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Miryang (perhaps pronounced as Milbeol using
Idu script Idu (이두, hanja : , meaning ''official's reading'') is an archaic writing system that represents the Korean language using hanja. The script, which was developed by Buddhist monks, made it possible to record Korean words through its equiva ...
), formerly also spelled as 推火郡 (probably pronounced as Milbeol or Miribeol using
Idu script Idu (이두, hanja : , meaning ''official's reading'') is an archaic writing system that represents the Korean language using hanja. The script, which was developed by Buddhist monks, made it possible to record Korean words through its equiva ...
), Milbeol (密伐) and Milseong (密城), is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
Gyeongsangnam-do South Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상남도, translit=Gyeongsangnam-do, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World H ...
Province,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. Its name is originated from the tribal country named Miri midong guk (彌離彌凍國). There are various hypotheses as to the meaning of Miryang, such as
Milky Way The Milky Way is the galaxy that includes our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye ...
,
Galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...
,
dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
's field,
The Wheat Field ''The Wheat Field'' is a series of oil paintings executed by Vincent van Gogh in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. All of them depict the view Van Gogh had from the window of his bedroom on the top floor of the asylum: a field enclosed by stone walls j ...
and the watery field. Neighboring cities include
Changnyeong Changnyeong County (''Changnyeong-gun'' 창녕군) is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. In the early Three Kingdoms period, Changnyeong was the seat of Bihwa Gaya, a member of the Gaya confederacy which was later conquered by ...
to the west,
Cheongdo Cheongdo County (''Cheongdo-gun'') is a county in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is connected to the national transportation grid by the Gyeongbu Line railroad and the Daegu-Busan Expressway. The seat of government is located in the ...
to the north,
Ulsan Ulsan (), officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City is South Korea's seventh-largest metropolitan city and the eighth-largest city overall, with a population of over 1.1 million inhabitants. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring ...
to the east, and
Yangsan Yangsan () is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. It borders Ulsan to the northeast, Gijang-gun and Geumjeong-gu in Busan to the southeast, Gimhae to the southwest, and Miryang to the northwest. City Hall is located in Nambu-dong, ...
,
Gimhae Gimhae () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim clans in Korea. The Gimhae Kims claim descent from the ancient royal house of Geumgwan Gaya, which was based in Gim ...
, and
Changwon Changwon () is the capital city of Gyeongsangnam-do, on the southeast coast of South Korea. With a population of 1.07 million , Changwon is South Korea's ninth-most populous city. A port city, Changwon is bordered by Masan Bay to the south ...
to the south. The city bird is the
Korean magpie The Oriental magpie (''Pica serica'') is a species of magpie found from south-eastern Russia and Myanmar to eastern China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and northern Indochina. It is also a common symbol of the Korean identity, and has been adopted as t ...
, the city tree is the
pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
, and the city flower is the
royal azalea ''Rhododendron schlippenbachii'', the royal azalea, is a species of '' Rhododendron'' native to the Korean Peninsula and adjacent regions of Manchuria ( Liaoning, Nei Mongol), Japan, and the Russian Far East. It is the dominant understory shrub ...
. The recorded history of Miryang begins in the
Samhan Samhan, or Three Han, is the collective name of the Byeonhan, Jinhan, and Mahan confederacies that emerged in the first century BC during the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea, or Samhan, period. Located in the central and southern regions of t ...
period, when it was known as
Mirimidongguk The Chiefdom of Mirimidong was one of the 12 tribes or polities making up the Byeonhan confederation. It is mentioned in the Chinese text '' Records of the Three Kingdoms'', and is generally believed to have been located near the modern-day cit ...
. Due to its strategic location near the
Nakdong River The Nakdonggang River or Nakdonggang () is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan. It takes its name from its role as the eastern border of the Gaya confederacy during Korea's Three Kingdoms Er ...
, Miryang played an important role from the
Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
period forward. It served as an important station on the
Great Yeongnam Road The Great Yeongnam Road, or Yeongnamdaero, was one of the principal roads of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty, 1392-1910. It ran between Hanseong (modern-day Seoul) and Dongnae (in modern-day Busan). More generally, it served to connect the Gye ...
during the later
Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
, and in the 20th century it became a station on the
Gyeongbu Line The Gyeongbu Line (''Gyeongbuseon'') is a railway line in South Korea and is considered to be the most important and one of the oldest ones in the country. It was constructed in 1905, connecting Seoul with Busan via Suwon, Daejeon, and Daegu. ...
railroad that connects
Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
to
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
. Miryang remains a key stop along that line, and is now the only city between Busan and
Daegu Daegu (, , literally 'large hill', 대구광역시), formerly spelled Taegu and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea. It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; it is ...
served by
KTX Korea Train eXpress (), often known as KTX (), is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. KTX services were launched on April 1, 2004. From Seoul Station the ...
express trains. Miryang is known around Korea for the Miryang ''
arirang "Arirang" (; ) is a Korean folk song. There are about 3,600 variations of 60 different versions of the song, all of which include a refrain similar to "''Arirang, arirang, arariyo'' ()". It is estimated the song is more than 600 years old. ...
'' and for the view from the Yeongnamnu pavilion, subject of numerous poems from the
Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
. Other noted landmarks include Eoreumgol and the temple of Pyochungsa. Famous people from Miryang include 15th-century
Neo-Confucian Neo-Confucianism (, often shortened to ''lǐxué'' 理學, literally "School of Principle") is a moral, ethical, and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, and originated with Han Yu (768–824) and Li Ao (772–841) in th ...
scholar Kim Jong-jik and 16th-century warrior-monk
Songun Yu Jeong Samyeongdang (1544–1610), also known by his dharma name Yujeong, was a bhikkhu, Korean Buddhist monk during the Joseon era. He is sometimes identified by his pen name, Song-un. He was born to a family of the Im (Korean surname), Im clan in M ...
. The city government works actively to maintain the memory of these figures, and of other local cultural features such as the tale of
Arang Arang, also known as "''The town of temples''" of Chhattisgarh, is a block and a Nagar Palika in Raipur District in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. It is situated near the eastern limits of Raipur City and close to Mahasamund City. Arang is ...
.


History

During the
Samhan Samhan, or Three Han, is the collective name of the Byeonhan, Jinhan, and Mahan confederacies that emerged in the first century BC during the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea, or Samhan, period. Located in the central and southern regions of t ...
, Miryang may have been part of the territory of
Mirimidongguk The Chiefdom of Mirimidong was one of the 12 tribes or polities making up the Byeonhan confederation. It is mentioned in the Chinese text '' Records of the Three Kingdoms'', and is generally believed to have been located near the modern-day cit ...
, one of the Byeonhan tribes mentioned in the ''
San guo zhi The ''Records or History of the Three Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese name as the Sanguo Zhi, is a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220 AD) and the Three Kingdoms period (220 ...
''. Thereafter, it is believed to have been ruled by
Geumgwan Gaya Geumgwan Gaya (43–532), also known as Bon-Gaya (본가야, 本伽倻, "original Gaya") or Garakguk (가락국, "Garak State"), was the ruling city-state of the Gaya confederacy during the Three Kingdoms of Korea, Three Kingdoms Period in Korea. ...
before being annexed by
Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
. The ''
Samguk Sagi ''Samguk Sagi'' (, ''History of the Three Kingdoms'') is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The ''Samguk Sagi'' is written in Classical Chinese, the written language of the literati of ancient Korea, ...
'' records Mirimidongguk as being annexed by
Jijeung of Silla Jijeung of Silla (437–514) (r. 500–514) was the List of monarchs of Korea, 22nd ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He is remembered for strengthening royal authority and building Silla into a centralized kingdom. Like many Silla kings, ...
in 505. In this period it was known as Chuhwa-gun (). Under the general reformation of names carried out by
King Gyeongdeok Gyeongdeok of Silla (景德王; 742–765) was the 35th ruler of Silla and son of Seongdeok of Silla, King Seongdeok (reigned 702–737). He succeeded his elder brother, King Hyoseong, the 34th ruler of Silla. His reign is considered a golden age ...
in the 8th century, the name was changed to "Milseong-gun" (). In the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
period (935–1392), Miryang was elevated to the status of a ''ju'', Mil-ju, by King Seongjong. In 1194, Miryang was the site of a massive battle between royal forces and a massive rebel army led by Kim Sami of Cheongdo and Hyosim of Ulsan. More than 7,000 rebels were slain. Under King Chungnyeol in the late 13th century, local residents led by Jo Cheon rose up against the government; in retaliation, Mil-ju was demoted to a tributary village of
Gyeongju Gyeongju ( ko, 경주, ), historically known as ''Seorabeol'' ( ko, 서라벌, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, ...
(then Gyerim). Later it became a '' hyeon''. Under King Gongyang, it was raised to the status of a ''bu''. With the dawn of the
Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
period (1392–1910), Miryang first became known by its modern name. Initially demoted from ''bu'' to ''gun'' (county) by King Taejo, it was then raised back to ''bu'' and its name changed from "Milseong" to "Miryang." Under Taejo's son
King Taejong Taejong of Joseon (13 June 1367 – 8 June 1422), personal name Yi Bang-won ( Korean: 이방원; Hanja: 李芳遠), was the third ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. Before ascending to the throne, he ...
, it was once again demoted to ''gun''. Later it became a ''dohobu'', or military protectorate, and in 1895 it became a ''gun'' once again; it was to carry this status until late in the 20th century. Under Japanese rule, Miryang was the site of various clashes between the
Korean independence movement The Korean independence movement was a military and diplomatic campaign to achieve the independence of Korea from Japan. After the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, Korea's domestic resistance peaked in the March 1st Movement of 1919, which ...
and the occupation forces. During the
March First Movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement (Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一 運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilation ...
of 1919, approximately 13,500 Miryang residents took part in peaceful demonstrations in support of Korean independence. This led to the " Miryang massacre," in which 150 Korean civilians were shot by occupation troops. In November 1920, independence fighter Choe Su-bong built and detonated two bombs at the Miryang police station, destroying the structure. He attempted to kill himself but was unsuccessful; later he was put to death and his accomplices were imprisoned. In 1989 the city center was separated from the rest of Miryang and named "Miryang-si" (Miryang City). In 1995 the city center was reunited with the hinterland and the entire region became known as Miryang-si. Both of these were part of general reorganizations of South Korean local government. Miryang gained national attention as the location of a notorious gang rape incident in 2004. At least 41 male high school students raped a middle school girl, while assaulting her younger sister and cousin, over the course of 11 months. Despite this atrocity, many Miryang residents blamed the victims for "seducing" the boys, and even the Miryang police officers prevented a thorough investigation, telling the victims that "Miryang is our hometown, and you ruined our city's reputation." All offenders were released with light punishments, which include in-class suspension and community service. None of the boys had to register as sex offenders. The rapists are presumed to be leading normal lives, while the victims have attempted to commit suicide numerous times.


Geography and climate

Miryang's geography is heavily influenced by the two rivers which flow through it, the Miryang and
Nakdong The Nakdonggang River or Nakdonggang () is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan. It takes its name from its role as the eastern border of the Gaya confederacy during Korea's Three Kingdoms Er ...
Rivers. All of Miryang lies within the Nakdong basin, and the Nakdong River itself runs along Miryang's southern border. The city's topography generally slopes from the high peaks of the
Yeongnam Alps The Yeongnam Alps are a outlying range of the Taebaek Mountains. They consist of a group of relatively tall mountains in the Yeongnam region of southeastern South Korea. They are much shorter than the European Alps, only slightly over 1000 m. T ...
in the northeast to the Nakdong valley in the southwest. Much of the city is drained by the
Miryang River The Miryang River is a tributary of the Nakdong River which flows through Miryang City. It rises in Ulsan metropolitan city, on the slopes of Gohyeonsan, and flows for 101.5 kilometers before joining the Nakdong in Miryang's Samnangjin-eup. Its ...
, which rises in western
Ulsan Ulsan (), officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City is South Korea's seventh-largest metropolitan city and the eighth-largest city overall, with a population of over 1.1 million inhabitants. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring ...
and flows through the city center to join the Nakdong at
Samnangjin Samnangjin (also spelled Samrangjin) or Samnangjin-eup, is an ''eup'', or town, in Miryang City, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is composed of thirteen ''ri''. Samnangjin lies in the southeastern corner of Miryang, bordering Wondong-myeon ...
. Portions are drained by other Nakdong tributaries, including the Naejincheon. The Miryang River valley south of the city center broadens into a fertile plain. This area, including large portions of Samnangjin-eup, Sangnam-myeon, and Hanam-eup, serves as a local breadbasket and is almost entirely devoted to rice-farming. In Hanam-eup, it joins another plain running along the Nakdong. As elsewhere in the
Yeongnam Yeongnam (Hangul: 영남, ; literally "south of the passes") is a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province in what is now South Korea. The region includes the modern-day provinces of North and South Gyeongsang and the self-go ...
region, the landscape is very lumpy, with many craggy hills and low mountains. The highest mountain in Miryang is Gajisan (), which stands on the northern border. Other high peaks along the border include Hwaaksan and Cheonhwangsan (also called Jaeyaksan). These peaks are part of the Yeongnam Alps, a branch of the
Taebaek Mountains The Taebaek Mountains are a mountain range that stretches across North Korea and South Korea. They form the main ridge of the Korean peninsula. Geography The Taebaek mountains are located along the eastern edge of the peninsula and run along ...
. Further south, the mountains are lower but still quite frequent. Notable peaks in this area include Maneosan in Samnangjin and Cheontaesan on the border with
Yangsan Yangsan () is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. It borders Ulsan to the northeast, Gijang-gun and Geumjeong-gu in Busan to the southeast, Gimhae to the southwest, and Miryang to the northwest. City Hall is located in Nambu-dong, ...
. Steep mountain valleys abound; these are often used for
reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
s that store water for
irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...
or
drinking Drinking is the act of ingesting water or other liquids into the body through the mouth, proboscis, or elsewhere. Humans drink by swallowing, completed by peristalsis in the esophagus. The physiological processes of drinking vary widely among o ...
purposes. Some of the larger reservoirs in Miryang include Miryang Lake and Antae Lake.


Climate

Like most of the rest of
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, Miryang enjoys a relatively mild temperate climate. The average windspeed is about , the average temperature , and the annual rainfall in 2004 was . The mountains along its north flank afford Miryang a measure of shelter from heavy winds and other severe weather coming from the north. On the other hand, it is relatively vulnerable to damage from
tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
s encroaching from the south. The Miryang and Nakdong valleys are subject to frequent floods during
typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
s, as well as more predictable flooding during the monsoon season. Other natural disasters are uncommon.


Administrative divisions

Miryang is divided into 16 primary divisions, of which 2 are ''eup'' (large villages owns, 5 are ''dong'' (city precincts eighborhoods, and 9 are ''myeon'' (rural areas ownships or sub-counties. Some of the ''dong'' are further subdivided, so that the city center is composed of eight legal ''dong'' in total. The ''eup'' and ''myeon'' are broken into ''ri'', of which Miryang has a total of 265 administrative or 119 legal.


Government and politics

Like other cities and counties in South Korea, Miryang enjoys a limited degree of
local autonomy Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States * Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...
. Since 1995, the mayor and city council have been elected directly by the local citizens. The current mayor i
Park Il-ho (박일호, 朴一浩)
a member of the United Future Party 미래통합당. He took office on June 30, 2014.


Economy

The economy of Miryang draws heavily on its central location and prominence as a tourist destination. In addition,
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
continues to play an important role, particularly in outlying districts. The Miryang River valley supports extensive rice farming operations, while livestock farming is more common on higher ground.


Transportation

Miryang is roughly equidistant from
Daegu Daegu (, , literally 'large hill', 대구광역시), formerly spelled Taegu and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea. It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; it is ...
and
Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
, and is connected to both cities by road and rail. By road, Miryang is served by two exits on the Daegu-Busan Expressway, as well as numerous national and local highways. By rail, it is served both by the
Gyeongbu Line The Gyeongbu Line (''Gyeongbuseon'') is a railway line in South Korea and is considered to be the most important and one of the oldest ones in the country. It was constructed in 1905, connecting Seoul with Busan via Suwon, Daejeon, and Daegu. ...
(Seoul-Busan) and the
Gyeongjeon Line The Gyeongjeon Line (''Gyeongjeonseon'') is a railway line serving South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla Provinces in South Korea. It covers a total of 300.6 km, from Samnangjin Station in Miryang, South Gyeongsang, to Gwangju Songjeong Stati ...
(to
Masan Masan is an administrative region of Changwon, a city in the South Gyeongsang Province. It was formerly an independent city from 1949 until 30 June 2010, when it was absorbed to Changwon along with Jinhae. Masan was redistricted as two district ...
); the northern terminus of the Gyeongjeon Line lies just north of
Samnangjin Samnangjin (also spelled Samrangjin) or Samnangjin-eup, is an ''eup'', or town, in Miryang City, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is composed of thirteen ''ri''. Samnangjin lies in the southeastern corner of Miryang, bordering Wondong-myeon ...
near the meeting of the Nakdong and Miryang Rivers. Miryang is the only city between Daegu and Busan currently served by the
KTX Korea Train eXpress (), often known as KTX (), is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. KTX services were launched on April 1, 2004. From Seoul Station the ...
express train. In addition to Miryang station in the city center, outlying regions are served by
Samnangjin Samnangjin (also spelled Samrangjin) or Samnangjin-eup, is an ''eup'', or town, in Miryang City, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is composed of thirteen ''ri''. Samnangjin lies in the southeastern corner of Miryang, bordering Wondong-myeon ...
station and Sangdong station on the Gyeongbu Line, and Nakdonggang station on the Gyeongjeon Line. These outlying stations are served only by a small number of
Mugunghwa-ho The Mugunghwa-ho is a class of train operated by Korail, main railway operator of South Korea. Mugunghwa trains are Korail's slowest tier of trains stopping at a number of towns and villages, and operating over a number of lines that are not se ...
passenger trains. Except for Nakdonggang station, the stations in Miryang also serve freight trains. The most active freight station is Sangdong, which sent out 74,762 tons of freight in 2004.


Culture

Miryang is known as the home of the Miryang
arirang "Arirang" (; ) is a Korean folk song. There are about 3,600 variations of 60 different versions of the song, all of which include a refrain similar to "''Arirang, arirang, arariyo'' ()". It is estimated the song is more than 600 years old. ...
. This is sometimes considered to be close to the original version of the arirang, which may have drawn its name from the Miryang area folktale of
Arang Arang, also known as "''The town of temples''" of Chhattisgarh, is a block and a Nagar Palika in Raipur District in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. It is situated near the eastern limits of Raipur City and close to Mahasamund City. Arang is ...
. The Miryang Arirang Festival is held each May to commemorate and keep alive this tradition and other aspects of local heritage. Other preserved aspects of Korean traditional culture are the
Baekjung The Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival (traditional Chinese: 中元節; simplified Chinese: ) in Taoism and Yulanpen Festival () in Buddhism, is a traditional Taoist and Buddhist festival held in certain East Asian countrie ...
performances. The people of Miryang speak a version of the
Gyeongsang dialect The Gyeongsang dialects (also spelled Kyŏngsang), or Southeastern Korean, are dialects of the Korean language of the Yeongnam region, which includes both Gyeongsang provinces, North and South. There are approximately 13,000,000 speakers. Unlik ...
of
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...
. In studies of Korean dialectology, Miryang dialect has been contrasted with the
Changwon Changwon () is the capital city of Gyeongsangnam-do, on the southeast coast of South Korea. With a population of 1.07 million , Changwon is South Korea's ninth-most populous city. A port city, Changwon is bordered by Masan Bay to the south ...
dialect in terms of the use of pitch. Miryang is notable for being filming location and the setting of the 2007 film ''
Miryang Miryang (perhaps pronounced as Milbeol using Idu script), formerly also spelled as 推火郡 (probably pronounced as Milbeol or Miribeol using Idu script), Milbeol (密伐) and Milseong (密城), is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Ko ...
'' (released in English-language markets under the title ''Secret Sunshine'').


Education

The history of education in Miryang can be traced back to the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
period, when a ''
hyanggyo The Hyanggyo were government-run provincial schools established separately during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) and Joseon Dynasty (July 1392 - August 1910), but did not meet with widespread success in either dynasty. They were officially closed ...
'', a government-run village school, was constructed in the town center (modern-day Gyo-dong). This school, famed for its size, continued in operation through the
Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
period, although it was gradually supplanted by numerous local
seodang Seodang were private village schools providing elementary education during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties of Korea. Background They were primarily occupied with providing initial training in the Chinese classics to boys of 7-16 years of age, but ...
and
seowon Seowon () were the most common educational institutions of Korea during the mid- to late Joseon Dynasty. They were private institutions, and combined the functions of a Confucian shrine and a preparatory school. In educational terms, the seowon ...
. All of these institutions concentrated on training young men for the royal civil service examinations. This system lasted until the abolition of the examinations in the
Gabo Reforms The Gabo Reform, also known as the Kabo Reform, describes a series of sweeping reforms suggested to the government of Korea, beginning in 1894 and ending in 1896 during the reign of Gojong of Korea in response to the Donghak Peasant Revolution. ...
of 1894. Today in Miryang, as elsewhere in South Korea, compulsory public education is provided for all students through middle school, and almost all students complete high school as well. Education within the city is overseen by the Miryang Office of Education, which is administered directly by the Gyeongsangnam-do provincial Office of Education. This is in turn accountable to the national
Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
, which sets the national curriculum for all schools. There are 23 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, and 8 high schools in Miryang. Supplementary private education is offered through
hagwon Hagwon () is the Korean-language word for a for-profit private institute, academy, or cram school prevalent in South Korea. Although most widely known for their role as "cram schools", where children can study to improve test scores, hagwons actu ...
s, which are strongly concentrated in the city center, with some in outlying towns. There is only one institution of higher education in Miryang. This is the Miryang campus of
Pusan National University Pusan National University (PNU), also called Busan National University, is one of ten Flagship Korean National Universities in South Korea and second highest public universities in South Korea. Located mainly in Busan (or Pusan), the universi ...
. The Miryang campus primarily serves science and technology students, hosting the College of Nano Science and Technology and the College of Biological Sciences. It is located in northern Samnangjin-eup, roughly 9 km from the Miryang city center. A branch campus, formerly the main campus, is located near downtown Miryang. These two campuses were merged into Pusan National University in 2006. Previously, they made up a separate university called
Miryang National University Miryang (perhaps pronounced as Milbeol using Idu script), formerly also spelled as 推火郡 (probably pronounced as Milbeol or Miribeol using Idu script), Milbeol (密伐) and Milseong (密城), is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Ko ...
, which traced its roots back to 1923.


Tourism

Miryang has been known for centuries for its scenery of mountains and valleys; the Yeongnamnu pavilion overlooking the Miryang River appears in numerous Joseon Dynasty writings. The northeastern corner of the city occupies a portion of the
Yeongnam Alps The Yeongnam Alps are a outlying range of the Taebaek Mountains. They consist of a group of relatively tall mountains in the Yeongnam region of southeastern South Korea. They are much shorter than the European Alps, only slightly over 1000 m. T ...
; part of this region is included in Gajisan Provincial Park. Noted natural landmarks include the "ice valley" of Eoreumgol, also located in the northeast. A number of noted historic landmarks are found in Miryang. These include various
seowon Seowon () were the most common educational institutions of Korea during the mid- to late Joseon Dynasty. They were private institutions, and combined the functions of a Confucian shrine and a preparatory school. In educational terms, the seowon ...
, or Confucian academies, including the Yerim Seowon dedicated to Kim Jong-jik and the Pyochung Seowon, which is the only seowon constructed inside a Buddhist temple ( Pyochungsa). The Yeongnamnu pavilion and nearby buildings date from the
Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
and
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
periods.
South Korean National Treasure A National Treasure () is a tangible treasure, artifact, site, or building which is recognized by the South Korean government as having exceptional artistic, cultural and historical value to the country. The title is one of the eight State-designa ...
No. 75 is located at Pyochungsa. Yangyangji, which was built during the
Silla Dynasty Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of Ko ...
, was a water reservoir for the rice paddies, but it lost its original function due to a huge additional reservoir. But instead of putting water on the rice fields, the park attracts many tourists with picturesque scenery.


Twin towns – sister cities

Miryang is twinned with: *
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,
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, Japan (1990) *
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,
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, Japan (1994) *
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,
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,
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, United States (2004) *
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,
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, Japan (2006) *
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See also

*
Secret Sunshine ''Secret Sunshine'' () is a 2007 South Korean drama film directed by Lee Chang-dong. The screenplay based on the short fiction "The Story of a Bug" by Lee Cheong-jun that focuses on a woman as she wrestles with the questions of grief, madness an ...
*
List of cities in South Korea The largest cities of South Korea have an autonomous status equivalent to that of provinces. Seoul, the largest city and capital, is classified as a ''teukbyeolsi'' ( Special City), while the next six-largest cities are classified as ''gwangye ...


References


Bibliography

* * *


External links


City government website
{{Coord, 35, 30, N, 128, 45, E, region:KR-48_type:city, display=title Cities in South Gyeongsang Province