Naju-si to Operate 'Gil Wi-ui Inmunhak' Program Until September 21

Naju City in Jeollanam-do will hold the program "Humanities on the Road - Focusing on the Burning River, Yeongsan River Humanities Content" a total of 10 times by September 21 at the multipurpose room of Bitgaram Municipal Library.

According to the city on the 19th, eight experts including the author and specialists in various fields will present to citizens the historical, cultural, and economic transformations of the Naju area in the modern and contemporary periods through the novel "Burning River," which is set along the Yeongsan River basin.

Naju City will hold a humanities lecture themed on the novel "Burning River."
[Photo by Naju City]

On the first day of the humanities program on the 17th, writer Moon Soon-tae gave a lecture titled "Yeongsan River and Burning River," sharing fascinating and grand stories as winding as the 350-ri Yeongsan River, which drew great responses from attendees.

Moon Soon-tae began the lecture by explaining the meaning of the Yeongsan River in the novel and the story of those who were freed from slavery and gathered by the riverside with nothing, growing into the "people."

The author then shared the motivation behind writing the novel, helping the audience better understand the work.

According to the author, while working as a reporter in 1975, he serialized the story of farmers' land reclamation struggles in Gungsam-myeon in the Jeonnam Maeil Newspaper. Upon encountering slave documents at a Naju clan house, he sublimated the "people's history of sorrow flowing with the Yeongsan River" into the novel "Burning River."

In particular, the author emphasized ways to develop and utilize the story, historical background, and descriptions of food, clothing, land, and flora and fauna in the work as humanities content, attracting the interest of attendees.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, "Through writer Moon Soon-tae's work, we were able to reaffirm the preciousness of local humanities heritage," adding, "I hope this humanities lecture will be a valuable opportunity to reflect on our lives and share wisdom."

The novel "Burning River" depicts the tearful struggle of farmers near the Yeongsan River who lost their land to Japanese colonial rule and fought to reclaim it, showing an achievement that elevates the narrative of Honam's people to the narrative of modern Korean people.

It was published in seven volumes in July 1987 and completed in nine volumes by Somyung Publishing in 2002.

Naju City is currently constructing the "Burning River Literature Museum" in Yeongsanpo, aiming to open it in the second half of this year to support and commemorate the writing activities of Moon Soon-tae, who has opened a new horizon in Korean literature.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Humanities on the Road program is organized by the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service, and citizens wishing to participate in the lectures can inquire with the Bitgaram Municipal Library team.

Naju = Kim Yuk-bong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr

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