Gwangju Seo-gu to Hold 'Seochang Mandri Pungnyeonje' Festival on the 31st

Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim Ikang) announced on the 29th that the "25th Seochang Mandri Bumper Harvest Festival" will be held at 4:30 PM on the 31st at the playground of Songhak Elementary School.

First started in 1999, the Seochang Mandri Bumper Harvest Festival is an event that reenacts weeding to pray for a bountiful harvest of the year around Baekjung (the 15th day of the 7th lunar month) in July.

While the Bumper Harvest Festival was previously conducted by reenacting weeding directly in the rice fields, this year the venue has been moved to the elementary school playground, where the activities from transplanting rice seedlings to weeding will be performed in a show format accompanied by traditional field songs.

Photos from last year's Seochang Mandeuri Festival.
[Photo by Seogu]

In addition, a variety of performances by the "Traditional Play and Performance Research Institute" and the fusion gugak group "Ola" will be held, along with hands-on experiences such as decorating eco-bags, making cheongsachorong mood lamps and hanji lanterns, and traditional play activities, providing residents with opportunities to enjoy and participate directly.

Especially, as the "Seochang Mandri Field Song" was designated as the "Gwangju Metropolitan City Seo-gu Local Cultural Heritage No. 3" on September 1st, a certificate presentation ceremony for the local cultural heritage designation will also take place during the event.

Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu, said, "We will spare no support to ensure that the Seochang Mandri Bumper Harvest Festival can be continuously inherited and developed as a unique cultural heritage of the region," and added, "Unlike previous years, this year's festival, held as a performance, will be prepared to become a joyful and enjoyable festival."

Shin Dongho, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr

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