TourKorea365

  1. What Bamboo Needs to Grow Well Bamboo needs three main things to grow well. It needs warm weather, enough moisture, and well-drained soil . Damyang has these conditions. It is located in the southern part of Korea, so the weather is relatively warm. It also has mountains and rivers, so the air has enough moisture. At the same time, Damyang has many hilly areas, so water can drain well. This balance is very important. Bamboo grows very fast, so it needs a lot of water. But if the roots stay underwater for too long, the bamboo can become weak. So bamboo needs moisture, but it also needs soil where water can move out. Damyang had this good balance. Because of that, bamboo grew very well here. And because bamboo was easy to find, local people naturally used it in daily life. They made baskets, trays, mats, blinds, fans, and kitchen tools from bamboo. As a result, Damyang developed a strong bamboo craft culture and a famous bamboo market. So Damyang’s bamboo culture began with natu...

Damyang is often called the ‘Home of Gasa Literature’ because many famous Korean scholars and writers during the Joseon Dynasty created a special style of literature there called gasa. When people feel politically frustrated today, what do they usually do? Maybe they write on social media, start a blog, or leave the city to relax in the countryside. Well, about 500 years ago in Korea, Confucian scholars did something very similar. During the Joseon Dynasty, especially in the 1500s, many scholars lost political power because of intense factional struggles in the royal court. Some were exiled, some retired voluntarily, and others simply became tired of politics. Because of that, they moved away from Seoul and settled in quiet natural areas like Damyang in South Jeolla Province. That is the key reason why Damyang became connected to literature. Damyang is located in the southwestern part of Korea, in Damyang. Today, the population is only around 45,000 people, so it feels peaceful and ru...