Samgwang Livestock Farm

Historic Building--Pubyok Pavilion

Time-honoured “Songchon Handweaving Dance”

In the past, the weaving of clothes relied solely on manual labour, which had been a heavy burden for women for a long time. Handweaving works including spinning thread and weaving thread into cloth were a tedious and painful, long-continued sedentary work.

Therefore, women worked together singing songs to make things easier and relieve fatigue, and after work they danced to relieve the fatigue of work. The reason that “Songchon Handweaving Dance” has been known through generations is primarily that most women in the region, an old silk producing area, had danced Handweaving Dance during their weaving work.

The region also showed the peculiar custom of women specializing in silk production while men taking care of housework instead of them. Women in the region had improved their weaving skills under the active support of men. The finest and most compact texture of their silk product become famous in the country as a high-quality cloth.

“Songchon Handweaving Dance” was also more popular in connection with the "Cotton rose Legend" handed down in the area in the latter half of the feudal Joson dynasty. “Songchon Handweaving Dance”, that was prevalent among women in Songchon area, was composed of dance rhythm which showed their working life as they were and dance rhythm which wished for the success of labour.

“Pongjuk Dance”

Pongjuk was a signal rod made of long bamboo that was erected on ship board in the past when the ship was fully loaded with fishes.

A ring-shaped pad that was made of rice straw, was mounted on a long bamboo over twice the height of a man. The top of the rod was decorated with tens of long pheasant feathers and below it 8 to 10 long cloth strips were attached. Pongjuk cloth strips were made of white cloth or five-colored string, of the thin, fluttering cloth, such as silk or ramie cloth of fine texture.

Pongjuk recreation play was held on the 15th day of the lunar calendar and other folk holidays, hoping that a bumper harvest would take place and fish would be caught well all year round. “Pongjuk Dance” was conspicuous in the Pongjuk recreation play, reflecting the minds of fishermen who wished or congratulated the large catch of fish.

During “Pongjuk Dance”, fishermen took the “Pongjuk” band in their hands and threw it. The dancers firstly danced coquettishly to the tunes for an exorcism. Then when the speed of the music was quickened by the frequent tunes for an exorcism, they ran around in a circle, sprinkling the “Pongjuk” band vigorously.

After that, when the tune was replaced by tharyong (a variety of Korean folk-songs, a kind of tune), the dancers bent deeply and then jumped up, splashing the “Pongjuk” band higher or turning round in pairs to give zest. When the music was quickened by frequent tharyong, the dancers jumped and danced with powerful rhythms, reflecting the strong will of the fishermen.

Janggi; Korean chess, Our People’s Excellent Folk Game

Janggi; Korean chess is a game where two people sitting together, contend for victory, moving various pieces alternately in the chessboard.

When separating chess pieces for playing, it is custom for an older person to take the red side and for the younger to take the blue side. Before starting chess, players arrange their pieces on each side, which is called lineup.

Players use their pieces alternately, and catch opponent pieces in different ways. Then when a promising player moves his pieces to the place where he can catch the opponent’s "king" at last, he shouts "Janghun". Each piece moves according to the prescribed rules.

Chess is not only a good game of competing wisdom due to its attribute that fosters thinking faculty, but also a folk and intellectual game that relieves the mental and physical fatigue and makes people enjoy their cultural and emotional life.

Pumpkin seed good for human’s heart

The good points of pumpkin seed for human’s heart are as follows:

- It decreases cholesterol level. Its dietary fiber and unsaturated fat help to lower LDL level.

- It controls blood pressure. Magnesium and potassium in pumpkin seed cause vasodilation and relieve blood pressure.

- It improves endothelial function. Antioxidants in pumpkin seed help to prevent oxidative damage of the arterial intima and improve overall blood flow.

- It has anti-inflammatory effects. Chronic inflammation is a potential factor for the development of cardiac disease. Pumpkin seed oil has been shown to inhibit inflammation in animal and clinical trials.

- It adjusts blood glucose level. Stable blood glucose reduces cardiac burden.

Protein, dietary fiber and fat in pumpkin seeds help to keep the balance of the above mentioned functions.

Then how can we intake pumpkin seed in the meal?

One teaspoon of pumpkin seeds may not be sufficient for some people, but a consistent intake may have a beneficial effect. Pumpkin seeds can be consumed with white radish juice, yogurt, etc. or eaten as snacks.

Pumpkin seeds are good for human’s health, even if you eat them in various forms. So you can eat them raw or in roasted form.