Gwangyang City Recommends a Tranquil Gwangyang Saseak Travel Experience

Not All Gone: November's Reflective Space Gwangyang Yudang Park

Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art's 'Lee Kyung-mo Photo Exhibition' Shows Yudang Park from 76 Years Ago

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seonsik] As safety once again becomes the decisive criterion for choosing travel destinations, Gwangyang City is attracting attention by proposing a safe and tranquil Gwangyang Sasaek Travel.

Gwangyang City recommends Yudang Park as a reflective space for November, known in the Indian calendar as the "month when not everything has disappeared."

Yudang Park, where centuries-old large trees over 500 years old are beautifully colored, is a great place to sit on benches scattered around and ponder or take a leisurely stroll.

The small pond reflecting the autumn sky draws gentle concentric circles with slowly falling leaves, inviting deep contemplation.

Yudang Park is a historic garden created in 1547 by Park Sehu, the magistrate of Gwangyang, who dug the pond and planted hackberry trees, weeping willows, and Japanese snowbell trees to prevent the exposure of the town fortress.

On one side of the park stand silently the Memorial Monument for War Veterans, the Loyalty Tower, and the Topyeong Historical Monument, engraved with the spirit of that era.

The trees in Yudang Park boast 500 years of history and beautiful shapes and are designated and protected as "Gwangyang Eup Forest (光暘邑藪) and Japanese Snowbell Trees" (Natural Monument No. 235).

Now tranquil, Yudang Park was once a famous site where archers gathered at the archery range and held heated wrestling competitions over bulls.

It was a playground where children climbed to pick hackberry fruits and a cultural space where writing contests and drawing competitions were held.

At the nearby Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art, the exhibition "Lee Kyungmo Photo Exhibition: The Moment That Became History" features a serene scene of Yudang Park captured by Mr. Lee Kyungmo in 1946.

Jung Guyoung, Director of Tourism, said, "The Indians named November the 'month when not everything has disappeared' based on changes in the landscape or movements of the heart, meaning that even in the limited remaining time, there is still hope and possibility."

He added, "I hope people gift themselves a November of reflection and comfort, walking among trees that have engraved 500 years of history in their rings, simultaneously looking at the scenery and their inner selves."

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seonsik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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