Gimje
Gimje (Gimje-si) is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea.
Gimje
김제시 | |
|---|---|
| Korean transcription(s) | |
| • Hangul | 김제시 |
| • Hanja | 金堤市 |
| • Revised Romanization | Gimje-si |
| • McCune-Reischauer | Kimje-si |
 | |
 Flag | |
 Location in South Korea | |
| Coordinates: 35°48′06″N 126°53′20″E | |
| Country |  South Korea |
| Region | Honam |
| Administrative divisions | 1 eup, 14 myeon, 4 dong |
| Area | |
| • Total | 545.19 km2 (210.50 sq mi) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 88,479 |
| • Density | 162.29/km2 (420.3/sq mi) |
| • Dialect | Jeolla |
History
The Gimje area is located on the "great plains" of Korea and has been cultivated since ancient times. Nations of early date ascended in the year 200. The Baekje Kingdom invaded and incorporated several small mahan states in the 13th year of King Onjo's reign. The Baekje Kingdom changed its name to Byeogol, but when is not clear.
In the Joseon Dynasty, Gimje first appeared in the year 1466 when Sejo of Joseon ruled. He promoted Gimje to an independent county. In 1628, Gwanghaegun of Joseon combined the nearby district of Mangyeong District into Gimje County.[1]
The Baekje Kingdom was ruined by the Tang and Silla Kingdoms and the Unified Silla Kingdom changed the city's name to Gimje city.
The Goryeo dynasty promoted Gimje city to Gimje District in the 21st year of King Injong’s reign.
City government has always highly regarded and promoted the cultivation of rice and other crop species. From the Baekje Kingdom through the 21st century, Gimje has been one of the best areas for growing rice.
Horizon Festival
Gimje is known as the region where the sky meets the ground, hence the festival of horizon or 'jipyeongseon.' It is held at Byeokgolje area, and more than one million tourists visit it each year. Gimje Horizon Festival hosts a wide range of programs including Samullori (traditional percussion quartet) contest, rural landscape drawing contest, celebratory performances, street parade, Ssireum (wrestling), and traditional weddings.[2] Gimje is the only region where Koreans can see the horizon from a landlocked area. The festival was appointed an Excellent Festival for 4 years between 2004 and 2008. It also provides city residents a chance to experience traditional farming methods.[3]
Twin towns – sister cities
Gimje is twinned with:
Kikuchi, Kumamoto, Japan (1985)
Nantong, Jiangsu, China (1997)- Gumi, North Gyeongsang, South Korea (1998)
- Donghae City, Gangwon, South Korea (1999)
People from Gimje
References
- History of Gimje county was originally from city English page. http://www.gimje.go.kr/foreign/english/sub1/sub1.jsp%5B%5D
- Gimje Horizon Festival (김제 지평선축제) - Official Korea Tourism Organization. english.visitkorea.or.kr.
- 김제 (2007-12-23). '지평선축제' 4년 연속 최우수축제 [The best festival in 4 years]. Yeonhap News.
External links
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Gimje. |
