Namwon

Namwon (Namwon-si) is a ceety in North Jeolla Province, Republic o Korea.  Namwon is aboot 45 minutes frae the provincial caipital o Jeonju, which is three oors away frae Seoul.

The offeecial ceety flouer is Ryal Azalea (철쭉) while the ceety tree is the crape-myrtle (배롱나무) an the ceety bird is the swallow (제비).

Namwon is a sma ceety locatit juist ootside o Jirisan Naitional Pairk, which hae the lairgest muntains in the Republic o Korea Mainland. It is 3 an a hauf oors frae the Seoul Central City Bus Terminal an aboot ane oor frae baith the U-Square Bus Terminal in Gwangju an the Jeonju Inter City Bus Terminal.  It is cried "the Ceety o Love" acause o the famous Korean luve story o Chunhyang. Gwanghallu Garden is a shrine tae this luve story.

 History 
Namwon wis foondit in 685 during the reign of Keeng Sinmun of Silla Kinrick. Namwon coonty wis foondit on Apryle 1, 1895.

The ceety suffered during the Siege of Namwon in 1597 which wis pairt o the Imjin War. During the siege that lasted frae August 13 tae August 16 the anly defenders against the Japanese airmy of 56,000 men war 3300 Korean an Cheenese soldiers an 6000 weemen an childer. In the end the Japanese foond a wey tae enter the ceety an killed aw the soldiers an civilians.

 Geography 
Namwon is locatit in a basin bordered bi the Sobaek Mountains tae the east an the Buheung Moontain Ridges tae the wast wi the Yocheon River flowing throu the ceety. Namwon is bordered bi the counties of Imsil an Sunchang tae the wast, Jangsu tae the north, Hamyang an Hadong in Gyeongsangnam-do tae the east, an Gurye an Gokseong in Jeollanam-do tae the sooth.
300px|center|thumb|Namwon.

 Climate 
The average yearly temperatur o Namwon is 12.3℃ wi the average temperatur in Januar bein -1.4℃ an 25.2℃ in August. Due tae its location in a muntainous basin wi a heich rate o precipitation, the climate o Namwon varies greatly. Winds in Namwon are uisually waik an blow north tae wast in the winter an sooth tae wast in the simmer.  Housomeivver, temperaturs can whiles (briefly) drop belaw -10℃ in Januar.  Temperaturs in Julie can aften reach 33℃.  Temperatures in ware (Aprile an Mey) an hairst (September an October) are eften in the mid 20's℃ an wi law humidity.
300px|center|thumb|Namwon in Winter.

 Cultur 
 Chunhyang festival 
250px|right|thumb|Chunhyang Festival
The annual fower-day Chunhyang festival commemorates a legendary luve story an folktale, Chunhyangga. This festival is said tae be the auldest in Korea.

Accordin tae the legend, Chunhyang wis a maiden who wis taken advantage o bi an immoral local govrenor who forced her tae mairy him while the young man she really loved wis away on govrenment affairs. When the young man returned he disguised hissel as a common fowk an saw for hissel the myriad o injuistices that the local govrenor haed perpetratit; uisin his authority tae kill him, things are set straucht an the maiden is set free, givin the tale a happy endin.

The main brdg that crosses the river that runs throu the middle o the ceety is lit up, an alang the river bank thare are vendors sellin fuid an items o aw kynds. The Chunhyang beauty contest can be entered bi the maist bonnie female residents, in traditional dress. Anither event is the Chunhyang parade which runs throu cordoned sections o the ceety alang the river bank, an which comprises juist aboot the entire complement o the ceety's mid-grade schuilgirls (numberin probably in the law hunders) who are dressed in full chogori an cairy muisical instruments o some type, an who mairch in a vera lang line. Thare are an aa ither parades o men an onyane else who is no a young girl mey dress up in traditional dress an jyne the procession. The festival lasts fower days an firewirks are launched ivery nicht.

For the rest o the year when the festival is no on, thare is a sma theme pairk dedicatit tae Chunhyang (Namwon Tourist Complex) complete wi hypothetical dwellins an surroondins that someane lik Chunhyang wad hae haed (a mock hoose an yard). Thare are ither sichts in the pairk unrelatit tae Chunhyang sic as a fish pond whaur visitors are free tae feed the fish an some auld-fashioned swings an horseshoe-style throwin gemmes. Ootside the pairk, alang the river bank, thare are an aa mini paddle boats that fowk can rent tae traverse the sma river.

 Sichts 
 Mangbok Temple Steid, constructit atween 1046 an 1083 durin the rule o Keeng Munjong o Goryeo
 Silsangsa Temple, a Buddhist temple
 Gwanghallu Garden, a traditional gairden that seembolizes the universe (commonly attributit tae the Chunhyang story)
 Cheongheobu Gate, the main entrance tae Gwanghallu Garden
 Wanwoljeong Pavilion
 Chunhyang Shrine, biggit in the memory o Chunhyang
 Wolmaejib House
 Chunhyanggwan Hall

 Sister ceeties 
 Lompoc, Unitit States
 Seocho, Republic o Korea
 Yancheng, Cheenae (syne Juin 13, 1998)

References

 See an aa 
 Leet o ceeties in the Republic o Korea
 Geography o the Republic o Korea

Category:Ceeties in Jeollabuk-do