Ahead of the 'year of the black rabbit' in the year of Gye-myo (癸卯年), place names and legends related to rabbits are drawing attention.
The rabbit, which appears as a regular protagonist in traditional fable novels such as 'The Rabbit and the Tortoise' and 'The Rabbit and the Tiger', is considered a cunning and clever animal.
There are many place names related to rabbits all over the country, and rabbit tales containing the wisdom of rabbits overcoming crises are handed down.
According to the National Geographic Information Institute today (29th), as of 2011, among 1.54 million place names nationwide, 158 place names are related to rabbits.
Jeonnam had the most with 38, followed by Gyeongnam with 28, Chungnam with 20, and Gyeongbuk with 17.
By type of place names, there were 74 village names, 24 valley names, 19 island names, and 14 mountain names.
The typical rabbit-related terrain is the 'Octomangwol-type' (玉兎望月形).
It is a terrain in the shape of a jade rabbit looking at its hometown, the full moon, from afar.
Feng Shui geographers call this place a good spot.
'Mangwolchon' in Songchon-dong, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do, 'Mangwol-dong' in Mangwol-ri, Iro-eup, Muan-gun, and 'Toesan' in Jidong-ri, Beolgyo-eup, Boseong-gun, etc.
In Gojeong-ri, Deokgwa-myeon, Namwon-si, Jeollabuk-do, there is a village named 'Mang-dong' because the hill behind it is shaped like a rabbit looking at the full moon, and in Yongsan-ri, it is called 'Bunto-dong' because it is a good place for a jade rabbit to wish for a year by looking at the moon. There is a village.
In Youngsang-ri, Baekgu-myeon, Gimje-si, Jeollabuk-do, and Hajeong-ri, Guryongpo-eup, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, there are villages named 'Tokkijae' and 'Rabbit', respectively.
The name of the village, Palseong 3-ri, Saenggeuk-myeon, Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, is 'Rabbit room'.
The mountain behind the neighborhood looks like a rabbit, so it was called Rabbit Peak, and many real rabbits survived.
It is also called 'Tosil' or 'Togok' among the locals.
In Pyeonggok-ri, Eumseong-eup, there is 'Togyeul Village' where many hares came out and played in the stream that runs through the village.
Nongam-myeon, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Hamchang-eup, Sangju-si, have valleys called 'Tokkibatgol' and 'Tokkigol', respectively.
In Sang-ri, Bonghwa-gun, it was named 'Myogol' because the topography resembles a rabbit sitting on it.
'Jungtogat' village in Wonrim-ri, Namseon-myeon, Andong-si, originated from the terrain where rabbits bow to the moon.
At the eastern end of Jeju, off the coast of Hadori, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, there is a 'Rabbit Island' that resembles a rabbit.
Enlarge Image
It is the only natural habitat of Munjuran, a natural monument, in Korea.
Every year from July to September, it blooms snow-white flowers, and the delicate scent of Munjuran flowers is said to be stronger at night.
Administratively, an island belonging to Baekari, Deokjeok-myeon, Ongjin-gun, Incheon is called 'Rabbit Island'.
The shape of the island resembles a rabbit sitting and eating grass, hence the name.
'Todo' in Geomdan-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, which has now become land through landfill, got its name because it was shaped like a rabbit before it was reclaimed.
In Woncheong-ri, Nam-myeon, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, there is Byeoljubu Village, known as the origin of the classic fable novel 'Byeoljubujeon'.
There are villages that use place names from Byeoljubujeon, such as 'Jarabawi', 'Myosam', 'Yongsaegol', 'Angung', and 'In front of the palace', so it is said that it was the stage in the play of Byeoljubujeon.
In front of Jarabawi Rock, there is a stone monument for the origin of Byeoljubujeon, and guide seats with explanations of place names are installed in 6 places where place names appearing in Byeoljubujeon are handed down.
In Seopo-myeon, Sacheon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, there is 'Bito Island', which is said to have the legend of Byeoljubujeon.
The characters for me (飛) and rabbit (to) are used.
At the beginning of each year, the 'Byeoljubu Festival' is held under the theme of meeting a rabbit, a turtle, and a dragon king.
In Maseong-myeon, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, there is an old road 'Tokkibiri' that connects Gomosanseong Fortress and Seokhyeonseong Fortress, which is Ikseong (a castle built on both sides like wings to help the castle in the middle).
Biri is a Gyeongsang-do dialect that means cliff.
Rabbitbiri, which runs from Seokhyeonseong Fortress to the south, is a road made by digging a steep rocky mountain for people to pass through.
According to Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seung-ram, when Goryeo Taejo Wang Geon reached this place during his expedition to the south and the road was blocked, a rabbit ran away on a cliff and opened the way for the army to advance.
Ahead of the Year of the Rabbit, rabbit sculptures are displayed and installed all over the country, catching the attention of tourists.
In celebration of the Year of the Rabbit, Seoul Grand Park will hold the '2023 Jump Project' outdoor exhibition, which will display 23 rabbit sculptures until February 26 next year.
The works submitted by students and graduates of the Department of Sculpture at Sungshin Women's University contain a common message of hope and hope for a better New Year.
The Korea Cartoon Association and the Korea Cartoon Image Promotion Agency are holding a rabbit-themed cartoon exhibition called 'Eoltodangto' (You're a rabbit! You're a rabbit!) at the lobby gallery on the first floor of the Korea Comics Museum in Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, until February 26 next year. open
At the Changwon History and Folk Museum in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, the 'Weird Rabbit Painting Exhibition' will be held, featuring 60 rabbit-themed works, including 'Benny,' a rabbit character with exceptionally large and long ears.
Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province installed a 15m-high rabbit sculpture called 'Rabic' at the Global Fair, the main entrance area.
Rabbik is a compound word of 'Rabbit' and 'Big', and contains the story of a person living in a different world called 'Evertopia' and arriving in the real world through the Everland Magic Tree in the Year of the Rabbit.
At Yudal Amusement Park in Daeban-dong, Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, a black rabbit photo zone 'Mokpo Oki Rabbit' decorated with a black rabbit, a white rabbit, and a moon sculpture with a diameter of 2m was prepared.
A large rabbit sculpture 5m high and 3m wide was installed on the sandy beaches of Haeundae Beach and Songjeong Beach in Haeundae-gu, Busan.
Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do plans to install a sunrise landscape sculpture consisting of a pair of black and white rabbits at the entrance of the Yedangho outdoor performance hall on January 1st of the new year.
(Photo = Yonhap News)