Jo Jan 2, 2023
The knowledge and visions of the map experts in our country in the fifteenth century were not restricted to the country but broaden to the world.
It resulted in two world maps: “Honilgangriryoktaeguktojido” in the early 15th century and “Chonhado” in 1469.
They are elaborate enough to show several tens of names of places in Europe, Africa and even the Middle and Near East
For clear distinction of different parts like lands, seas and deserts, seas are painted in blue and deserts in black, which ensures high visual effect as a map.
They contain not only the maps of our country and the world but also separate ones of other individual countries including then China, Japan, etc.
In conclusion, our ancestors, creators of time-honored and brilliant culture, made great progress in geography, too.
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Jo Dec 27, 2022
Every country has their symbolic animals that reflect the history and culture, excellent dispositions and extraordinary abilities of their people. Among them is a dog.
Phungsan Dog is a native breed of Korea that has left an indelible mark in the history of our nation for thousands of years. It has been tamed for ages by our ancestors in severe natural environments of the northern uplands where there were a large number of beasts such as a tiger, a bear, a wild boar, a wolf, etc.
Well adapted to the topography and climate of the mountainous forest areas in our country, the dog has features of a typical hunting dog. It is famous for its cleverness, persistence, bravery and swiftness. Though this dog is of smooth nature and quite obedient to its keeper at ordinary times, it shows a strong fighting spirit and bravery at the time of hunting and it never gives a fight up. Full of vitality, it is resistant to the cold and diseases.
It was registered as a state natural monument in April, Juche 45 (1956) thanks to the state measure taken by President
When visiting Ryanggang Province in May, Juche 47(1958), the President said that Phungsan Dog thoroughbred is a very good breed, underscoring the need to survey its thoroughbred.
Chairman
On November 7, Juche 103(2014), the respected Comrade
Today, Phungsan Dog is widely known as a national dog that symbolizes the spirit of properous Juche Korea and as a world’s famous dog.
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Jo Dec 24, 2022
The Korean people, who have loved cleanliness from ancient times, invented methods of making and altering national clothes suited to their physiques and hobbies in the course of creative labor. Constantly developing them, they have been proud of being dressed in neat clothes.
While washing their clothes, our people discovered effective washing methods to wash dirt away in consideration of the material for clothes. Laundry usually went through primary washing, main washing and boiling before being rinsed and dried. In the primary washing, the first step in the washing, laundry is dipped in warm water for a light rub. It was mainly for heavily soiled laundry such as the inside of quilts. In the main washing, detergents are applied to the primarily washed ones before rubbing, clubbing or stamping. Due attention should be paid to the washing of silk fabric or velvet that are widely used for Korean clothes.
When ironing velvet, it should be held up from the floor, with its naps facing downwards.
Korean clothes should be carefully stored according to the seasons. Neatly folded clothes should be placed layer upon layer in a drawer: those for the present season on the top, those for the next season under them and those for the last season on the bottom. Those for a long time of storage need special care. For example, Korean jackets are placed with their right and left skirts aligned before the breast-ties are brought together, and then they are folded on the shorter breast-tie. The sleeves are folded on the armpit line. The skirt trimly folded in five to six folds is folded in half length. It is a good idea to hang skirts on a hanger.
It is important to be well aware of the methods of washing and keeping Korean clothes and to get dressed culturally.
Kang Hyon Sim, researcher at the Academy of Social Sciences
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Jo Dec 21, 2022
The peasant dance created and developed by our people over a long period of time is a Korean folk art where people sing and dance merrily drumming several kinds of percussion instruments like a drum, a gong, a small gong, janggu and a small drum and skillfully turning round decorative tassels. Loved and enjoyed most by our people, it fully reflects the national feelings and sentiments by dint of peculiar depictive elements such as Korean dance moves, Korean tune, Korean folk songs and national instruments, national costumes and decorative tassels, all of which are full of national flavor.
The peasant dance is the oldest of all forms of folk art created by our people. Its birth and development are based on the farm work of our ancestors in early primitive years. Being passed down along with the long national history, it has given our people a hope of life and romance and developed into a folk art reflecting the peculiar emotion of the Korean nation. There are several arrangements of the peasant dance, but it is largely divided into three ― a road dance where a peasant music and dancing group advances in procession to attract people to the dancing venue; a concert dance where several kinds of dancing, instrumental music performance and folk songs are harmoniously combined; a private dance where individual dancers demonstrate their dancing techniques one after another. Unlike other forms of folk art, the peasant dance has a unique feature, i.e. turning of 12-fathom decorative tassels, which adds a lot more excitement to the atmosphere of the dancing venue. Such dancing props as decorative tassels are seen only in the peasant dance of our country.
The peasant dance is a popular folk dance that has always existed in the lives of our people. In popular folk games and on holidays, it boosted merry atmosphere and when they were working, it encouraged their spirit for raising the work efficiency. In the anti-aggression, anti-feudal struggles, it was the cause of horror for enemies but the source of confidence for our people.
The peasant dance still plays an important part in carrying forward the unique traditions of our national art. Today, it resounds even louder all over the cooperative fields of our country and it is giving a full rein to the vitality as a popular form of mass art.
Kim Son Yong, researcher at the Academy of Social Sciences
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Jo Dec 18, 2022
There is a man who has amused and pleased everyone for hundreds of years only with his sleeping posture. It is a figure in the picture “Draught Ox Driver” by painter Kim Tu Ryang (1696-1763) during the feudal Joson dynasty.
The picture gives a lifelike portrayal of a draught ox driver who has fallen into a deep sleep under the shadow after all day’s tiring work. In the middle of the picture is painted a big ox and on the right is an ox driver fast asleep on the grass, which gives a glimpse into the country life in our country at that time. The ox driver in the nap in the shadow of the summer is portrayed in a simple and plain way. The thick untrimmed hair, firmly closed lips, dangling earlobes, raised corners of the eyes, undone front of the jacket and untied cord of the trousers are so impressive. The ox chewing the grass in the middle shows the gentleness and strength of Korean oxen and the neatness of the owner who values and takes good care of it. The surroundings like the bottom of the willow, the drooping branches and the grass feel as if they were emitting the fragrance of soil.
Well-composed and soft with thin coloring, the painting is an excellent masterpiece in the aspect of portrayal of that time. On the one hand, it looks as if you can hear cicadas and other insects buzzing and the farmer snoring, and the ox driver, on the other hand, looks so fast asleep that nobody would be willing to awaken him.
In a word, the painting “Draught Ox Driver” by Kim Tu Ryang exhibited in the Korean Art Gallery is a masterpiece that has stimulated extraordinary interest of a lot of people for hundreds of years only with a sleeping figure.
Jo Hwi Nam, section head at the Academy of Social Sciences
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Jo Dec 14, 2022
Hoejang jogori is a piece of clothing whose collar, breast-tie, cuffs and armholes are decorated with strips of cloth different in color from the ground.
Our people have sewn strips of cloth in different colors onto collars, hems, cuffs, etc. over a long period of time. Sewing colored strips for trimming originated from the need to keep their clothes clean by replacing colored pieces of cloth on the easy-to-get-dirty parts as often as they could. Later, the strips developed into a means of adornment, adding beauty to the Korean jackets.
The Korean jacket with colorful strips was divided into two kinds ― samhoejang jogori (those with strips on the collar, armholes and cuffs) and panhoejang jogori (those with strips on one or two parts of them). Samhoejang jogori was usually worn by young ladies as formal clothes for wedding, while panhoejang jogori was worn by the middle-aged. For its elegance, women loved being dressed in it, not just on formal occasions or holidays but for everyday life.
Hoejang jogori is still popular with the Korean women for its smartness and gorgeous harmony of colors.
Pak Sin Jong, researcher at the Academy of Social Sciences
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