to provide our people with greater renewed joy and excitement at the liberation.

The Pyongyang Bell serves as a precious national cultural legacy that gives a glimpse into the high-level metal processing and formative arts of our people and as a witness conveying the history of change of our country.

House Culture of Koguryo Age

Jo Oct 3, 2023

A good practice of keeping gardens neat and beautiful is one of our people’s traditional customs.

Koryo people liked sinking wells and growing fruit trees and flowers in their gardens.

It was common to plant several kinds of trees like junipers, matrimony vines and willows around wells to landscape gardens.

It is said that those in the central part of Korea round Kaegyong (Kaesong at present), which was the capital of Koryo, would enclose their houses with hedges that often consisted of juniper trees, needle juniper trees or flower trees.

Some of them used to decorate their gardens with odd-shaped rocks and big stones or famous flowers.

Such landscape gardening of the Koryo age was the inheritance and improvement of Koguryo peoples’ landscape gardening practice in accordance with Koryo peoples’ aesthetic feelings and emotions.

The murals in Anak Tomb No. 1, one of the Koguryo tombs, show artificial mounds and pavilions with lotus ponds and rocks of fantastic shape, enclosed by fences or cloisters.

In addition, the eastern wall and the east part of the southern wall of the inner chamber of the Koguryo Tokhung-ri Tomb are painted with lotus ponds and scenes of colourful events, which tells us that dwelling houses used to have gardens with lotus ponds in the east.

Landscaping of front garden, inner garden and back yard that constituted gardens of houses in the Koryo age differed greatly according to class and social positions, but it gives a full description of one aspect of civilized house customs of Koryo people who were good at making their gardens elegant.