Joo Gwang-deok, Mayor of Namyangju City (center), is attending the traditional ceremony event at the '38th Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Cultural Festival' held on the 12th in the Jeong Yak-yong Historic Site area of Joan-myeon. Namyangju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Joo Gwang-deok) announced on the 14th that it successfully concluded the “38th Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Cultural Festival,” held over two days from the 11th to the 12th at the Jeong Yak-yong Historic Site in Joan-myeon.
Hosted by Namyangju City and sponsored by the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (Paldang Hydroelectric Power Plant), the event attracted over 15,000 visitors, gaining great popularity.
The Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Cultural Festival is a representative city festival held since 1986 to modernly inherit and widely promote the thoughts, spirit, teachings, and achievements of Jeong Yak-yong. Since 2019, it has been consecutively selected as a Gyeonggi Tourism Festival, establishing itself as a representative festival of Gyeonggi Province.
Starting with a traditional military band parade and the traditional ritual ceremonies of flower offering and tea offering, the event was enriched by the participation of numerous civic groups such as the Namyangju Cultural Center, Dasan Tea Society, and Samjeong Tea Society.
During the festival, the city operated a variety of programs encompassing humanities, tradition, and arts, including a literary contest, “Challenge! Top Scholar,” “Forest Bookstore,” and “Yeoyudang Student Study Room,” providing enjoyment to citizens.
In particular, about 150 children participated in the historical quiz program “Challenge! Top Scholar,” wearing Confucian scholar robes and seriously engaging in the history quiz, while drawing attention by showcasing their talents in the revival round’s random play dance.
At Dasan Ecological Park, in commemoration of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong, an icon of extensive reading and prolific writing, programs such as “Forest Bookstore” and “Reading Garden,” which use books as content, were held.
Ten local bookstores from Namyangju participated in the Forest Bookstore, each hosting events such as exhibitions of books related to Jeong Yak-yong, mini book talks, author signings, and character drawings, enriching the cultural festival.
Additionally, the city held the “N-tist Festival,” featuring local artists, with diverse performances taking place throughout the festival venues.
Mayor Joo Gwang-deok said, “Our city is strongly promoting the ‘Jeong Yak-yong Branding’ to realize the spirit and teachings of Jeong Yak-yong and to find a vision for the future. Like the festival’s slogan, ‘A Bustling Day of Dasan,’ I hope all citizens enjoy a pleasant autumn outing under the fragrance and atmosphere of Jeong Yak-yong.”
Meanwhile, on the same day, the city signed a business agreement for Dasan Jeong Yak-yong brand exchange with Pohang City in Gyeongbuk Province and Gangjin County in Jeonnam Province, which share historical ties as places of Jeong Yak-yong’s exile.
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