Showcase for 5 000-Year History of the Korean Nation

Showcase for 5 000-Year History of the Korean Nation

Pyongyang Folk Park was newly set up. Covering over 200 hectres and located at the foot of Mt. Taesong in the capital city of Pyongyang, the park is divided into several areas–those of general history education, historical relics exhibition, contemporary times, folklore village, folk games–where are displayed the cultural assets and relics created by Koreans in the different ages of their development, and contemporary creations in their real sizes or in miniature.

Long history, splendid culture and unique customs

The Korean nation has 5 000-year-long history, culture and beautiful traditions and customs unique to it.

This is clearly illustrated by the nine large mural paintings in the general history education area. The murals deal with the territories of the ancient states in their respective thriving periods, and their founding fathers, famous generals and persons, struggles against foreign invasion, scientific and cultural creative activities, and customs. Models of weapons, monuments and towers characteristic of various periods of the nation’s development are erected on both sides of the central road of the park.

The area for historical relics exhibition provides a clear glimpse of the primitive, ancient and middle ages. Displayed there are the replicas of the Komunmoru Site in Sangwon County and earliest type of man in Korea, and the sculptures of two-horn rhinoceros, flat-antler deer and mammoth, and straw-thatched huts, all representative of the early period of the Paleolithic era. Also exhibited there are dolmens and the miniature of pyramid-type mausoleum of King Tangun, the founding father of Ancient Joson and of the Korean nation. They illustrate that Ancient Joson (early 30^th century B.C.-108 B.C.) was a strong slave state.

On display in the section of middle age are many remains and relics including the mural paintings in tombs in the period of Koguryo (277 B.C.-A.D. 668) that were registered as world heritage. What draws particular attention is the mural paintings in the tomb of King Kogugwon. The mural depicting the king dealing with state affairs and that portraying a long procession are masterpieces which are typical murals in the middle age of Korea and of great significance in the world history of fine arts. This area also includes Sokgul Grotto in Kyongju, one of the three treasures in the East, the 66-metre-high pagoda in Kumgang Temple, Pigyokjinchonroe, the first delayed-fuse demolition bomb, turtle-shaped ship, the first iron-clad warship in the world, udometer and Chomsongdae observatory.

Covering scores of hectares, the folklore village area is more impressive. There visitors can see many structures which have been built on the principle of fidelity to the historical truth. Among them are a part of a fortified wall and government office building and Kyongdang school where warriors were trained in Koguryo period, a royal palace in the period of Palhae, a relics exhibition of Koryo period (918-1392) and a 99-bay house of aristocrats. The Korean Folk Museum is housed in the government office building of Koguryo period and the royal palace of Palhae so as to help visitors understand the traditions and beautiful manners and traits of the Korean nation in a short time. There are also houses representative of provinces in the period of the Feudal Joson Dynasty (1392-1910), where special dishes of provinces concerned are served.

Epitome of Modern Korea

Modern history occupies a particularly brilliant position in the 5 000-year-long history of the Korean nation.

Entering the area for the contemporary times visitors can see the magnificent Mt. Paektu regarded as the ancestral mountain in Korea. Mt. Paektu is the centre of the anti-Japanes war organized by Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), founding father of socialist Korea, to win back the lost country. In other words, contemporary times originated in the mountain. It is the mountain in which Kim Jong Il (1942-2011), who ushered in a new heyday of prosperity, was born. There visitors can see Jong Il Peak, named after him, and his native home.

This area is divided into two sections, one dedicated to monuments and the other to structures, where the monumental edifices built by the Korean people are exhibited.

The former section represents in an intensive way the modern history of Korea. The Arch of Triumph is a monument to the exploits Kim Il Sung performed to defeat the Japanese imperialists and achieve the liberation of Korea (August 1945). Also on display are the miniatures of the Party Founding Memorial Tower built to glorify the history of the Workers’ Party of Korea that leads the Korean people to victory and glory, the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Memorial Tower built to eulogize the Korean people who defeated the United States which boasted of “being strongest” and defended their sovereignty, the Tower of the Juche Idea, which symbolizes the immortality of the idea, eternal guiding ideology in the era of independence, and the Three Charters for National Reunification Memorial Tower which inspires the visitors with confidence that the earnest desire of the Korean people for national reunification will surely be realized.

Exhibited in the latter section are monumental structures permeated with the creative wisdom of the Korean people. Among them are the Korean Revolution Museum, Grand People’s Study House, Okryu Restaurant, Chollima Statue, Pyongyang Grand Theatre, Ice Rink, Pyongyang Indoor Stadium, People’s Palace of Culture, 8-kilometre-long West Sea Barrage, 105-storeyed Ryugyong Hotel, and parachute-shaped May Day Stadium, all representative of the different stages of modern history of Korea. They were built in only dozens of years under the leadership of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

In a nutshell, Pyongyang Folk Park vividly showcases how the 5 000-year-long history of Korea has been created and glorified.