Yeongju to Host 'Gochiryeong Cultural Festival' Reenacting the Meeting of King Danjong and Prince Geumseong

Summit of Gochiryeong, Dansan-myeon, Yeongju

Co-hosted by Yeongju and Yeongwol Cultural Centers

The 4th Gochiryeong Cultural Festival was held on the summit of Gochiryeong in Dansan-myeon, Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on the 4th.

Gochiryeong is a mountain pass historically imbued with sorrow and the deep sense of Han associated with the tragedy of King Danjong.

It is said that Grand Prince Geumseong, who was exiled to Sunheung below Gochiryeong for his involvement in the movement to restore King Danjong along with the Six Martyred Ministers, secretly crossed Gochiryeong to visit his nephew King Danjong in Cheongryongpo, Yeongwol.

This event was organized by the Yeongju Culture Center and the Yeongwol Culture Center at the Sanryeonggak in Gochiryeong, where the portraits of King Danjong and Grand Prince Geumseong are enshrined, to honor and commemorate their spirits through a memorial ritual, and to develop new cultural content and pass down the spirit of loyalty to future generations.

Yeongju City and Yeongwol County alternate every other year in hosting the event by exchanging the spirit tablets of King Danjong and Grand Prince Geumseong.

This year, Lee Jaehun, Deputy Mayor of Yeongju, served as the chief officiant for King Danjong's spirit tablet, with Kim Byungki, Chairman of Yeongju City Council, as the second officiant, and Kim Kijin, Director of Yeongju Culture Center, as the third officiant. For Grand Prince Geumseong's spirit tablet, Lee Gwanwoo, Deputy Governor of Yeongwol, served as the chief officiant, with Lim Younghwa, Yeongwol County Council member, as the second officiant, and Ko Byungsun, Director of Changjeol Seowon, as the third officiant.

The event featured not only the memorial ritual for King Danjong and Grand Prince Geumseong, but also a variety of special performances from the two counties' culture centers, including Seonangguri Gut (traditional shamanistic ritual), folk songs, and dance, providing a rich array of attractions.

Lee Jaehun, Deputy Mayor of Yeongju, stated, "I hope that these two regions, which hold historical significance for King Danjong and Grand Prince Geumseong, will continue to prosper together through active cultural and economic exchanges," adding, "I expect the two counties' culture centers to fulfill their pivotal roles as cultural institutions befitting the times."

Yeongju City is holding the "Gochiryeong Cultural Festival" and taking a commemorative photo.