2015: The Year of the Green Wood Sheep! Find ‘sheep’ all over Gyeonggi Province!
Createdd 2015-01-16 Hit 632
Contents
The New Year of 2015 has begun.
The Year of the Sheep, 2015, is drawing people’s attention in particular as it is the Year of the
Green Wood Sheep.
The Year of the Green Wood Sheep, which is the 32nd year of the sexagenary cycle, is comprised of the second ‘green wood’ of the ten heavenly stems and the eighth ‘sheep’ of the twelve earthly branches.
In connection with the five cardinal colors, the second ‘green wood’ of the ten heavenly stems is interpreted as having an enterprising spirit and proactive and positive energy. Therefore, it is said that those who were born in the Year of the Sheep are meek, considerate, hardworking, and good at teamwork and building relationships.
Furthermore, it is traditionally said that babies born in the Year of Green Wood Sheep are visionaries and have luck on their side for they have good personalities.
Now that the Year of the Green Wood Sheep, 2015, has started, let’s explore and find ‘sheep’ hidden all over in Gyeonggi Province.
01 Stories about place names associated with sheep
in Gyeonggi Province
in Gyeonggi ProvinceLast December, the National Geographic Information Institute undertook an interesting survey for 2015, the Year of the Sheep, about how many place names are associated with sheep out of the 1.5 million or so place names in Korea.
The results showed that a total of 40 place names are associated with sheep.
When reviewed nationwide, Southern Jeolla Province has the most place names related to sheep with 15 place names, followed by Southern Gyeongsang Province with 9 place names.
How about Gyeonggi Province?
A total of fiveplace names were found associated with sheep in Gyeonggi Province: one hill, two towns, one mountain and one island have names related to sheep.
They are: Yanggaksan Mountain, located in Icheon City, Gyeonggi Province; Yang Island in Ha-dong, Yeoju City, Gyeonggi Province; Baengyang-dong, located in Gwibaek-ri, Heungcheon-myeon, Yeoju City, Gyeonggi Province; Onnyangdong in Beobwon-ri, Beobwon-eup, Paju City, Gyeonggi Province; and Jeonnyang Hill, located in Yangpyeong-eup, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province.
Shall we take a look at the stories behind the place names
that are associated with sheep in Gyeonggi Province?
▶ Yang Island in Ha-dong, Yeoju City, Gyeonggi Province
Yang Island, where a typical wetland has long been preserved, has a history of bearing several different names. Facing the Han River to the north, Chang-ri to the east and south, and Neungseo-myeon to the west, Yeoju City, whose geographical shape is similar to that of a sailing ship, is divided into Sang-ri, the head of the ship, and Ha-ri, the tail of the ship.
Located in the middle of the Han River in Ha-ri, Yang Island was once called ‘Beolseom’ or ‘Yangdo’ for the presence of many willow trees. It later received its current name because sheep were raised there.
▶ Onnyangdong in Beobwon-ri, Beobwon-eup, Paju City, Gyeonggi Province
Some of you probably think that Onnyangdong is the name of a town. I, of course, also thought it was a name of a town, but was confounded to find out that there is no town with the name Onnyangdong in Paju City.
My quest, however, didn’t stop there. I continued the search, and finally discovered the identity of Onnyangdong.
There are a number of natural communities in Beobwon-ri, Beobwon-eup, Paju City, Gyeonggi Province, and Onnyangdong is one of those natural communities in Beobwon-ri.
People say that Onnyangdong got its name because of the many sheep that used to lived there in the past.
▶ Yanggaksan Mountain, located in Icheon City, Gyeonggi Province, stretching from Sindun-myeon to Majang-myeon
Lastly, Yanggaksan Mountain, whose name is typically associated with the horns of sheep, got its name because its unusual shape resembles the horns of sheep.
At the mountaintop, where Lee Sa-seong, a Pyeongan Governor under King Sejong, perfected his martial art skills when young, there is a boulder called Chimadae from which and one can enjoy a magnificent view of the Hakam Reservoir.
Regarded as a sacred and miraculous mountain from ancient times, Yanggaksan Mountain still serves as a place where villagers go to perform rituals for the mountain spirit.
After learning the stories behind the place names related to sheep, the names that had sounded familiar started to feel new.
02 Let’s go to find “real sheep
” hidden all over Gyeonggi Province!
” hidden all over Gyeonggi Province!As it is the Year of the Green Wood Sheep, some of you may want to visit a sheep farm in Gyeonggi Province to see real sheep.
And some of you may feel sad thinking that it is not easy to see real sheep near you, and that you may have to go to the Yangtte Farm far in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province.
Don’t worry. There are a number of special places where you can see and experience sheep in Gyeonggi Province. Now then, shall we start looking for “real sheep” hidden all over Gyeonggi Province?
▶ “Anseong Farmland,” an experiential & entertainment farm on green grassland
Anseong Farmland is an agro-livestock theme park on a green pasturage of about 319 acres, offering a variety of experiential programs with 35 different livestock breeds. Started as the ‘Korea-Germany Model Dairy Farm’ back in 1969 as the first milk cow farm in Korea, Anseong Farmland has grown into a livestock theme park, representing the senary sector of the modern economy, which combines the agro-livestock industry and the tourism industry.
Anseong Farmland, which houses a variety of livestock including sheep, striped oxen, oxen, donkeys, lambs, geese, and pigs, offers diverse programs in which men and women of all ages can experience interaction with livestock.
- Location: Anseong Farmland
- Address: Daesindu-gil 28, Godong-eup, Anseong City, Gyeonggi Province
- Business hours: 10:00 to 18:00
- Tel. No.: 031 8053 7979
- Website: http://www.nhasfarmland.com/
▶ “Sheep Café Humming Grove,” a small but fun-filled sheep farm
Does one have to visit a farm to see real sheep? Not at all. You can meet cute sheep at the “Sheep Café Humming Grove” in Cheoin-gu, Yongin City.
Humming Grove sets itself apart from other general farms as it is a sheep café. The owner raises sheep on a small farm right next to the café, so customers can have opportunities to experience interacting with and feeding the sheep
Furthermore, the café offers delicious dishes and coffee brewed by the owner who is a professional barista, and there is also a sledding slope. It would be a perfect visit for eating and playing, in addition to the chance to meet real sheep.
– Location: Sheep Café ‘Humming Grove’
– Address: Gorim-dong 166-34, Cheoin-gu, Yongin City
– Business Hours: 09:30 ~ 21:00
– Tel. No.: 031-332-1669
– Website: http://cafe.naver.com/hmmning2000
In the Year of the Green Wood Sheep, 2015, I hope we can all support reconciliation and peace efforts just like those sheep that live peacefully in groups.
