Namyangju City Holds New Year's Events at Bongseonsa Temple and Hwanggeumsan
Sound of the Bongseonsa Temple Bell: "Washing Away Conflict, Spreading Hope"
Over 2,000 Citizens Gather Under the Red Sunrise at Hwanggeumsan, Sharing Their Wishes
On the first day of 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse (Byeong-o), various places throughout Namyangju City were filled with the passionate energy and hopeful cheers of its citizens.
Joo Kwangdeok, Mayor of Namyangju City, is personally holding the bell rope and ringing the temple bell at Bongseonsa Temple in Jinjeop-eup in the early morning of the 1st. Provided by Namyangju City
Joo Kwangdeok, Mayor of Namyangju City, is delivering a New Year's greeting at Bongseonsa Temple in Jinjeop-eup early morning on the 1st. Provided by Namyangju City
According to Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province, a bell-ringing ceremony at Bongseonsa Temple in Jinjeop-eup and a sunrise festival at Hwanggeumsan in Dasan 2-dong were held early on January 1, opening the doors to a dynamic new year together with 740,000 citizens.
At midnight, marking the start of the new year, the "2026 Byeong-o Year New Year's Bell-Ringing Ceremony" took place at Bongseonsa Temple, a thousand-year-old temple located at the foot of Unaksan Mountain.
The event was attended by Joo Gwangdeok, Mayor of Namyangju City, Chief Monk Hosan of Bongseonsa Temple, City Council Chairman Cho Seongdae, and about 500 citizens, and consisted of two parts: a year-end Buddhist service and the bell-ringing ceremony.
During the bell-ringing ceremony, which began with a countdown, Mayor Joo personally held the bell rope and rang the temple bell, wishing for the city's development and the peace of its citizens.
In his year-end greeting, the mayor said, "I hope the sound of the temple bell, imbued with the spirit of the thousand-year-old Bongseonsa Temple, will wash away the conflicts in our society and spread as a resonance of hope. Just as the dynamic energy of the Year of the Fire Horse will bring, I sincerely wish for all citizens to leap forward and achieve great things in 2026."
12th Hwanggeumsan Sunrise Festival... Wishing for Hope with Over 2,000 Citizens
Joo Kwangdeok, Mayor of Namyangju City, is delivering a greeting at the '12th Hwanggeumsan Sunrise Festival' held at the summit of Hwanggeumsan in Dasan 2-dong early on the 1st. Provided by Namyangju City
Namyangju City is holding the "12th Hwanggeumsan Sunrise Festival" at the summit of Hwanggeumsan in Dasan 2-dong in the early morning of the 1st. Provided by Namyangju City
On the same morning, the "12th Hwanggeumsan Sunrise Festival" was held at the summit of Hwanggeumsan in Dasan 2-dong.
Despite the cold weather, more than 2,000 citizens gathered for this event, which was hosted by the Hwanggeumsan Festival Promotion Committee, creating a spectacular scene.
Citizens tied "wish ribbons" containing their New Year hopes to trees at the summit, praying for their families' health and happiness. After watching the sunrise, a warm rice cake soup sharing event, prepared by local residents, took place at Hwanggeumsan Cultural Park, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Committee Chairperson Lee Jingyu expressed his feelings, saying, "I am delighted that the Hwanggeumsan Sunrise Festival has established itself as a unifying cultural event representing our district."
Mayor Joo, who attended the event, said, "I am deeply grateful to all the citizens who joined us at Hwanggeumsan in the chilly early morning air. Going forward, I will continue to lead the city together with our citizens and create changes that everyone can truly feel."
These New Year's events were conducted in a calm yet substantial manner and are being recognized as symbolic occasions that showcased Namyangju City's commitment to 'citizen-centered communication and progress' for the Year of the Fire Horse.
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