Cheonggyecheon history and culture entry
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Kiteflying
Kiteflying in cheonggyecheon in Kiteflying The Cheonggyecheon Stream that connects the east and west of Hanyang was perfect for kiteflying during the winte
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Description
Kiteflying The Cheonggyecheon Stream that connects the east and west of Hanyang was perfect for kiteflying during the winter because it was well-ventilated. When the kite soared high into the sky, people freely flew it by loosening and winding the reels where the string was twined. When a lot of people gathered to fly kites, kite strings often tangled and broke, so people engaged in kite battles. This game was decided when a kite’s string snapped. In order to easily cut off others’ strings, some applied glues mixed with the powder of pottery bits to their kite strings. War and kiteflying In ancient times, there is a record that the kite was used in a war. During the period of Silla Dynasty, before the death of Queen Seondeok, the Prime Minister, ‘Bidam’ revolt against the reign. One night, a big star fell on the military base of Kim Yu-sin, who was in a confrontation with the rebel forces. Bidam said, "There will always be shedding of blood at the place where the star has fallen.“ This brought a great confusion to Kim Yu-sin’s army. Hence, Kim Yu-sin came forward, hung a burning scarecrow onto a kite, and then flew it. The next day, he said, "The star that fell last night went back up to the sky." Thus, the army recovered its spirit and suppressed the rebellion. During the Joseon Dynasty, when the fleet of the Admiral Yi Sun-shin went out to the sea, it is said that they flew kites with various colors and shapes in order to exchange signals with the army on the land. 送厄迎福(farewell misfortune, welcome fortune) Kiteflying, which originally started for military use, gradually became popular among civilians. In fact, it was one of the most popular amusements so that wealthy noble families would invite young people who are good at kite battles and watch them. The time for kiteflying was Daeboreum, the day of the first full moon of the year. After that, anybody who flew the kite became a laughing stock. When Daeboreum approached, people who participated in kiteflying or kite battles would write the words '厄(misfortune)’ or ‘送厄迎福(farewell misfortune, welcome fortune)’ on the kite, and flew them. It was to blow away the misfortune of the year, and pray for fortune.
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Source
Korea Tourism Organization and Visit Seoul.