Official Korea Seoul is a big city When people ask me what I can say about Seoul, I always answer: “Seoul is Big city. Well, very big!” Seoul is really huge. Its significance in the life of Korea, a country that is extremely centralized, is also enormous. I’ll start,

Male Korea Population statistics for Korea during the Li Dynasty (1392–1910) are not very reliable, but an idea of big picture she still gives. In the 17th century, the nobles made up approximately 3-5% of the total population of the country, and at the beginning of the 19th century their share increased to 10%. This, by the way

Korea at lunch Fork, chopsticks (and a knife!) What do Koreans eat? Of course, mostly with chopsticks, like most of their neighbors in East Asia. For us, of course, chopsticks as a tool for eating are a strange and exotic thing. Sometimes the habit of eating with chopsticks becomes even

Korea and overseas

Kontsevich L. R.

In memory of a teacher and a friend Viktor Antonovich Hwang Yundyun

In various historical periods in Korea and beyond, there were the most diverse and curious names of the country, which reflected complex, often far from clear ethnogenetic processes, and the turbulent history of the Korean Peninsula, and certain aspects of the life of the tribes living here (their worldview, customs, crafts, etc.).

Not all names of Korea - and there are more than a hundred of them [Kwon Sanno, 405] - are comparable with each other. They differ in time, in content, in structure, in the nature of use and stylistic motivation, in the ratio of general and particular (contamination of the names of individual tribes - individual state formations – the peninsula as a whole - or the transfer of the names of individual geographical objects, such as seas, rivers, etc., per country).

It is naturally impossible to characterize the whole mass of Korean names in three dimensions - linguistic, geographical and historical within the framework of one article. If the official names of the states that have historically changed on the Korean Peninsula are commonly used, then the figurative and metaphorical names of the country turn out to be mostly occasional, and often individual. Let's consider the first group of names in more detail.

First of all, it should be noted that no proper Korean names of the country, written in the phonetic alphabet (invented in the middle of the 15th century) and differing from those recorded in Chinese characters, have survived. A modern researcher deals only with the hieroglyphic form of names, which can convey: 1) their semantics (when the source uses the real value of the hieroglyphs that make up the name); 2) their Chinese or Korean reading (if the name is written in fanze*), hiding the words of the languages ​​of ancient Korean and other tribes; 3) them

1 Fanze(QED), or “dissection method”, is the transmission of the sound of a hieroglyph by means of two other hieroglyphs, of which the first indicates the initial sound (initial), the second indicates the ending of the syllable, rhyme.

proper Korean correspondence, i.e. translation into Old and Middle Korean (if the name is transmitted by means I go 2). It can be very difficult to determine in which of these ways one's own name is recorded. It is here that the stumbling block of all disputes about this or that object of Korean onomastics.

It is almost impossible to distinguish between the Chinese names of Korea and the Korean self-names of the country in their hieroglyphic rendering, also because in the past, Koreans, having adopted the Chinese names of their country, often used them as their own.

The connection between toponymy and ethnonymy is inseparable. A number of names of ancient states on the Korean peninsula date back to more ancient names of tribes and tribal unions. However, to say something more or less definite about the ethnonyms of Korea, as well as about most of the names of non-Chinese peoples who settled in the “four outskirts” of the Middle State and have been known since the Zhou era (end of the 2nd millennium - 3rd century BC) in as group associations i, di, jong and man, hardly anyone is able to because of the lack of information in the surviving sources (moreover, later sources, as a rule, repeat the data of earlier works) and because of the contradictory nature, and sometimes falsification of historical and geographical descriptions and records of their own names. Therefore, all existing etymologies of Korean onomastic vocabulary based on Chinese written monuments are largely hypothetical.

The illusory nature of some etymologies of ethnonyms and ancient names of the country is aggravated by the fact that when they are disclosed, they usually proceed from modern Chinese and Koreanized readings and meanings of hieroglyphs alone. Such an approach cannot be considered scientific. Historicism in the study of ethnonyms, as well as toponyms, must be observed with particular care. But nevertheless, at the current level of development of Korean onomastics, one has to confine oneself to a set of proposed etymologies with a corresponding critical analysis of them 3 .

Now the most common names for the country located on the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands are the following: Korea, Chosbn and Hanguk. These three names go back to the ancient ethnonyms transferred to the early public entities or the names of dynasties.

Since ancient times, numerous non-Han tribes have lived on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast China, some of which disappeared without a trace, while others gave their names to the tribal states founded by them. The Joseon tribes belonged to the relatively advanced tribes.

Name SHSH modern box Chosbn, modern whale. Chaoxian first mentioned in Chinese written sources of the 5th-3rd centuries. BC. ("Guan zi", juan 23;

I'm going- the general name for the ways of writing Korean words and grammatical formants in Chinese characters starting from the 5th-6th centuries.

3 In the numerous works published after the publication of this article on the reconstruction of the Old Korean language and its connections with the Altaic family of languages, of course, material on native Korean onomastics was used, but the main array of toponyms has not yet been subjected to a comprehensive comparative historical study.

"Shan hai jing", juan 12 and 18, etc.). But more or less reliable information about him is contained in the early Chinese dynastic histories, and above all in "Shi chi" Sima Qian (I century BC). The "Tale of Chaoxian" included in this work formed the basis of sections about Korea in all subsequent historical chronicles [for an analysis of these sources, see, for example: Li Jirin, 11-44; Vorobyov, 36, 59-60; Kontsevich, 56-58, 60-61]. In the first Korean historical writings - "Samguk Sagi" Kim Busika (XII century), "Samguk Yusa" Iryon (XIII century) and "Th- van ungy" Lee Seung-hyu (XIV century) material about Joseon, which is borrowed from Chinese sources and old Korean chronicles that have not survived to this day, is abundantly mixed with myths about the founding of the state. Fragmentation, inconsistency, and sometimes even distortion of the facts about Joseon contained in these sources caused various interpretations of the name itself, as well as discussions about the time and location of Ancient Joseon, its social structure ["Collection of discussion articles ..."; "History of Korea", 9-10, 45-49; Ryu Hakku]. So far, it is difficult to come to any unambiguous solution to this issue. Therefore, our statements should be regarded as purely preliminary.

From the sources and the vast commentary literature, only one thing is clear that the name Joseon existed until the end of the second century. BC. as the name of a tribe (or a tribal state?), Which in different historical periods occupied a larger or smaller territory east of the river. Liaohe on Liaodong, covering the northwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. In 108 BC The Han emperor U-di overthrew the Joseon ruler Hugo and established four Han districts on the occupied lands of the Joseon and other tribes of this region. In the submission of one of them - Lolan (was abolished in 313) was the Chaoxian county, which, as it were, acted as a silent witness to the recent past [“Munkhon pigo”, 364; Vorobyov, 81].

Disappeared at the beginning of the 1st century. BC. title Joseon resurrected at the end of the 14th century. simultaneously as the name of the ruling dynasty and as the name of the country (i.e., already common to the entire peninsula). Only in 1897 was it replaced by taehan(see below). Now ancient name Joseon included in the name of the state 3 b .- Q 41^^-SCH 9141 “5”5}-^ Joseon minjuju inmin conghwaguk"Democratic People's Republic of Korea" and is also used to refer to the entire Korean Peninsula in North Korean. Toponym Joseon from the middle of the 19th century entered the Russian and Western European languages ​​in a literal translation "Country of morning freshness (coolness, tranquility, etc.)". Such a translation sounds poetic, but has nothing to do with the existing etymol fires.

It remains unclear whether the name Joseon given to the ancient non-Korean tribes by the Chinese, or so the natives themselves called themselves and their country. Regarding the origin of the name Joseon there are various hypotheses. Some of them are listed in the reference and historical-geographical literature [see, for example: “Picturesque Review…”, vol. 3, 422; Shunhong pigo", v. 1, 357; "Big Korean Encyclopedic Dictionary", vol. 5, 546; Kwon Sanno, 258-259; Lee Jirin, 32-44; "Introduction to the Study of Ancient Korean historical geography", 10-17; Kwon Deokkyu, 14-15]. Hypotheses

differ from each other both in time and in sources (Chinese or Korean). Familiarization with them will undoubtedly be useful for further searches for what is hidden behind the name. Chosbn.

1. One of the oldest versions is the hydronymic origin of the ethnonym joseon. Wei commentator "Shi chi" Zhang Yan (3rd century) believed that the source for the name Joseon. the names of the rivers served: “Chaoxian has three rivers: ( box Sipsu), Lyeshui ( box Yolsu) and Xianshui(kor. Sonsu). The rivers join to form Lyeshui. As if Lelan and Chaoxian borrowed names from here" ["Collection of information about the peoples who lived in various
historical eras”, vol. 1, 90; Russian Transl.: Kyuner, 1961, 331]. Tang commentator "Shi chi" Sima Zhen (7th century) saw the origins of the name Joseon in two hydronyms Chao [shui] and Xian [shui][“Collection of information ...”, vol. 1, 90-91].

In our time, this hypothesis was developed by the North Korean historian Li Jirin [Li Jirin, 35-39], to whom it seemed to be the most consistent with historical facts. Although he did not find such rivers in the area of ​​​​the alleged settlement of the Chosbn, nevertheless, in his book, evidence is provided, according to which the r. Yolsu is an abbreviated name for R. Muribles(Y^UtK-, identified with the modern Lanhe River), r. Sipsu- short for r. Seubyosu ( where the first character was close in sound to the first character in spelling Joseon), R. Sonsu- short for r. Yongsdnsu. This hypothesis cannot be considered completely convincing due to insufficiently reliable linguistic argumentation, but on the whole it deserves attention.

2. In "Dongguk Yoji Seungnam"(1st half of the 16th century) it was suggested that the country is called Joseon because it is located on “the land where the east turns red and the day comes” [“Picturesque Review ...”, vol. 3, 322]. AT "Kukcho pogam"(XVII century) and especially in the works of representatives of the ideological movement sirhak("real sciences"), such as Kim Hakbong ( XVIII-beginning XIX century), the following thought develops: since the ancient Koreans reached the coast of the East (Japan) Sea, the name Joseon and was a Chinese rendering of the meaning ‘sun’, ‘day’, figuratively meaning ‘east’ (via cho) +
‘light’ (through dream), those. that which first shines in the east,
where these tribes live [Kwon Sanno, 259; Lee Jirin, 32]. The most important drawback of this etymology lies in the fact that the ancient Koreans could hardly use a purely Chinese transcription method of writing proper names.

Therefore, Korean scientists took a different path - the interpretation of the phrase given in "Dongguk Yoji Seungnam" in Korean. For example, Choi Namseong conveyed the meaning of this Chinese phrase with a Korean phrase - nari cheeum saeungda‘dawn’ (lit."the day first appears"), which in abbreviated form gives chbsende -> chbsaeng -> Chosbn[Kwon Deokkyu, 14].

3. A similar hypothesis was expressed by Yang Judon, but it also does not go beyond the scope of feudal historiography. He thinks that the name Chosbn, like many other proper nouns, it was written in one of the ways going: the first character in this name conveyed the Korean word 11 palk'light', and the second - ce‘time’, ‘east’, ‘new’, i.e. Joseon = pa [l] kse. Ian's version

Judon substantiated by the fact that the cult of the sun was widespread among the ancient Korean tribes and that they, moving from north to east, and then south, took this phrase as a self-name [Yang Judon, 39]. It is also hardly possible to agree with this opinion, for the name Joseon appeared in Chinese sources long before the use I'm going In Korea.

4. The hypothesis put forward by Korean scientists of the 19th century also deserves attention. - representatives of the current sirhak("real sciences"). Ahn jongbok in "T o n ca kanmok" wrote: “The country that Kija founded was located east of sonbi (xianbi- the name of one of the northern non-Chinese peoples.- OK.), hence its name Joseon"[cm. Lee Jirin, 32-33]. Lee Ik in "Sonho saesol" offered the following explanation Chosbn: cho means 'east' and dream is short for sonbi(whale. xianbi), which in general gives the name of the country lying to the east of Mount Seonbisan ”(see Kwon Sanno, 259; Big Korean Encyclopedic Dictionary, vol. 5, 546). This hypothesis does not accurately locate Ancient Joseon; besides the name xianbi first appeared in Chinese sources after the beginning of a new era.

5. Supporters of the current sirhak Han Baek Kum, Jung Ya Kyung, and some others thought Joseon not own name, but a common additional element that was added to specific ethnonyms and toponyms and simply denoted “territory” [for example, Annan-joseon 'area Annana (Chinese Lolan)’, Yemeek-joseon ‘land(tribe) emek’, etc. (“Introduction to the Study of Ancient Korean Historical Geography”, 11]. Although such combinations are found in some ancient Chinese writings, it is impossible to agree with such an interpretation because the name Joseon much more often used independently, denoting an ethnonym.

6. In Korean science since the 18th century. versions of the patronymic origin of the name have become widespread Joseon. In the myths about the founding of the state among the ancient Koreans, the founder of the first "dynasty" (2333-1122 BC) is Tangun. For eight centuries there have been endless disputes regarding its genealogy, time and place of origin [Hon Gimun, 129-206; Dzharylgasinova, 25, etc.]. A number of Korean scientists are trying to find the threads connecting his name with Chosdn.

At the beginning of the XX century. Xing Cheho supported this hypothesis: in his opinion, the name of the country and the name of its first ruler have the same origin - from the spirit of the sun, whose name was respectively rendered in Chinese characters [Sin Cheho, 215].

In the 50s and 60s, Hong Gi-moon and Lee Sang-ho tried to link the name in different ways. Tangun with name Chosdn. Hong Gimun, comprehensively analyzing the myth of Tangun, cited a whole chain of arguments that would confirm the phonetic identity of the sign tan(in name) through dream(as a symbol of a celestial) with dream(in the name of the ethnic group) [Hon Gimun, 144-164].

Lee Sang Ho tends to see in the name tangun hieroglyphic rendering of the Korean word paktal / pedal, signifier in modern language the name of the tree is ‘Betulaceae Schmidtii Regel’. At first, this word, apparently, was used

was used as the name of a mountain (cf. the word hoist‘mountain’, ‘high’ in the geographical names of the state of Koguryeo, as well as modern words yandal and ymdal, meaning respectively the southern and northern slopes of the mountain). Lee Sang Ho Identifies Korean pactal with the Chinese name of the mountain taibo shan, where, judging by the myth, Tangun was born. In this name, the first hieroglyph allegedly conveyed the ancient Korean khan'big', second - pa [l] k-'light', and the third - hoist‘mountain’, hence paktal -* puldal‘fire mountain’. This oronym was transferred to the name of the tribal association Joseon. According to Lee Sangho, all these words were just different spellings of the same name ["Collection of discussion articles ...", 173-287].

In essence, this hypothesis resembles the second and third hypotheses, differing from them only in a slightly different argumentation.

7. Based on a detailed phonetic and etymological analysis, the Swedish scholar Cho Seungbok tried to reconstruct the ancient Korean readings of the following toponyms and compare them. Han District Annan, according to his assumption, in ancient Korean it was read as it meant ‘east’, and the first hieroglyph in Joseon- like ~ [*aya] ‘morning’ (cf. Japanese), in the same row Cho Seungbok included and Khan, as if pronounced like [aua] [Cho Seungbok, 534-562]. But, in my opinion, this attempt looks somewhat artificial.

8. Finally, there is a hypothesis according to which the ethnonym Chos j n identified with the ethnonym suxin(modern. whale. susheng). It was first put forward more than half a century ago by Korean scientists Sin Chaeho and Chon Inbo. Shin Chaeho, for example, wrote that Chos j n and suxin until the middle of the III century. BC. were the same name of the tribe, written in different Chinese characters [Kwon Sanno, 33]. This opinion was shared in the 1950s by North Korean scholars Chon Yol-mo [Jong Yol-mo, 23-24], partly Lee Ji-rin [Lee Ji-rin, 33-34, 39, 211-213], Lee Sanho [“Collection of discussion articles…”, 269 -273], etc. It also seems to us more likely than all other versions. Let's present our arguments.

Still remains open question about the origin of the Sushen people. Some researchers believe that Sushen is a Tungus tribe [Bichurin, vol. 1, 375; Vasilevich, 14-20]; others consider them to be a Paleo-Asiatic people who originally lived in Northeast China [Küner, 1961, 218]. But it is also quite possible that susheng was the name of some ethnic community that arose as a result of the mixing of the Tungus, who came at the beginning of the Zhou period (XI-III centuries BC) from Transbaikalia to Northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, with Paleoasian natives.

This ethnonym has been recorded in ancient Chinese historical writings since the 3rd century BC. BC. in transcription using various hieroglyphs. The earliest was the writing of modern. whale. xishen, modern box sik- xing ("Shi ji", "Zhu shu jinyan" etc.), then, apparently, shsh jishen, box chiksin ".Ji Zhou shu") and finally- sushen, box suksin ("Kongzi jia yu", "Hou Han shu" and etc.). In a Chinese essay of the 17th century. "Manzhou yuanliu kao" says that susheng is a corruption of the Chinese rendering of the Manchu word $sf zhushen, box chushin(the name of the ancestors of the Manchus), meaning ‘acquired (trust) land’ [Palladius, vol. 1; Küner, 1961, 258].

None of these spellings was found in sources earlier than the 3rd century BC. BC, although some commentators are inclined to hypothetically attribute the ancestors of the Sushen to no later than the 12th century. BC, believing that they are hiding under one of the names of "eastern foreigners" - . nyao and‘bird’ + ‘foreigner’.

What is the connection between these facts about the ethnonym susheng and title Joseon 1? Their interdependence is hypothetically admissible:

a) chronological and territorial coincidence of the habitat of the ancient Joseon and Sushen tribes;

b) their belonging to the "eastern foreigners", possibly as two branches of the same tribal association;

c) the similarity of the ethnogenetic process (the main component in the warehouses
ancestry of the Korean ethnos were those who came from the north and north-west of the Tungus-
Manchu and Paleo-Asiatic tribes, towards whom from the south of the Korean
the peninsula was moved by ethnic elements of the more southern island race);

d) the commonality of totem representations among the ancient Joseon and Sushen (in the form of a bird);

e) recognition of the location of the ancestral home in Korean and Manchu myths in the area of ​​modern Mount Paektusan (Baitoushan), compare, for example, the myth of Tangun;

f) finally, the usual practice of rendering the same foreign name by different hieroglyphs, similar only in sound, in ancient Chinese texts. And indeed, if we restore the ancient phonetic appearance of words transmitted in Chinese transcription by the method fanze, it turns out that the first hieroglyphs in the names Joseon and susheng in their reading fall into the same rhyme group , and the latter, although they belong to different rhyme groups, are nevertheless similar in sound (for a reconstruction of the ancient readings of hieroglyphs, see:).

In addition, archaeological and historical materials indicate that by the Chunqiu-Lego period (VIII-V centuries BC), the Tungus tribes, which formed a substrate with local Paleo-Asian tribes, were divided into two large groups: northern, Manchu, and southern, Korean (according to our assumption); cf. linguistic motivation of belonging of the Korean language to the Altaic family in the work of S. A. Starostin [Starostin]

Ethnonym susheng in the north, in Manchuria, has undergone a complex evolution. So, in the I-III centuries. AD Sushen tribes are mentioned under the name ilou(kor. yumu), during the northern dynasties in China (end of the 4th - the end of the 6th century) - (Kor. mulkil), during the Sui Dynasty (589-619), their country is known as mohe(kor. malgal), at the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th century. their name appeared: £: Ш nuzhen, or ^ssh nuzhi(kor. idjin, idjik)[Küner, 1961, 258-275; Gorsky; Grebenshchikov].

The evolution of the ethnonym could be completely different susheng southeast of the Manchus. There, apparently, an ethnic group stood out, which the Chinese began to convey in writing in hieroglyphs chaoxian, close in ancient reading to sushen. Thus, the original name Joseon, although it was recorded in "Shan Hai Jing"(presumably IV-III centuries BC; juan 18), hardly

Li meant ‘land of morning freshness’. Most likely, this name could only be a transcriptional (possibly distorted) transfer by Chinese characters of some ethnonym, the meaning of which is still hidden from modern researchers.

Korea names with component khan have the same cementing significance in the history of Korean civilization as Chosn.

The modern name of South Korea is Hanguk(this is the name, like Joseon, extends to the entire Korean Peninsula) comes from = Samhan‘Three khan’, the collective name of the union of three tribes (mahan, chin-khan and penhan), who inhabited the southern and central parts of the peninsula in the last centuries BC. Most Korean scientists tend to consider the component khan a pronominal word meaning in ancient times 'big', 'long', 'far', 'straight'. Since a stronger migration process was in the direction from north to south, the first tribal associations that developed in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula apparently included the word khan('long' in time or 'distant', 'large' in space) as a common component in their names. This component has come down to our time in writing with various hieroglyphs, which were used phonetically to convey the word with the above meanings: the oldest spelling khan(in "Shu Ching" 5th-4th centuries BC) denoted one of the "eastern foreigners", which included Korean tribes; writing khan(in comments to "wei shu" 6th century AD) some researchers [Li Jirin, 274] identify with the sign sh khan(the latter is found in almost all Chinese dynastic histories and early Korean historical chronicles).

The initial components of the names of three khan, most likely of totemic origin: ( Mari)‘head’ (in Mahan)[Kwon Sanno, 118], pyon-‘snake’ (in Byeonghan)[Kwon Sanno, 142] and rank-‘dragon’ (in Chinhan)[Kwon Sanno, 267]. At the end of the 1st century BC. on the lands of mahan (southwest of the peninsula), the state of Baekje arose, and the possessions of jinhan and penhan (southeast of the peninsula) became part of Silla. These states, together with Goguryeo, existed until the middle of the 7th century, when they were united under the auspices of Silla. In Chinese, and then Korean historiography, they received the general name NShch modern. whale. sango, modern box samguk‘Three states’.

Component khan also included in the title taehan- the official name of the country after it declared independence in 1897 and until 1910. If the word khan here "taken from the ancient names of the three possessions of South Korea as national in the strict sense of the word, i.e., non-Chinese", then the definition te‘big’, ‘great’ is added “in contrast to them and in imitation of Chinese Dacingo, those. Great Qing state, or Japanese Dainipponkoku– to the Great State of Nippon” [Küner, 1912, 10]. Some also believe that the first hieroglyph indicates the expansion of the territory of the former possessions of Korea [Kwon Sanno, 86]. taehan included in the official name of the Republic of Korea - Taehan minguk.

FROM Ancient Korean ethnonymy is also associated with several other names of states that once existed on the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeast

Mr. China. These include the names of the three states mentioned above - Koguryeo, Silla and Baekche 4, as well as Chindan.

Whale name. Zhengdan, box chindan appeared at the end of the seventh century. After the conquest of Goguryeo, the Tang Empire resettled hundreds of thousands of inhabitants of this country in the Yingzhou region (now Zhaoyang in the province of Rehe), where they, together with the Mohe tribes (Kor. malgal) created a state under this name, which, apparently, was the self-name Mohe. In 713 this name was changed to Bohai(kor. Parhe). Name chindan episodically used in relation to Korea since the 11th century. and to this day [Kwon Sanno, 272-273; "Dictionary of the Korean language", vol. 4, 515].

A number of historical names of Korea are of patronymic origin, that is, they include the names of mythical figures who are considered the ancestors of the Koreans. The founder of the state in Korea, as already mentioned, was the legendary Tangun. His name is included in the names of the country - Tanguk and tanban‘Country of Tangu-na’. This may also include the popular name of Pedal [nara], which is an artificial translation into Korean of the name Tanguk.

The second ancestor of the early Chinese, and after them the Korean sources consider the semi-legendary chi tzu(modern cor. Kija > Heji‘son of the sun’), who allegedly fled in 1122 BC. from Zhou China to the lands of Joseon and founded a state there. Some modern Korean historians generally deny the fact that Ji-tzu belonged to the Ancient Joseon, considering it the fruit of feudal historiography. They motivate this by the fact that in the legends about Ji-tzu, which apparently appeared in pre-Qin literature, that is, until the middle of the 3rd century. BC, his name is nowhere associated with Joseon. But whatever doubts there may be about the identity of Chizi himself, his name also appears in the names of the country: Kiban and Kiydk‘Country Ki[ja]’, Kibon and Kijajibon‘Kij’s domain’. The name is also a tribute to the ancestors Tangijiban‘Country of Tan[guna] and Ki[ja]’.

More reliable and detailed in the Chinese historical chronicles is information about a native of the kingdom of Yan- Wei Mane(kor. Vimanyo), who in 194 BC. overthrew the last descendant of the Kija dynasty and seized the lands of Joseon. The reign of the Wei Mang house did not last long, until 108 BC. But his name is also

We omit the analysis of the names Koguryd, Silla and Baekje, since they (with the exception of Silla after VII c.) did not apply to Korea as a whole and, in addition, were partially covered us in domestic Korean studies (for example, about the name Silla, see: Kim Busik, vol. I , With. 298- 302; about the ethnonym Koguryd, see the article by R. Sh. Dzharylgasinova in the collection "Ethnonyms" (M, 1970)]. Let us add only one hypothesis of the origin of kogurids, which deserves attention. According to ancient Chinese sources, the totem of the "eastern foreigners", to whom there was also an influential Kuryo tribe, there was a snake [Fan Wenlan, 23]. Perhaps this totem was taken by the tribe as its name. In Goguryeo, "snake" was conveyed by the word -7 g)] kure The second sign of these combinations, acting as a phonetic, is apparently associated with the name of Tangun.

included in one of the names of the country - Wiman Joseon‘Joseon [period] Wimana’.

In almost all the cases analyzed, there is a transition of eponyms to toponyms.

Sometimes eponyms are combined with ethnonyms. For example, in a geographic application "Chiri ji"(compiled in 1432) to the annals "Sejong Sillok" the collective name of the country is fixed = Sam-Joseon'Three Joseon-na', which stands for 'Joseon of [period] Tang-gun (or Early Joseon)', 'In our time, this hypothesis was developed by the North Korean historian Lee Jirin [Li Jirin, 35-39], to whom it seemed to be the most consistent with historical facts. Although he did not find such rivers in the area of ​​​​the alleged settlement of the Chosbn, nevertheless, in his book, evidence is provided, according to which the r. /i/pJoseon [period] Kija (or Late Joseon)’ and the mentioned Wiman Joseon["Chronicle of the reign of King Se-jong", 280].

Chinese and Korean written monuments are replete with figurative names of Korea, which cannot be fully taken into account. Apparently, it is possible to systematize such names on the basis of two criteria: their common use and the semantics of their structural components.

The most common figurative and metaphorical names of the country are the names with the following components (names are given mainly in modern Korean sound):

1. W whale. dun, box tone'East'. In ancient Chinese sources, Korea was considered a country that, by its geographical position, was located in the east of China. Hence its numerous names, which have long been actively used in Korea itself (see also hypotheses of the origin Joseon, associated with the East).

Among them, a number of names with a second component, meaning ‘country’, ‘territory’, ‘locality’, should be noted: Dongguk‘Eastern State’, or simply ‘Eastern Country’ is one of the most ancient Chinese figurative names, very common in Korean literature of the 13th-19th centuries. [Küner, 1912: 10; “Korean Dictionary”, vol. 2, 166]; less common names: dongbang and Dongpyo‘East side; East', dongbang‘Eastern country’, Tonyibk‘Eastern possessions’, Donnyuk‘Eastern Hills’ and about a dozen more names [see. Kwon Sanno, 405].

As a second component, this character is found in two well-known names of Korea - Daedong ‘Big country in the east’ (first mentioned in "Shi jing"; been used in Korea since the 15th century. until 1897) [Dictionary of the Korean Language, vol. 2, 255; Palladium, part 1, 193] and haedong‘Country located east of the sea’ (meaning the Yellow Sea). The latter combination is found in the most ancient Chinese monuments, but as the name of Korea began to be used from VI-VIIbb., Especially intensively in the period of Koryo (from the XII to XIV centuries) and in the XIX century. (Kwon Sanno, 320; Dictionary of the Korean Language, vol. 5, 534).

2. In whale. zhi, box or‘sun’, ‘day’. Names with this component are directly adjacent to the group just described, that is, they are associated with the east (it is not without reason that hieroglyphic dictionaries give an interpretation of the sign tone'east' as the places from where the sun rises). Moreover, the hieroglyphs with the meaning ‘sun’ are not at all the property of only the names of Japan, as many mistakenly believe. Titles Irydk, Ilban, Ilbyon‘Land of the Sun’ Ilthek'House of Sun' Ilchulchho‘The place where it rises

sun', Ilchkhuljiban‘The country where the sun rises’ and a number of others were in circulation in Korea in the 8th-12th centuries. [Kwon Sanno, 36].

3. whale. qing, box chhbn'green; blue '(in Chinese color scale means 'east'). Here the most common name is Chkhdngu‘Land of green hills’. In Chinese sources, it was used in relation to the Korean Peninsula from the first centuries of the new era, later it entered medieval Korean literature as a poetic name for the country (cf., for example, the title of the Korean anthology of the XVIII century. "Cheonggu Yeonon"- "The unfading words of the country of the Green Mountains", etc.). By analogy, there were other names with this component, though less popular: Chkhdnyuk‘Green Hills’, chbnyeo‘Green frontiers’, chbntho‘Green Lands’, Shchsh Chkhbnyibk‘Green country’, etc. [Kwon Sanno, 280-281].

4. whale. hi, box heh'sea'. It is the second most used (after tone) component in the historical names of Korea. It is also indirectly connected with the east. Hieroglyph heh can stand either in the initial or in the final position in the name, without changing, however, its inherent meaning.

As an initial component, it occurs in the following names of Korea: He[yan]guk ‘sea ​​country’ [Dictionary of the Korean Language, vol. 5, 532, 548], Hejwa‘The country located to the left (i.e. to the east) of the sea’ [Kwon Sanno, 322], as well as in the above-mentioned haedong(cm. tone) and a number of others.

This component occupies the final position in one of the oldest Chinese names for the Korean Peninsula - Changhae‘Land of the blue sea’ [Kwon Sanno, 277]. Now this name is attributed to the Sea of ​​​​Japan. Other names with the same structure, such as Shsh Chbphe, Chehe etc., see below, when describing the names reflecting the sea fishing of the Koreans.

5. whale. Yes, box te‘big, great’. This component is used as a definition in the names discussed above. taehan(see ethnonym khan) and Daedong(cm. tone).

Other figurative names of Korea have occasional usage. They can be grouped thematically.

1. One of the ancient names of Korea, found in Korean epigraphic monuments of the 7th-11th centuries, is associated with the east. and in "Samguk Yusa" – Busan, letters,"the place where the sun rises", which denotes a country to the east of China [Kwon Sanno, 148]. Some sources refer this name to Japan as well [Küner, 1961, 348]. The Buddhist names of Korea during the Koryo period can also be included in the same group: Sandong‘The country where the sun rises (Gandharva, Maraja)’, IZH^IA sanmokjigu and Sanibk‘Land of mulberry trees’ [Kwon Sanno, 163]. In the title Gongsan‘Remote wild country in the east’ [Palladius, vol. 1. 499] the Chinese, apparently, meant the area of ​​settlement of ancient Korean tribes.

2. In Confucian literature, the figurative names of Korea were conveyed by hieroglyphs denoting nobility, philanthropy and other virtues, for example: Kunjaguk‘Country of noble people’, SI Inban‘Land of humanity, Yeuijiban‘A country known for high morality’, etc. [Kwon Sanno, 53-55]. Taoists saw Korea as a "country of celestials"

(Soninguk). During the reign of the Song (960-1279) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Korea was even called "little China" [jun] hwa).

3. Numerical designations are not uncommon in the historical names of Korea. O Myself- khan(see ethnonym khan) and samguk(see ibid.) has already been discussed. Let's take a few more. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the Koreans called their country ADC Phaltto or Pharibk‘Eight provinces’. Korea has long been called "The Land of Three Thousand li 6 "(Samchkhdl-li).

4. A number of individual poetic titles recall the beauty of Korea's nature. These include country names in which their authors express their admiration for the colors of kenaf: Geunhwakhyan‘Homeland of kenaf’, SHR Geunban and Shsh Kynydk‘Land of kenaf’ [Kwon Sanno, 57], as well as Mugunhwa dongsan‘Eastern mountains covered with kenaf’ [Dictionary of the Korean Language, vol. 2, 639]. An outstanding Korean poet of the IX-X centuries. Choi Chhiwon called his country "a place over which birds circle" [Kwon Sanno, 214], etc.

5. Finally, we can single out a group of figurative names of the country, which reflected the sea fishing of the Koreans. Korea has long been famous for its rich catch of flounder and sea catfish. Hence its name: "Country of the flounder" (Chbpkuk),"Sea of ​​flounder" (Chbpe),"Sea of ​​​​large catfish" ( Chemybn and Chekhe)[Kwon Sanno, 250-251, 257-258].

The list of such names could be continued, but what has been said is enough to see the huge range of means that were used in the invention of the names of Korea, mainly for the purpose of expressive and stylistic coloring.

As for the name Korea, then the history of its appearance and distribution in Europe in various spellings is no less curious than all the names considered. This issue is covered in the literature in Russian and Western European languages ​​["Description of Korea", part 1, 60-62; Zaichikov, 87; Griffis, 1-2, 84-86], but not enough.

The earliest mention of the Korean state of Silla (in Arabic transmission - Strength) in the Western world belongs to the Arab traveler Ibn Khordadbeh (846). If we talk about Europeans, then the first of them brought information about the existence (in the form of an island) of the country Caule Franciscan monk Guillaume de Rubruk, who traveled to the eastern countries in 1253-1256. [Rubruk]. The Venetian merchant Marco Polo, who compiled his "Book" in 1298, also mentions the country Sam//', which lay behind Chorcha (that is, Manchuria). In various versions of this "Book" variants are identified with Korea: Zanli, Cauli, Caoli, Causi, Scholi, Carli["Book of Marco Polo", 280]. It is highly probable that all these names were a corruption of Chinese Gaoli(kor. Koryb- the name of the ruling dynasty and the country in the X-XIV centuries, which inherited it from the name ancient state Koguryo). From Kore comes and modern name"Korea" in European languages.

Lee - Korean measure of length, equal to 0.393 km.

Further, for a century and a half, there was no information about Korea. Only in the message of the Portuguese king to the pope of 1513 are merchants mentioned who traveled from the country "Lequea" (Ryukyu?) to the South Seas and received the name Gores. Perhaps it was given to merchants who transported the inhabitants of Koryo on Ryukyuan merchant ships. On the European maps and in general geographical descriptions of the middle of the 16th century. there are names Gor and Ghor , which some scholars identify with Japan, and others with Korea.

Only in the era of great geographical discoveries, when the penetration of Europeans to the East began, did more real information about the location of Korea appear. On geographical maps compiled in Europe in the second half of the 16th century, apparently, according to reports from Portuguese expeditions in 1540-1546. to the shores of Japan, the region corresponding to Korea was depicted as a peninsula or an oblong island. The Portuguese were the first to bring the name to Europe Coria , where did the modern spelling come from. The map of the world by F. Vas Dourado (1571) in the northern part of China shows a ledge called "Coste Courai ». This was the beginning of the designation of Korea on European maps. True, for a relatively long time Korea was depicted either as an island or as a peninsula. In 1593, the Dutchman P. Planzio placed the name on the map of the Asian continent Sogau(apparently from Japanese reading Koray). The same name is found in the messages and letters of the Spanish Jesuit missionaries who settled in Japan at the end of the 16th century. Gregorio Cespedes, for example, is considered the first European to set foot on Korean soil. He participated in one of the aggressive operations of Hideyoshi's troops during the Imjin War (1592-1598). In the letters of another Jesuit missionary, Louis Froys (or Froe) 1590-1594. the name Chosen is mentioned.

On the map of the Dutch hydrographer J. van Linshosten, attached to the records of a sea voyage to the East, Korea is depicted as a round island and named “Hbade Corea » "about. Korea". Since then, this form of writing has become stronger in Korea.

The Dutch navigator Hendrik Hamel, who traveled in 1653-1666, reached about. Jeju and left a row geographical names kingdoms Soegee, which is otherwise called Tyocen -koeck .

In 1709, the Jesuits Regis, Jartou and Friedel compiled a map of Korea, in which the outlines of the Korean Peninsula were for the first time more or less correctly defined. It was based almost until the end of the 19th century. European cartographic representations of the country ["Description of Korea", part 1, 62].

In the descriptions of travelers of the 18th - first half of the 19th centuries who visited the country during its period of foreign policy isolation, such as La Perouse (1785-1788), William Broughton (1795-1798), John MacLeod (1816), Basil Hall (1816), Carl Gützlaf (1832), Eduard Belcher (1843-1846), the modern European name of Korea, which differs depending on the language, is already in stable use (eng. Sogea, French Sogye, German Korea etc.). Sometimes it occurs in conjunction with Tchosen or Tchao Sian . How an echo of the past looks like a name Koorai F. Siebold.

Name in Russian Korea appears in the middle of the 19th century. Before that, the country was called in Chinese Chaoxian and Gaoli[Bichurin].

In the second half of the XIX century. figurative names of Korea appear in the literature in European languages. For example, due to the isolation policy, the country received the names: Secluded State. Hermit State, Forbidden Country, Forgotten Nation etc. And at the same time, for the purpose of exotic coloring, names that are tracing papers begin to exist in various languages. Joseon: Land of the Morning Chill(or freshness). Land of Morning Calm etc. It seems to us that the American historian of Korea, William Griffis, laid the foundation for this. These names are still widely used today.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Butin Yu.M. Ancient Joseon (historical and archaeological essay). Novosibirsk, 1982.

Butin Yu. M. Korea: from Joseon to the Three States (II century BC - IV century). Novosibirsk, 1984.

Basilevich G M. Evenks (on the problem of the ethnogenesis of the Tungus and the ethnic processes among the Evenks). Abstract doc. diss. L., 1968.

Vorobyov M.V. Ancient Korea. Historical and archaeological essay. M., 1961.

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Brief information about the country

Foundation date

Official language

Korean

Form of government

Presidential republic

Territory

99,720 km² (109th in the world)

Population

48 955 203 people (25th in the world)

South Korean won (KRW)

Timezone

Largest cities

Seoul, Incheon, Gwangju, Busan, Daegu

$1.457 trillion (12th in the world)

Internet domain

Telephone code

South Korea- this is usually called a beautiful, prosperous and original country, located on the eastern outskirts of Asia, in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The official name of the state is the Republic of Korea.

Video: Korea

Basic moments

Korea boasts an outstanding history, rich culture and amazing nature. Its shores are washed by the waters of the three seas included in the water area Pacific Ocean, - Yellow, Japanese and South, as the Koreans themselves call the Korea Strait. Along the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan stretch the East Korean Mountains, whose numerous spurs cover the entire eastern half of the peninsula, creating intricate labyrinths. Closer to the southern shores, mountain landscapes become so amazing that they have earned the fame of the most picturesque places on the planet.

In the mountainous regions of the country, surrounded by dense forests, mountain rivers and lakes, there are ancient monasteries and pagodas, original villages. The natural wonders of South Korea are protected by the state and are part of the national parks and reserves, without visiting which no trip around the country is complete.

The coastline of South Korea is literally dotted with numerous bays and bays, it is incredibly picturesque, which gives the local beaches a special charm. There are 3,000 islands scattered off the coast of the peninsula. Many of them are uninhabited, some have nature reserves or secluded beaches, and the largest island, Jeju, is the country's main resort.

The peculiar landscape and climate of South Korea have made it one of the most popular ski centers in the Asian region. Modern ski resorts are built here, most of which turn into sports and recreation centers in the summer.

Many attractions located in the historical cities of Korea are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and modern metropolitan cities amaze with their modern architecture and luxurious parks. It is pleasant to spend time here in entertainment centers, restaurants with national cuisine, go shopping, wander around numerous museums.

History of Korea

The history of the Republic of Korea begins in 1945. Then, after the fall of Nazi Germany, a conference was held in Potsdam with the participation of the leaders of the three largest powers of the anti-Hitler coalition - the USSR, the USA and Great Britain. Here it was decided to divide the territory of the Korean Peninsula into two zones - its northern part temporarily came under the control of the USSR, and the southern part ended up in the US sphere of influence. In 1948, the division of the once united country was formalized legally, as a result of which two states were formed on the peninsula: the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea).

These countries, today hostile to each other, nevertheless have a common history. archaeological finds, discovered on the territory of both states, testify to the fact that even in the Stone Age the Korean Peninsula was inhabited by kindred tribes. the first major political entity of these ancient peoples was the state of Joseon (7th-2nd centuries BC), which in historical literature is usually called Ancient Joseon (Kuchoson). Its territory extended to the northern lands of the Korean Peninsula and the south of Manchuria.

The poetic names of Korea - "Land of Morning Calm", "Land of Morning Cool", "Land of Morning Calm" - are a translation of the hieroglyphic spelling of the word "Joseon".

In 108, Joseon was captured by the Chinese Yan Dynasty. However, the struggle of the local population against the invaders did not stop here for several centuries. Three hundred years later, several feudal states formed in the south of the peninsula. The most powerful of them, Silla, conquered neighboring territories in the 7th century, and a state was formed on the Korean Peninsula with its capital in the city of Gyeongju. In the 9th century, as a result of civil strife, Silla broke up into several feudal estates, but by the 10th century state unity was restored. The new Korean state was named Korea.

In 1232, the peaceful development of the country was interrupted by the invasion of the Mongols. In the 14th century, after the liberation from the Mongol yoke, the military leader Lee Song came to power, under which Korea again became known as Joseon. Beginning in the 16th century, the peninsula was repeatedly invaded by Japanese and Manchu troops, which led to the decline of the state. In 1910, the Korean Empire - the name the state received in 1897 - was annexed by Japan. Colonization continued until 1945

The last hostilities on the Korean Peninsula broke out in 1950. This time they were fought between North and South Korea. Three years later, both countries concluded a ceasefire agreement, and since then they have been separated by a demarcation zone, which is 4 km wide and 250 km long.

In the post-war era, South Korea experienced periods of military dictatorship, authoritarian and democratic rule. The modern period, called the Sixth Republic, began in 1987, when direct presidential elections were held in the country and restrictions on the activities of a number of parties were lifted. Despite the political crises, the country's economy has been growing rapidly since the 60s of the last century, and today South Korea, along with neighboring Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, is called the "economic tiger" that has made an incredible leap in development.

Religion and culture

The main religions in South Korea are traditional Buddhism and Christianity, which came here in the 18th century. Most Christians are Catholics and Protestants. One of the oldest religious movements on the Korean Peninsula - shamanism - today is represented mainly by ritual rites. Tourists can see such mystical performances during folklore festivals and folk holidays. However, the ancient cult is not forgotten by Koreans of all faiths: many of them turn to shamans for advice and help during the hours of life's trials.

More than half of the country's inhabitants are not adherents of any religion. However, the worldview of the Koreans, regardless of whether they are religious or not, is based on the traditions of Confucianism, widespread in East Asia, an ethical and philosophical doctrine developed in the 5th century BC. e. Chinese thinker Confucius. In the Republic of Korea, Confucian ethics is mainly manifested in the relationship between people. The norms of behavior in modern Korean society are based on the Five Rules of Relationships: between ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, old and young, and between friends.

At first glance, you may think that Koreans are somewhat distant and arrogant, but in fact they often simply do not notice people who are outside of this system. But as soon as you are introduced to a Korean, the rules of relationships with friends will apply to you, and his indifference will be replaced by sincere goodwill.

The culture of South Korea also preserves ancient traditions. Korean music, although very similar to Japanese and Chinese, has its own structure, melody, rhythm and harmony. Traditional Korean music is based on two traditional genres: jeonggak and minseogak. Chonggak is the so-called "intellectual music", which is characterized by a very slow tempo, the sound of one note lasts 3 seconds. Minsogak - music is fast, cheerful, full of drama. Improvisation in it, as in jazz, is quite a familiar technique.

The most famous Korean dances are mugo (an expressive pair dance in which participants accompany themselves on drums that hang around their necks), seungmu (dance of monks) and salpuri (spiritual cleansing dances). A separate genre of classical art is theatrical performances, during which masked artists dressed in bright costumes perform dances and play performances, their plots are based on folklore.

Music festivals and colorful performances take place in different regions of Korea all year round. Especially often they are held from May to September. This period successfully combines traditional Korean holidays associated with the agricultural calendar with the peak tourist season.

In the culture of South Korea, the art. Traditional painting is dominated by Chinese motifs and elements of calligraphy; the best sculptural works of Korean masters are those depicting the Buddha, and the influence of shamanism is manifested in fine examples of woodcarving.

Korean pop culture in recent times actively conquering the world. There are countless TV series and movies shot in Korea, which are very popular not only in Southeast Asia, but also in other countries where people from this region live.

tourism seasons

At any time of the year, the nature of South Korea is infinitely beautiful. Already in April, forsythia, azaleas, cherries bloom here in lush color, the weather is clear and warm, around +17 ° C in the daytime. This month is one of the best for excursions around the country. In May, educational trips can already be combined with a beach holiday: the sea temperature on the south coast at this time reaches +19 °C, and the air warms up to +22 °C.

Summer in Korea is warm, but capricious. The first half of June is usually sunny and dry, but then the rainy season begins, which lasts almost until the end of July. But in August, the heat sets in. At this time, the beaches and resorts of the country are especially crowded, because the Koreans themselves go on vacation this month. In summer, daytime air temperature ranges from +27 to +30 °C, sea water temperature from +24 to + 27 °C.

In September, summer does not give up its positions yet. It is usually clear this month, but the south coast of Korea is occasionally hit by typhoons. In October, the air temperature drops to +20 ° C, and the mountains gradually dress up in decoration of crimson and gold foliage. It is at this time that it is pleasant to go on a trip to national parks and mountainous areas.

In November, it gets significantly colder, and at the end of the month, the resorts of South Korea begin to receive winter sports enthusiasts. In the mountainous regions of the country in winter, the daily air temperature fluctuates around 0 °С, at night it is usually -10 ... -8 °С. It often snows here, and in 1-2 days the snow cover sometimes reaches 50-60 cm. In the north-west of Korea, in the flat area, it is several degrees warmer. In the south, winters are even milder. During the day it is +8...+10 °С, at night it is about 0 °С.

Cities and sights of South Korea

It is best to start acquaintance with the historical and architectural sights of Korea from the capital of the country, its main economic and cultural center - Seoul. The city is located on the banks of the Hangang River, in the area where in the 14th century there was a small settlement of Hanyang, which eventually became the capital city of the ancient state of Joseon. The Korean capital has been bearing its modern name since 1945.

The old district of the city is located on the right bank of the river, and it is here that most of the historical monuments are concentrated. First of all, it is worth visiting the five famous palaces of the era of the Joseon state: Gyeongbokgung Palace - the first of those built here (today the National Folk Museum and the Museum of Royal Relics are located here), Changdeokgung Palace, reputed to be the most beautiful palace in Seoul, as well as the equally beautiful Deoksukung Palaces, Gyeonghikun and Changyangkun.

Worthy of attention is the original city gate of Dongdaemun, an example of the architectural style of the late Joseon era and a recognizable symbol of the capital of the Republic of Korea.

On the right bank of the river there are also the royal temple-tomb of Chonme, the main Catholic temple of the country Myeongdong, the Korean house, which hosts traditional performances and dinners with tasting of national Korean dishes, the Namsan folklore village, the largest Buddhist temple in Seoul Chogyesa.

In the capital, it is worth looking into the Nyanjin market, wandering around the Amsadon archaeological park, located on the site where archaeologists discovered the site of primitive people. This area of ​​Seoul houses the Grand Park Seoul entertainment center, which houses one of the world's largest zoos, the Seoul Land amusement park, and shopping and entertainment complexes. A popular evening entertainment among tourists is a sightseeing ferry cruise on the Hangang River.

From Seoul, you can make an interesting journey to the demilitarized zone that separates South Korea from North. The tour includes a visit to the city of Panmunjom, where negotiations were held between representatives of the two warring states during the Korean War, and a ceasefire agreement was signed.

Geographically, Seoul is located in the center of Gyeonggi province, but administratively it is not included in it. The provincial capital is Suwon. From the main city of South Korea, you can get here very simply - by subway. The historical center of Suwon is under the protection of UNESCO. Here are the Hwaseong Fortress, built at the end of the 18th century by King Chenjo, and the royal garden. The dominant of the ancient stronghold is the Hwaseong Hengkun Palace. Since 1789, it served as a place where the reigning persons came to rest. Of the original buildings of the palace complex, only the Uhwagan pavilion has survived. Today, a colorful spectacle takes place near its walls - the changing of the guard, intended for tourists. In the fortress itself, tourists have the opportunity to feel like ancient warriors: they have the opportunity to shoot from a bow, light one of the 5 signal pipes installed on the stone fortress wall. In September, a magnificent historical festival is held here with a theatrical staging of the royal procession.

Not far from Suwon, there is a folklore village, a kind of open-air museum where local craftsmen present their products. Shows with national dances are periodically arranged here, national rituals are demonstrated. In the village, tourists can taste Korean cuisine, shop at a local souvenir shop.

Very close to Suwon is Everland amusement park. Here visitors can enjoy many attractions, a safari park, a water park, a racing track, and an art museum. You can spend more than one day in Everland, and those who decide to stay here can stay in guest houses specially equipped for tourists.

West of Seoul, on the coast of the Yellow Sea, is one of the largest port cities in Korea - Incheon. It is famous for its history. In 1904, in a neutral seaport Chemulpo, as the city was called in those days, among the ships from different states stood in the roadstead and the Russian cruiser "Varyag". In January, he was attacked by a dozen ships navy Japan. Russian sailors, not wanting to surrender to the enemy, decided to flood the ship. This episode served as one of the casus belli to start Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905. And in the middle of the last century, during the Korean War, an American landing was carried out in Inchon, which subsequently broke through the defenses of the North Korean army, which allowed the UN coalition forces to capture Seoul. This event was a turning point in the course of the war. You can get acquainted with the history of the city by visiting the City Museum and the Incheon Memorial Hall.

Incheon has Korea's largest airport, and the city's sea harbor is called the "Seoul Gate". In 2003, a free economic zone was created here.

Incheon is a metropolitan city that includes several islands. Among them is Ganghwa Island, rich in sights. On the island you can see ancient stone dolmens - Bronze Age burials, crowned with marvelous structures made of grandiose boulders.

In the Middle Ages, when the country was shaken by civil strife, unrest and military conflicts, Incheon became a refuge for the royal family and its retinue, becoming for a while the second capital of the state. Over the centuries, many defensive structures, monasteries, palaces were built here. One of the most famous monasteries is Chondynsa, founded in 327. From the 13th to the 14th century, within the walls of this temple, located on the slopes of Mount Jeongzhok, the monks kept the sacred Korean scripture Tripitaka Koreana, the oldest and most voluminous set of Buddhist canons. The sacred texts engraved on almost meter-long tablets were the second "edition" of the Tripitaka Korean, as the originals were lost during the invasion of the Mongols. Among the oldest sights of the monastery is a huge pavilion built in the 17th century, where you can see the original sculpture of a naked woman carved from wood, created by one of the masters who took part in the construction of the temple. The ancient Chinese bell of the 11th century also attracts attention.

In the southeast of Gyeonggi province is the city of Icheon. He was glorified by the masters of pottery, which has ancient traditions here. In the city, you can visit the exhibition pavilion, which presents original pottery products and the craft village, where local craftsmen exhibit their creations and demonstrate the stages of production.

In the northeast of the Republic of Korea, along the coast of the East Sea, the province of Gangwon-do is located, known for its magnificent mountain landscapes, beautiful national parks, winter resorts and a picturesque coastline with magnificent beaches.

Traveling in this region, visit the city of Sokcho. By the way, it is well known to Russian tourists arriving at its port by ferry from the Far Eastern city of Zarubino. Sokcho is an attractive modern city with beaches, shopping centers, fish markets, hotels, restaurants. Its main avenue stretches along the coastal strip from the Donmen Marine Passenger Terminal to the south. Near the port there is a noisy fish market, the original gazebo Yengkym-jong, where romantics like to meet the dawn, an old lighthouse with an observation deck and the picturesque lake Yongnan. A park is spread along the banks of the reservoir - a favorite vacation spot for citizens and tourists. At the southern end of the avenue there is another beautiful lake - Choncho. Seorak Sunrise Park is located in this area, and fish restaurants are located nearby.

From Sokcho, you can go to the Geumgangsan Mountains (Diamond Mountains). This area is located on the territory of North Korea, but, according to an agreement between the two countries, a special tourist zone has been set up here, which has the status of a special province. You can't go to Geumgangsan on your own, so if you want to enjoy the beauty of the area, join an organized tour group.

The peak of the mountain range is located at an altitude of 1638 m. The slopes of the Diamond Mountains, almost sheer to the sea, are cut by canyons, in which streams of water rushing along the rocky bottom form numerous cascades and waterfalls. The originality and charm of the Kumgangsan Mountains are emphasized by luxurious mixed forests of cedar pine, oak, hornbeam, maple, covering most of the mountains. In their central part there are ancient Buddhist temples, blue lakes, mineral springs.

To the south of Gangwon Province is the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do. In its northern part is the ancient city of Andong. During the existence of the state of Silla, it was called Chinhan and was known as a stronghold of Buddhism in the country. Many ancient monuments and Buddhist shrines have been preserved here. In Andong, it is worth visiting the Bongjeong Monastery, built at the end of the 7th century, the Museum of Soju, an ancient national alcoholic drink made from sweet potatoes, rice and wheat, the Hahoe Folk Village and the Confucian Dosansowon Academy.

In the southeast of the province is the city of Gyeongju, which was the capital of the state of Sila from the 4th to the 10th century. The city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among the many historical sights located here is the Cheomseongdae Observatory, built in 647. It is the oldest surviving observatory on the planet. Not far from the building is Tumuli Park, where the royal tombs are located, the oldest of which date back to the 3rd century AD. e.

There are seven sacred mountains in Gyeongju, the most famous of which is Namsan. Here the beauty of nature is harmoniously combined with man-made masterpieces. Inquisitive travelers will need more than one day to see Buddhist temples, pagodas, Buddha images carved in stone.

In the north of Gyeongju, near Lake Pomun, there is a resort area with hotels, golf courses, shopping centers, restaurants. In the vicinity of the city, there is the Bulguksa Monastery and the cave temple of Seokguram, built in the 8th century.

The city of Busan is located at the southeastern tip of Korea. It is the second largest city in the country. Busan has long been known as the shopping center of Korea. Today, its seaport is the main one in the country and ranks 4th in the world in terms of cargo turnover. One of the symbols of Busan is the grandiose Gwangan Suspension Bridge, which connects the two main districts of the city, stretching along both banks of the Suenman Bay. Its total length is almost seven and a half kilometers.

Busan is famous for its Jagalchi fish market. It is an endless galleries of stalls where you can buy splashed a couple of hours ago in sea ​​waters ah fish. There are also many cozy restaurants where you can taste the most delicious seafood dishes in Korea.

Not far from Busan there are two sacred places for Buddhists: Haeinsa and Thondosa monasteries. Founded in 802, Haeinsa Monastery houses more than 80,000 wooden tablets containing the sacred texts of the Tripitaka Korean, brought here from Jeongdeunsa Monastery. Every year the temple hosts the Tripitaka Koreana festival. Only on these days is it possible to examine the sacred scriptures in close proximity. The monastery of Thondosa, founded in 646, is known for the fact that the teachings of the Buddha have been passed on to the monks here for a long time. In the monastery, even today, Buddhists who are preparing to take the dignity are undergoing certification.

The main Buddhist temple of Korea - Songwangsa - is located in the province of South Jeolla, near the city of Suncheon. Founded in 1190, the monastery houses Buddhist relics: a huge wooden bowl for rice porridge, two giant junipers and a fine handmade temple bowl. There are many legends associated with these artifacts.

Summer rest

The sandy beaches of the Republic of Korea are known as some of the best in Southeast Asia. The disadvantage of the beach season is that it is not too long: most beaches open in late June - early July, at the time when the rainy season ends, and close in late August - early September. However, no one will forbid you to sunbathe and swim, just after the closing of the holiday season, rescue services, showers, toilets no longer work on the beaches, and there is no way to rent umbrellas and sun loungers.

The coastline and seascapes of the western, eastern and southern coasts of Korea are different, but each of the coasts is beautiful in its own way and has its own fans. Popular resort areas are also located on several islands located near the mainland coast.

It is worth noting that in South Korea there is no concept of "the hotel's own beach." All beach areas here are municipal. In addition, due to the continuous hilliness, only a few dozen hotels are located directly on the coast. Entrance to all beaches is free, and each has the same rates for renting beach equipment. Renting a table with an umbrella, sun lounger and four chairs will cost you about $40. You can rent just one umbrella for $ 15, but if you don’t need all this, you can safely sit directly on the sand.

One of the most famous resort cities in the Republic of Korea is Gangneung. It is located in the east of the country, on the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan. There are two popular beaches here - Chumunjin and Chengdongjin. Chumunjin is a fairly quiet place, mostly couples with children rest here: the entrance to the water is gentle, and the sand is fine and very soft. On Chengdongjin Beach, the crowd is more motley and noisy. Directly in the beach area is one of the local railway stations, which got into the Guinness Book of Records due to its location. There are several beautiful parks near the beach.

In the city of Gangneung there is another wonderful well-maintained beach. It is located on the shores of Lake Kenpo, where, by the way, there is excellent fishing.

Beautiful beaches are located on the south coast of Korea - in Busan and its environs. The most popular of them are Haeundae and Gwanally.

In the west of Korea, on the coast of the Yellow Sea, not only tourists like to relax, but also capital residents, because it is very easy to get here from Seoul. The most popular beaches on the west coast are Eurvanni and Daechon. Muchangpo Beach, famous all over the country, is located 8 km from Taecheon Beach. It stretches for almost one and a half kilometers along the sea coast, bordered by pine forests, and is known for its "Moses Road". Once a month, at low tide, a sandy bottom is exposed in the coastal waters, forming a kind of path to the uninhabited island of Seoktaedo located off the coast.

Despite all the attractiveness of the resort areas of the mainland of Korea, they are inferior in their popularity to Jeju Island, located in the Korea Strait, in the south of the country. The island, which is a popular center of tourism, is famous for its volcanic landscapes, luxurious nature, incredibly beautiful broken coastline, luxurious hotels and restaurants. Local beaches with snow-white, like flour, or, on the contrary, asphalt-black volcanic sand, are perfectly equipped and ready to receive tourists from July to the end of September.

Jeju Island is also known for its peculiar tradition of catching marine life. Here, this has long been done by women who can dive to a depth of 10 meters! For another half century, the “army” of divers-hunters numbered about 30,000 of the fair sex. To date, only a few thousand sea hunters are engaged in this trade. Their average age is 60 years old, some have already exceeded 80. In Korea, they are called "hene", that is, "women of the sea." Such an amazing custom has been included in UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.

In Jeju, the main city of the island, where the airport is located, tourists usually do not stay long, and head to the coast. The most popular among the guests of the island is its southern part. The center of this region is the city of Seogwipo, located in a picturesque area surrounded by tangerine plantations. In its southeastern part there is Chonbang - the only waterfall in Asia that drops its waters directly into the depths of the sea.

Seogwipo is home to the main diving centers of the island. From here, organized groups of divers go to small islands located off the southern coast of Jeju. The maximum diving depth in the local water area is 40 meters.

You can go fishing from Seogwipo Port on a rented boat. The main prey here is tuna and sea bass.

To the west of Seogwipo lies the largest resort in South Korea - Chungmun. Not far from its snow-white beaches there are places of interest for the guests of the island: Pacific Land Park, Yemizhi Nursery, where about 4,000 species of trees and flowers are grown, Chongzheyen waterfall. In the western part of the Chungmun resort, you can admire a fantastic landscape - here rocks of volcanic origin rise up from the coastal sea waters, creating a kind of natural fortress, as if protecting the island coast. It is pleasant to meet and see off the sun in this romantic corner.

The most famous beach in the eastern part of Jeju is Pioseon. This place, which is a shallow lagoon, is a great place to relax with children. To the north extends another popular beach among tourists - Kimnen. Not far from it is one of the main natural attractions of the Republic of Korea - Manchzhangul Cave, formed by lava flows. Its tunnels stretch for thirteen and a half kilometers, and it is the largest lava cave on the planet.

Winter holidays

In South Korea, skiing and snowboarding have long been national sports. Korean ski resorts are well equipped, and most of them are not inferior in their level to European ones. In the mountainous regions of the country, there are trails of various levels of difficulty, many of which are illuminated around the clock. The resorts have chair lifts and snow cannons. Everywhere there are centers where experienced instructors give lessons to beginners. By the way, the infrastructure of most resorts is designed to receive guests at any time of the year: golf courses, amusement parks, bowling alleys, indoor and outdoor pools are equipped on their territories.

Most of the ski centers in Korea are located in the province of Gangwon-do. Here is also the most famous resort of Korea - Enpyeong. At the service of athletes - 31 ski slopes with different levels difficulty, 15 lifts. For snowboarders, there is a half-pipe. The Alps resort is also popular among skiers, where the snow cover lasts until mid-April.

Those who have just started to master winter sports should pay attention to the Taemyun Vivaldi Park resort. There are no risky sections on the ski slopes laid here.

The most respectable resort in Korea, Phoenix Park, is also located in the province of Gangwon-do. Here the ski slopes are designed for both experienced athletes and beginners. On the territory of the resort complex there are hotels, villas, small motels, as well as a skating rink, a swimming pool, a sauna, bowling and billiards halls, restaurants, a night club.

Thermal spas

On the territory of the Republic of Korea there are about 70 thermal springs with healing mineral water. Resorts and spa centers have been created on their basis. Several famous resorts are located in the mountainous province of Gangwon-do, between the city of Sokcho and Seoraksan National Park. Among the most popular health resorts in these places is Khanva Sorak. There are hotels, open-air pools, baths, baths, a water entertainment center with attractions. Local mineral waters, having a sodium-calcium-magnesium composition, are effective in the treatment of arthritis, neuralgic and skin diseases.

Nearby is another popular thermal resort, Cheoksan, where treatment is carried out on the basis of mineral waters of a similar composition.

In the province of Gyeonggi, springs are concentrated in the vicinity of the city of Icheon. Around them are thermal complexes with baths, saunas, swimming pools and water parks with attractions. Healing water is also connected to many local hotels that offer their guests spa and wellness services.

Thermal spas are also found in the province of South Jeolla and on the slopes of the mountains near Busan.

National parks and reserves

The most outstanding natural attractions of South Korea are united in specially protected areas. Almost every national park or reserve in the country has its own "highlights" - ancient monasteries, which even more attracts tourists to such places.

One of the most famous national parks in Korea - Seoraksan and Odaesan, located on the densely forested mountain ranges of Gangwon Province. Seoraksan Park has hotels and campsites, so you can stay here for a few days. At the entrance to the park, the cable car begins, which leads to the Kwong Geum mountain peak (700 m). Climbing to it is an indispensable ritual for all travelers who want to admire magnificent panoramas from a bird's eye view. There are hiking trails throughout the park. Traveling along them, you can get to the famous Biren and Tovanson waterfalls, ancient monastery Sinheungsa, temples of Anyang, Newon. Visit Gejo Shrine - this temple is located in a cave.

Odaesan Park is located northwest of the resort town of Gangneung and is a mountain forest with lakes and waterfalls. It is interesting to visit the botanical garden in the park, which is divided into several thematic zones. Here you can see indoor pavilions with indoor plants, an extensive ecological garden where wild plants grow, a herb garden with mountain flowers and herbs. There are 9 Buddhist temples built in the era of the Silla state in the park.

In the vicinity of the city of Busan, at the mouth of the Nakdong River, there is an extensive migratory bird sanctuary. There are sand dunes in its coastal part, and small picturesque islands in the river delta. In spring and autumn, you can watch migratory waterfowl - snipes, ducks, swans. About 150 species of birds come here. Tourists travel through the park on special boats.

In the south of Korea is the largest on the mainland of the country mountain park Chirisan. A dozen mountain peaks rise above its territory, creating landscapes of incredible beauty.

Another famous national park, Hallasan, is located in the center of Jeju Island. It was created in 1970 to protect the ecosystem of the slopes of the extinct Hallasan volcano. Its crater is the most high point Republic of Korea (1950 m). The last volcanic eruption occurred in the 11th century. A reminder of its activity is a lot of tunnels, pillars and other bizarre formations formed by solidified basalt lava. The natural attractions of the park are included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List.

About 2,000 species of plants grow on the territory of the reserve and many species of animals live. Hiking trails of various types of difficulty are laid here, but there are no places for overnight stays in the park.

Korean cuisine

The modern cuisine of South Korea is a kind of symbiosis of the gastronomic traditions of Korea itself, Japan, China and Europe. Japanese restaurants are considered the most prestigious and, accordingly, expensive here. In simpler establishments with Chinese cuisine "yeri", gourmet food is a little cheaper, but the portions are significantly larger. In Chinese restaurants "siksa", where everyday food is on the menu, prices are quite economical. The most democratic restaurants are those that serve Korean food. But restaurants with European cuisine in Korea are considered exotic.

A three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant typically costs $20-$25 for two.

The main dish of the Korean meal is rice. It is served with a variety of accompaniments, depending on the region and season. Other traditional dishes include kimchi (spicy sauerkraut or radish); khwee (a dish based on raw fish: miniature fish pieces are dipped in vinegar, peppered, salted, garlic, chopped carrots or radishes are added, and after 20 minutes they are treated to guests); kuksu (homemade noodles made from unleavened dough, served with meat or chicken broth). A popular Korean dish is bulgogi, which are slices of beef cooked in a special brazier, which is located right on the table. Pieces of meat are pre-marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, young onions and other seasonings, among which there is certainly hot red pepper.

A Korean meal is not complete without first courses, which are usually generously seasoned with spices and spices. Separate cups for soup and rice are placed on the table in front of each guest, and all other dishes (fish, meat, seafood) are placed in the middle of the table, from where everyone takes the desired portion of food for himself. During the meal, Koreans use spoons and special chopsticks. For dessert, it is customary to serve apples, pears, peaches, persimmons, and dates.

Where to stay

In South Korea, hotels are classified into five categories. Deluxe and super deluxe are prestigious hotels with luxurious rooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Their infrastructure includes cafes, restaurants, conference rooms, fitness centers, spas, shops. This is followed by first-class hotels (in terms of service they correspond to European 3 * plus hotels), second and third class - 3 * and 2 * plus, respectively.

The highest prices for accommodation are in Seoul. A room in a hotel of the highest category will cost an average of $ 200-250, in a first-class hotel (3 * plus) - $ 90-100 per day.

Those who wish to get acquainted with the culture of the country can stay in traditional guest houses, which are called "hanok" here. The interiors of these dwellings are made in the style of old Korean houses. This type of accommodation is popular in historical cities. In South Korea, there are also traditional boarding houses - minbak. This is a kind of family hotels, where it is convenient to stay with children.

There are many roadside and suburban motels in the country. As a rule, they are well equipped, many have cable TV, high-speed Wi-Fi, jacuzzi or sauna.

Tourists who want to save money should pay attention to the so-called "egvans" - city hotels with small, but cozy and clean rooms with air conditioning, TV, telephone, shower and toilet. There may not be a bed in the room, as in this type of hotel, as a rule, local residents stay, many of whom adhere to the tradition of sleeping on the floor. Daily accommodation here costs $22-27.

In South Korea, tourists get a rare chance to live in a Buddhist monastery, although not every temple provides such an opportunity.

shopping

The best places for shopping in Korea are the capital of the country and large cities, where a huge number of shopping centers, supermarkets, boutiques, and markets are located. In Seoul and Busan, it is convenient to make purchases in duty-free shops - you will recognize them by the “tax free shopping” signs. Keep your receipt and 10% VAT will be refunded to you at the airport.

Tourists often buy electronics in local stores, but do not buy mobile phones - they are not compatible with Russian standards.

As souvenirs from South Korea, travelers traditionally bring trinkets inlaid with mother-of-pearl, porcelain, and ceramics. Here you can also buy good leather goods. And, of course, do not forget to purchase healing ginseng products. In the country that is the leader in the cultivation of this magical plant, you can buy ginseng tinctures, tea, and many cosmetics based on it.

In Korea, there is no clear distinction between store opening hours. Most of them open at 9:00 and close after 19:00, but many shops in popular tourist areas can stay open until midnight. Some cafes and markets are open around the clock.

Transport

South Korea is a small country, you can cross it in just 4-5 hours. However, the transport infrastructure is located here on high level. Here is developed railway transport, and there are several types of trains: express trains, bullet trains and simple trains, and even a leisurely tourist train-hotel with a cozy restaurant, comfortable rooms and an observation deck.

The provinces are also connected by regular bus service. Even ordinary buses are equipped with an air conditioning system, and in de-luxe transport, each seat is equipped with a telephone and a TV screen.

Passenger ships and ferries run between coastal cities.

Seoul, Daegu, Busan and Incheon all have subways. All taxis in Korea are equipped with electronic navigators, terminals for paying with bank cards and digital simultaneous translators - there will be no problems with communication.

You can rent a car in Korea if you are over 21 years old and have at least a year of driving experience. Please note that in Seoul and other major cities, traffic jams are quite common, and parking is quite difficult to find.

Practical Information

Russian citizens can stay in South Korea for 60 days without a visa in their passport.

The official currency of the country is won. International name - KRW.

It is more convenient to change money in banks and specialized exchange points. In hotels in Korea, the exchange is not profitable. US dollars are readily accepted in most small shops and markets, foreign currency can also be paid in Tax free shopping stores. Major malls and museums only accept won.

Korean banks serve customers on weekdays from 9:30 to 16:30, on Saturday - until 13:30. On Sunday they are closed. You can use the ATM from 9:30 to 22:00.

How to get there

Most often, tourists from Russia arrive by plane in Seoul, and from there they go to resorts or other cities in Korea. There are direct regular flights from Moscow and Vladivostok, seasonal ones from St. Petersburg, Irkutsk.

From the Primorsky Territory of Russia to South Korea can be reached by ferry. For example, a ferry departs from Vladivostok once a week. Travel time - 20 hours. The cost of a one-way ticket is from $180.

Airfare low price calendar

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