Gimhae City Revives the Old Scenery of Hasong Village, the Land of Windmills and Shell Middens

Windmill Mural in Hasun Village, Gimhae City (Photo by Gimhae City)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kang Woo-kwon] Gimhae City in Gyeongnam announced on the 23rd that it has completed the street beautification project in the first half of this year as part of the landscape improvement work in Hason Village, Jangyu 1-dong.

Hason Village was once called Windmill Village because, in the 1960s, an American missionary installed a windmill to pump water for the village's water supply. However, the windmill was later dismantled due to aging and disappeared. Currently, 252 people live in 79 households.

The village is also famous for its prehistoric shell midden. Located at the southeastern end of the mountain behind the village, this shell midden was created by Iron Age people who ate and discarded shells. It is called the Yuhari Shell Midden or Yuha Shell Midden and is designated as Gyeongnam Province Monument No. 45.

It is attracting attention as a living site of the Gaya people buried in the Yangdong-ri Burial Mounds (National Historic Site No. 454), a representative relic of the Geumgwan Gaya. Recent excavations have uncovered numerous artifacts, including a building site presumed to be used for rituals.

The Hason Village street beautification project was launched after securing 70 million KRW from the Gyeongnam Province Special Adjustment Grant and 20 million KRW from the city budget in December last year. The project improved the landscape by designing existing facilities such as village fences into murals and sculptures themed around the Yuha Shell Midden, the village where the windmill once operated, and the people who make jang (fermented soybean paste).

Moon Yong-ju, Director of Urban Design, said, "We aim to enhance the city's brand value through urban landscape improvement and improve the living environment for citizens." He expressed hope that "the recent excavation, which offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of the Gaya people through the Yuhari Shell Midden site, will serve as an opportunity for its promotion to a national historic site through this landscape improvement project."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.