Yangdong Folk Village Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Yangdong Village
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Yangdong Village
Location	Gangdong-myeon, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea
Part of	Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong
Inscription	2010 (34th Session)
Area	91.6 ha (226 acres)
Buffer zone	237.4 ha (587 acres)

Korean name
Hangul	경주양동민속마을
Hanja	慶州良洞民俗마을
Revised Romanization	Gyeongju Yangdong Minsok Maeul
McCune–Reischauer	Kyŏngju Yangdong Minsok Maŭl

A view at the entrance of the village

A man in hanbok, traditional Korean costume weaving a basket in Yangdong village

Yangdong Folk Village (Hangul: 경주양동민속마을), also known as Yangdong Village of Gyeongju, is a very old and special village in South Korea. It was home to the yangban, who were the upper-class people during the Joseon dynasty. The village is located in Gangdong-myeon, about sixteen kilometers northeast of Gyeongju. It sits along the Hyeongsan River, with Mt. Seolchang to its north.

Yangdong Village is super important because it is very well-preserved. It has many cultural treasures and keeps old traditions alive. The village also shows how the yangban lived and followed Neo-Confucianism. In 2010, the South Korean government and UNESCO listed Yangdong Village as a World Heritage Site, along with Hahoe Folk Village.

Exploring Yangdong Village's History
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Exploring Yangdong Village's History

Yangdong Village was started by a person named Son So (1433–1484). His family, the Wolseong Son clan, chose a lucky spot for their home. This was based on Korean pungsu (which is like geomancy, a way of finding good places). Son So's daughter married Yi Beon from the Yeogang Yi family. Their son, Yi Unjeok, became one of Korea's eighteen wise people. Yangdong Village has been a living village since the 1400s!

Homes and Buildings in Yangdong

Even though some parts of the village are not lived in today, it still has over 160 homes. These homes have either tile roofs or thatched roofs and are built among thick forests. More than fifty historic homes, which are over 200 years old, are still standing. The village keeps old customs and traditional buildings from the Joseon dynasty.

Some important homes and buildings include:

Seobaekodang: This was the main house for the Wolseong Son Family.
Mucheomdang: This was the main house for the Yeogang Yi family.
Hyangdan: This building is so important it's called National Treasure No. 412.
Other notable places are Ihayangjeon and Simsujeong pavilions, and the Ganghakdang village school. Gwangajeong and Sonsoyeongjeong are also special.
A very old book, Tonggamsokpyeon, printed with movable metal type, is also in the village. It is National Treasure No. 283.

Important Cultural Items

Yangdong Village is home to many important cultural items. These include old houses and other historical objects. They help us understand life in the past.

Some of these special items are:

Seobaekdang (Important Folk Material No. 23)
Nakseondang
Sahodang
Sangchunheon
Geunam Manor
Dugok Manor
Sujoldang
Ihyangjeong
Suunjeong
Simsujeong
Allakjeong
Ganghakdang

Other cultural treasures include:

Jeokgae Gongsin Nonsang Rokgwan (Tangible Cultural Property No. 13)
Sonso's Will (Tangible Cultural Property No. 14)
A special Pine Tree in Yangdong
Daeseongheon
Son Jong-ro Jeongchungbigak (Cultural Asset Material No. 261)
Gyeongsan Seodang (Folk Cultural Asset Material)
Dugok Yeongdang (Folk Cultural Asset Material)

Village Layout and Social Life

The village is built to follow the shape of the mountains and valleys. It looks like a lucky Hanja character. This special arrangement has been kept safe for hundreds of years. The homes of the Wolseong Son and Yeogang Yi families, and their relatives, are on the higher parts of the mountains and valleys. The homes of the lower-class people, which had thatched roofs, were built on lower ground. This shows how society was very structured during the Joseon dynasty.

Did you know that Prince Charles visited Yangdong Village in 1993?