Exploring the I Ching: "A Millennium of Wisdom, Meeting the Four Books and Three Classics - I Ching Edition"

Humanities Lecture on Cultural Heritage Sites like Sajik and Changdeokgung Biwon in the Joseon Dynasty: "Jongno Cultural Heritage Stories II"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jongno-gu (Mayor Kim Young-jong) will operate a non-face-to-face online program, "Traditional Stories You Meet in Your Living Room," from October to November, where participants can experience the wisdom and beauty of our traditional culture.

To prevent COVID-19 infection, this program uses the video conferencing platform ‘ZOOM’ and will be held sequentially from October 13 at two beautiful hanok cultural spaces representing Jongno-gu: Mugyewon and Sangchonjae. The program consists of humanities lectures and gyubang craft classes, and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for adults.

First, at ‘Mugyewon’ located in Buam-dong, a humanities lecture titled "A Thousand Years of Wisdom, Meeting the Four Books and Five Classics? I Ching Edition" will be held starting on the 13th. Together with Dr. Hwang Byung-gi, Vice President of the Korean I Ching Society, participants will have an in-depth opportunity to learn about the ‘I Ching,’ a Confucian classic discussing cosmic philosophy, over 12 sessions.

Following that, from the 15th, a humanities lecture series titled "Stories of Jongno’s Cultural Heritage II" will be held over four sessions, sharing stories about cultural heritage sites throughout Jongno. Topics such as ‘Jongno’s Storyteller Jeon Gisu,’ ‘Joseon Dynasty Sajik,’ and ‘Changdeokgung Secret Garden’ will be covered by expert researchers in each field, adding depth to the lectures.

The living room program at the hanok cultural space Sangchonjae is also noteworthy. Starting on the 14th, a three-week gyubang craft class titled "Making Lotus Leaf Tea Coasters in Your Living Room" will be held. The course covers what gyubang craft is, making mini lotus leaf tea coasters (cup coasters) to build basic skills, followed by sewing and making strings to complete the work.

The traditional folk painting of munjado, which wishes for family blessings, will be drawn in Hangul in the program "Drawing Hangul Munjado in Your Living Room," starting on the 16th. This three-week course includes explanations and practice on applying ink tones in the munjado and coloring techniques.

Details such as schedules and tuition fees for each program can be found on the Jongno Cultural Foundation website.

For inquiries and registration, contact Mugyewon, Sangchonjae, or the Cultural Project Team of the Jongno Cultural Foundation.

Mayor Kim Young-jong said, “Due to the spread of COVID-19, residents have faced difficulties in cultural activities, so we are presenting this program at two beautiful hanok cultural spaces representing Jongno. By adopting a non-face-to-face method, it will be a great opportunity to easily experience and learn about our traditional culture from home while preventing infection. We will continue to prepare diverse programs for residents by utilizing the rich historical and cultural resources of the region.”