Naju City Produces Tourism Souvenirs Featuring Pear Blossom Pattern Umbrellas and Fans

Published 15 Sep.2022 14:53(KST)

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Yoon Byung-tae) announced on the 15th that it has produced new commemorative souvenirs, the ‘Baekkot Umbrella’ and ‘Baekkot Fan,’ engraved with the Naju pear blossom pattern.

The city plans to lend the Baekkot Umbrella free of charge to tourists at the Naju Moksa Naea and use the Baekkot Fan as a souvenir for important guests visiting Naju.

The Baekkot Umbrella features the pear blossom (梨花), Naju’s representative flower, and Geumseonggwan (National Treasure No. 2038), a local Joseon Dynasty palace and guesthouse building, depicted like a landscape painting.

There are three types expressing the beauty of Naju at different times of day: clear morning, gentle sunset, and deep night. Inside the umbrella, scattered pear blossom petals are embroidered, adding a touch of romance.

The Baekkot Umbrella can be borrowed free of charge by any tourist with an ID at the Naju Moksa Naea from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (up to 4 hours).

The Baekkot Fan is a modern reinterpretation of the ‘Naju Seon’ (羅州扇), which was used as a royal gift during the Joseon Dynasty.

Naju has long been famous as a renowned fan production area, with Naju fans held in collections such as the British Museum, Tokyo National Museum, and the French Fan Museum.

The city explained that the fan, a primitive energy-producing tool, symbolizes the modern identity of Naju as an energy capital.

A city official said, “We hope that the Baekkot Umbrella and Fan, which combine practicality and symbolism, will become new goods that lead to the revitalization of tourism in Naju.”