Impressions
Punggi (풍기읍) is a small rural town tucked-in in a valley on the southwestern side of Sobaek Mountain National Park (소백산 국립공원) in Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도), which is just north of Yeongju city (영주시).The town is rather easily accessible by railway using the ITX-Saemaul (ITX-새마을) or Mugunghwa-ho (무궁화호, "Rose of Sharon") on the Jungang line from Cheongnyangni in Seoul, or the O-Train for sightseeing from Seoul Station. With the ever-improving transportation system, one might even have the KTX, Korea's fastest train, as an option to reduce the commute time drastically. If you prefer to commute by bus, there are buses from DongSeoul (동서울)/ Gangbyeon bus terminal or Gangnam Express terminal to Punggi IC on the way to Yeongju, but then one should take either one of the local buses (22, 25, 26, or 27) or taxi to get to Punggi's downtown markets. Punggi's nearest big 'city' is Yeongju, so one can almost access it from any major bus terminal in the country. It's always best to call National Travel Hotline on 1330 (land-line) or +82-2-1330 (cell phone) for more current information.
It turns out that Punggi is renown for its famous Ginseng (인삼), viscose rayon, apples, education, and melodious frog and cricket choirs.
Punggi's Ginseng
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| Ginseng |
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| Looking down Insam-ro with Punggi Station to you back. |
Korea's Silk Road
Punggi's 100% viscose rayon or 'Viscoat' yarn, as referred to in Europe, is a natural eucalyptus-based fiber extracted from refined larch wood pulp, and lints with fine hair separated from cottonseed, as well as of cellulose fibers, which is eco-friendly. [5, 6, 7]
Viscose Rayon is characterized as being soft like silk, flexible, light, pleasant to the touch, and a stylish natural, biodegradable fabric that is printed and processed with a greater variety of colours and patterns. It is also referred to by the name “refrigerator fabric”, “air-conditioner fabric”, or "circulation material" which is well ventilated and cool due to its powerful sweat absorption properties without generating static electricity, so it does not stick to one's skin making it popular [5, 7]. The natural plant fiber is a skin-friendly product which is gentle on sensitive skin and for skin suffering from allergy or other atopic ailments. It is suitable for babies and ideal for the elderly. [5, 6]
The weaving industry in Punggi had a slow start in the middle 1930s with only two handloom based factories. The number of weaving facilities in Punggi increased to 31 over the next decade under Korean government but rocketed to 120 during the Korean war in 1951. The fact that Punggi's weaving factories were not affected during the Korean War gave the area a definite economic advantage, but the post-war economic climate drastic changed and the number of weaving factories plummeted to only 48 by 1968. The drop was due to the recovery of weaving factories in other parts of the country. Punggi's handloom weaving factories could not compete with the new electric loom weaving factories in areas of product quality and labor cost efficiency. Who would have said that the electric railroad through Punggi would save the local weaving industry? The electrification of Punggi directly implied that the weaving factories, could now too utilize electric looms. The government urged Citizens Bank to provide loans at reduced interest rates 25% vs. 70%. Over the next three decades, the weaving factories increased to 160 in number relying more on air and water jet weaving loom technology. [8]
In 2008, Punggi viscose rayon became the first industrial product in Korea bypassing the evaluation standards from Korea Management Association Registration such as measurement change rate, tensile strength, tear strength, etc. and also obtained Wellbeing Certification for eight years in a row until 2015. Punggi viscose rayon received the Korea First Brand Awards in 2009, and the excellence of the product has been recognized by consumers. Punggi viscose rayon established itself as the production district of viscose rayon by registering a collective mark for geographical indication at the Korean Intellectual Property Office in 2012. [7]
Viscose rayon is a leading brand in Punggi region and is contributing to local economy vitalization through national distribution channels and inducement of tourists, who can visit the Punggi Viscose Rayon exhibition centre at 20-4 Ohyeon-ri, Bonghyeon-myeon, Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. [5, 7]
Punggi's Apples
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| Red Apples on a farm in Punggi. |
Well, it's more like Yeongju Apples, but Punggi is in the heart of the Yeongju Apple basin, which forms part of the largest apple producer in the country. The apples from this area are delicious and have an excellent flavour combined with a high sugar content. The apples get cultivated in orchards south of Sobaek mountain, where the Baekdudaegan, Taebaek, and Sobaek Mountain Ranges branch off. Offering ample clean air and water, and sunlight proving the best-cultivating conditions.
Notably, Tsugaru apples have outstanding quality, superior to apples from other regions. [9] Tsugaru apples get their sweet juiciness from its crispy white intensely sweet flesh. Tsugaru Apples are high in Vitamin C, low in calories, sodium, fat, cholesterol, and have both soluble and insoluble fiber, which have been found to keep the digestive and cardiovascular systems healthy. Tsugaru apples have a short shelf life, because of their high sugar content, even when held in proper cool and dry conditions. The apples are mostly eaten fresh. However their crisp, juicy white flesh don’t brown quickly, so they are ideal for salads. Their high sugar content and firm flesh make them perfect for pies, sauces, muffins, and cakes. [10] You can sink your teeth into a Tsugaru apple while listening to Tsugaru music.
Notably, Tsugaru apples have outstanding quality, superior to apples from other regions. [9] Tsugaru apples get their sweet juiciness from its crispy white intensely sweet flesh. Tsugaru Apples are high in Vitamin C, low in calories, sodium, fat, cholesterol, and have both soluble and insoluble fiber, which have been found to keep the digestive and cardiovascular systems healthy. Tsugaru apples have a short shelf life, because of their high sugar content, even when held in proper cool and dry conditions. The apples are mostly eaten fresh. However their crisp, juicy white flesh don’t brown quickly, so they are ideal for salads. Their high sugar content and firm flesh make them perfect for pies, sauces, muffins, and cakes. [10] You can sink your teeth into a Tsugaru apple while listening to Tsugaru music.
The apples are becoming increasingly popular in agricultural-product wholesale markets and are available in 5, 10, and 15 kg boxes to meet the diverse consumer demands. The prices vary greatly depending on the crop output, seasonal elements, and modernized storage facilities, attempting to supply good-quality apples all year round.[9]
Punggi's Education
Baegun-dong Seowon was the first Confucian school financially supported, by King Jungjong of the Joseon Kingdom [15], in Korea founded in 1543 [11, 14, 15, 17] by the Joseon scholar Ju Se-bung (1495-1554) [14] himself a scholar of considerable renowned, to pay tribute to An Hyang [11], while serving as county magistrate of Pungseong, Punggi county, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. [13, 17] It’s important to note that Ju Sebung received fears criticism for erecting the school because there was an exceptional drought in 1541, which resulted into a famine during 1542 in Punggi county. Ju Sebung believed that education was the cardinal virtue of man, and ought to be promoted above all else, so in his defense, he reminded his enemies that even Zhu Xi established a private school, the White Deer Hollow Academy, in the midst of the war with the Chin. [17]
Believing that autonomy was essential to the academy, Ju Se-bung initiated fund-raising, which his successors and the local people continued, making the academy one of Korea’s best-endowed. [14] The mediation of Toegye Yi Hwang (1501-1570), another magistrate of Punggi county in 1548, arguably the greatest Neo-Confucian scholar and philosopher of Korea, requested government support for Baegundong Seowon the country’s oldest private Confucian academy, stressing the academy's educational significance. In 1550, king Myeongjong granted the first royal charter [13, 14, 16, 17] endowed with a new name, Sosu Seowon, and a nameplate inscribed in the king’s handwriting. Signified state accreditation, which ensured government support in the form of land, books, servants, exemption from taxes and compulsory labor, and its independence from the local magistrate, who was forbidden to interfere in the affairs of the academy or disturb the Confucian scholars to gather without interference from the Crown. [14, 17] Toegye Hwang expanded this into the Sosu-seowon inventing the concept of "Seowon” academies that flourished until the mid-1800s as Korea's aristocratic "high schools.” 12]
The major facilities at the school, Sosu Seowon, included a shrine to Confucius, containing the memorial tablet to Confucius, and other buildings which were a lecture hall, and dormitories for the students.[13] The fundamental architectural principle to locate the study place at the front of the structure and the shrine to the rear, as seen in most Korean Confucian academies. [15]
References:
[2] http://www.koreatriptips.com/en/search.html?keyword=punggi
[3] http://tokoreatour.blogspot.com/2012/11/punggi-ginseng.html
[4] https://english.visitkorea.or.kr:1001/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1820847
[5] http://www.yeongju.go.kr/open_content/eng/page.do?mnu_uid=2152&
[6] http://us.aving.net/379900
[7] http://naturon.co.kr/default/eng/ingean.php#
[8] Toward the Rural-Based Development of Commerce and Industry: Selected Experiences from East Asia (WBI Learning Resources Series) by Yujiro Hayami (Editor).
[9] http://www.yeongju.go.kr/open_content/eng/page.do?mnu_uid=2150&
[10] http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Tsugaru_Apples_9747.php
[11] http://magazine.seoulselection.com/2017/09/05/land-of-healing-%EC%98%81%EC%A3%BC/
[12] http://san-shin.net/Sobaek-SosuSeowon.html
[13] Traditional Korean Villages, Oh Hong-Seok, Ewa Womans University Press
[14] https://issuu.com/the_korea_foundation/docs/koreana_winter_2015__english___2_
[15] www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=34743
[16] http://www.koreanheritage.kr/resource/issue/24/title.pdf?v=3
[17] http://archive.fo/Zn3Tg
Here are a couple of additional sights elaborating on Punggi's Ginseng and Viscose Rayon industry.
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