Pyongyang

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This article is about the capital of North Korea. For other uses, see Pyongyang (disambiguation).
P'yŏngyang
평양
—  Directly Governed City  —
P'yŏngyang Directly Governed City
  transcription(s)
 - Chosŏn'gŭl 평양 직할시
 - Hancha 平壤直轄市
From top left: P'yŏngyang's Skyline, Juche Tower, Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Arch of Triumph, Arch of Reunification, Tomb of King Dongmyeong, & Sunan International Airport
Nickname(s): Ryugyŏng (류경/柳京)  (Korean)
" City of Willows "
Map of North Korea with P'yŏngyang highlighted
Country  North Korea
Region P'yŏngan
Founded 1122 B.C.
Districts
Area
 - Total 3,194 km2 (1,233.2 sq mi)
Elevation 27 m (89 ft)
Population (2008)
 - Total 3,255,388
 - Dialect P'yŏngan

Pyongyang (Korean pronunciation: [pçɔɲaŋ]) is the capital of North Korea, located on the Taedong River. According to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, it has a population of 3,255,388.[1]

The city was split from the South P'yŏngan province in 1946. It is administered as a directly-governed city (chikhalsi), on the same level as provincial governments, not a special city (teukbyeolsi) as Seoul is in South Korea.

Contents

[edit] History

A large ancient village in the P'yŏngyang area called Kŭmtan-ni was excavated in 1955 by archaeologists who found prehistoric occupation from the Chŭlmun and Mumun pottery periods.[2]

North Koreans associate Pyongyang with "Asadal" (아사달; 신시), or Wanggŏmsŏng (왕검성; 王儉城), the first capital of Gojoseon according to Korean history books, notably Samguk Yusa. Many South Korean historians dispute this association because other Korean history books place Asadal around the Liao He located in western Manchuria. Nonetheless, Pyongyang became a major city under Gojoseon.

No relic from the era of Western Han has been found around Pyongyang. It is likely that the area of Pyongyang ceded from disintegrating Gojoseon and belonged to another Korean kingdom by the time of fall of Wiman Joseon, the longest lasting part of Gojoseon, by Han Dynasty China in 108 BC. Relics from Eastern Han (25-220) periods from the Pyongyang area seems to suggest China subsequently made successful military advances into the Korean peninsula including the area of Pyongyang.

The area around Pyongyang was called Nanglang-state during the Eastern Han periods. As the capital of Nanglang-guk (낙랑국; 낙랑),[3] Pyongyang remained an important commercial and cultural outpost until Lelang was destroyed by the expanding Goguryeo in 313.

Goguryeo moved its capital here in 427; according to Christopher Beckwith, Pyongyang is the Sino-Korean reading of the name they gave it in their language, Piarna 'level land.'[4] Tang Dynasty China and Silla allied and defeated Goguryeo in 668.

In 676, it was taken by Silla but left in the border between Silla and Balhae until the Goryeo dynasty, when the city was revived as Sŏgyŏng (서경; 西京; "Western Capital") although never actually a capital of Goryeo. It was the provincial capital of the P'yŏngan Province during the Joseon dynasty, becoming provincial capital of South P'yŏngan Province from 1896 and through the period of Japanese rule.

In 1945, Japanese rule ended and it was occupied by Soviet forces, and became the temporary capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at its establishment in 1948 while it aimed to recapture its official capital at that time of Seoul. It was severely damaged in the Korean War, during which it was briefly occupied by South Korean forces—the only time in history that a communist capital fell to enemy forces. After the war, the city was quickly rebuilt with Soviet help, with many buildings built in Socialist Classicism.

Satellite view of P'yŏngyang.

[edit] Historic names

One of its many historic names is Ryugyŏng (류경; 柳京), or "capital of willows", as willow trees have always been numerous throughout the city's history, and many poems have been written about these willows. Even today, Pyongyang has numerous willow trees planted everywhere, and many buildings and places have "Ryugyŏng" in their names, the most notable of all being its uncompleted Ryugyŏng Hotel. Its other historic names include Kisŏng, Hwangsŏng, Rakrang, Sŏgyŏng, Sŏdo, Hogyŏng, Changan, etc. During the Japanese rule, and in the Japanese language, it was also known as Heijō, which is simply the Japanese reading of the Chinese characters 平壌 the name Pyongyang consists of.

Pyongyang seen from Spot Satellite

[edit] Climate

Climate diagram of Pyŏngyang.
Climate diagram of Pyŏngyang

Weather data for Pyongyang, North Korea
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 29
(-1)		 35
(1)		 47
(8)		 61
(16)		 71
(21)		 78
(25)		 82
(27)		 83
(28)		 75
(23)		 63
(17)		 47
(8)		 34
(1)		 59
(15)
Average low °F (°C) 14
(-10)		 19
(-7)		 30
(-1)		 41
(5)		 52
(11)		 62
(16)		 69
(20)		 69
(20)		 58
(14)		 45
(7)		 33
(0)		 20
(-6)		 43
(6)
Precipitation inches (cm) 0.6
(1)		 0.5
(1)		 1.1
(2)		 1.9
(4)		 2.7
(6)		 3.1
(7)		 9.9
(25)		 9.1
(23)		 4.5
(11)		 1.7
(4)		 1.7
(4)		 0.8
(2)		 36.9
(93)
Source: Weatherbase[5] Feb 2007

[edit] Administrative divisions

P'yŏngyang is divided into 19 wards (ku- or guyŏk) (the city proper) and 4 counties (kun or gun).[6]

[edit] Culture

[edit] Landmarks

The capital has been completely redesigned since the Korean War (1950–1953). It is designed with wide avenues, imposing monuments, and monolithic buildings. The tallest structure in the city is the uncompleted 330-metre (1,083 ft) Ryugyŏng Hotel. This hotel has 105 floors, encloses 361,000 square metres (3,885,772 sq ft) of floor space, and was planned to be topped by seven revolving restaurants.

Some notable landmarks in the city include the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, the Arch of Triumph (heavily inspired by Paris's Arc de Triomphe but of a larger size), the reputed birthplace of Kim Il-sung at Mangyongdae Hill, Juche Tower, and two of the world's largest stadiums (Kim Il Sung Stadium and Rungrado May Day Stadium). Pyongyang TV Tower is a minor landmark. Other visitor attractions include the Korea Central Zoo and the large golden statues of North Korea's two leaders. The Arch of Reunification has a map of a united Korea supported by two concrete Korean women dressed in traditional dress straddling the multi-laned Reunification Highway that stretches from Pyongyang to the DMZ.

Juche Tower, a reminder to the North Korean people of Kim Il-sung's philosophy of Juche (self-reliance).

Arch of Triumph.

Arch of Reunification, a symbolisation of the goal to a reunified Korea.

Rungrado May Day Stadium.

Kumsusan Memorial Palace

Tomb of King Tongmyong.

Ryugyŏng Hotel

Workers Party of Korea Monument

[edit] Cuisine

Pyongyang naengmyeon, cold buckwheat noodle soup originating in Pyeongyang.

Pyongyang was the provincial capital of Pyongan province until 1946.[7] Therefore, Pyongyang cuisine shares with the general culinary tradition of Pyongan province. The most famous local food is Pyongyang naengmyeon, or also called mul naengmyeon or just simply naengmyeon. Naengmyeon literally means "cold noodles", while the affix, mul refers to "water" because the dish is served in a cold soup. Naengmyeon consists of thin and chewy buckwheat noodles in the cold broth mixed with a meat broth, and dongchimi (watery kimchi) and topped with a slice of sweet Korean pear. Pyongyang naengmyeon was originally eaten at home built with ondol (traditional underfloor heating) during the cold winter, so is also humorously called "Pyongyang deoldeori" (shivering in Pyongyang). Pyongyang locals sometimes enjoyed it as a haejangguk which is any type of food eaten as a hangover cure while commonly a warm soup in form.[8]

Another representative Pyongyang dish is Taedonggang sungeoguk, meaning "trout soup from the Taedong River". The soup is made with trout, which are abundant in the Taedong River, along with black peppercorns and salt.[9] It is served as a courtesy for important guests visiting Pyongyang. Therefore, the question, "How good was the taste of the trout soup?" is commonly used to greet people returning from Pyongyang. In addition, Pyongyang onban (literally "warm rice of Pyongyang") is a local specialty. It is a rice dish made with freshly cooked rice topped with sliced mushrooms and chicken, and a couple of bindaetteok (pancakes made from ground mung beans and vegetables).[8]

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Metro and rail

Pyongyang metro system.
Pyongyang Tram car - Be 4/4

The Pyongyang Metro is a two-line underground metro system which has a length of 22.5 kilometers (14 mi). The Hyoksin line serves Kwangbok, Konguk, Hwanggumbol, Konsol, Hyoksin, Jonu, Jonsung, Samhung and Rakwon station. The Chollima line serves Puhung, Yonggwang, Ponghwa, Sungni, Tongil, Kaeson, Jonu and Pulgunbyol station. There is also a 53 km (33 mi) long Pyongyang Tram and 150 km (93 mi) trolleybus service, but tourists have heard that few locals use them due to the high and frequent hazard of electrocution.[10] The trolley bus-stops are fairly full. The incidence of use of the underground is difficult to gauge as tourists are only permitted to travel between two designated stops with a guide. It has been thought that on these pre-arranged occasions, the fellow passengers are selected to be there at the same time. The underground map is extensive but, again, just how many of the stations are operational at any one time is a matter of guesswork.

[edit] Automobiles

There are not as many private automobiles as in Western cities, although the state government operates a sizeable fleet of Mercedes-Benz limousines for Party bureaucrats.

[edit] Air transportation

Sunan International Airport

State-owned Air Koryo has scheduled flights from Sunan Capital International Airport to Beijing (PEK), Shenyang (SHE), Vladivostok (VVO), Macau (MFM), Bangkok (BKK), Khabarovsk (KHV) and Shenzhen (SZX). There are occasional chartered flights to Incheon (ICN), Yangyang County (YNY) and several Japanese cities. Air Koryo also claims scheduled service on a few domestic routes, although the accuracy of this is not known. The only domestic routes are Hamhung, Wonsan, Chongjin, Hyesan and Samjiyon. Intermittent service to Pyongyang is also provided by a few foreign carriers, most notably Chinese. In April 2008, Air China launched regular, 3-days-per-week, service between Beijing and Pyongyang.

[edit] Intercity trains

The city also has regular international train services to Beijing and Moscow. A journey to Beijing takes about 25 hours and 25 minutes (K27 from Beijing / K28 from Pyŏngyang, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays); a journey to Moscow takes 6 days.

The city also connects to the Eurasian Land Bridge via the Trans-Siberian Railway.

[edit] Sister cities

[edit] People from Pyongyang

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ United Nations Statistics Division; Preliminary results of the 2008 Census of Population of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea conducted on 1-15 October 2008 (pdf-file) Retrieved on 2009-03-01.
  2. ^ National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage. 2001. Geumtan-ri. Hanguk Gogohak Sajeon [Dictionary of Korean Archaeology], pp. 148-149. NRICH, Seoul. ISBN 89-5508-025-5
  3. ^ Nanglang-state is different from Lelang Commandery. Nanglang-state is a vassal state of China that ruled over Korean people around the Pyongyang area between a successful military campaign of Eastern Han. Lelang Commandery was one of the four commanderies that Western Han instituted in the occupied territory of Wiman Joseon around the Liao river in western Manchuria in 108 BC.
  4. ^ Christopher I. Beckwith, Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present (Princeton University Press, 2009: ISBN 978-0-691-13589-2), p. 104.
  5. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Pyongyang, North Korea". Weatherbase. 2007. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=85074&refer==. Retrieved 2007-02-04. 
  6. ^ "행정구역현황 (Haengjeong Guyeok Hyeonhwang)". NK Chosun. http://nk.chosun.com/map/map.html?ACT=geo_01. Retrieved 2006-01-10.  Also Administrative divisions of North Korea (used as reference for hanja)
  7. ^ "평양시 平壤市 [Pyongyang]" (in Korean). Nate/Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=298139&v=44. 
  8. ^ a b "닮은 듯 색다른 매력을 간직한 북한의 음식 문화" (in Korean). Korea Knowledge Portal. 2009-06-19. http://www.knowledge.go.kr/jsp/theme/themeView.jsp?themeIdx=2872&dir=al&page=4&searchOption=all&searchValue=. 
  9. ^ Ju, Wan-jung (주완중) (2000-06-12). "'오마니의 맛' 관심 [Attention to "Mother's taste"]" (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. 
  10. ^ "殺入北韓 (Translation: Entering North Korea) (NOTE: Subscription required)" (in Traditional Chinese). 壹週刊 (Next Magazine). 19 October 2006. http://hk.next.nextmedia.com/template/next/art_main.php?iss_id=867&sec_id=1000853&art_id=6414570. Retrieved 2009-06-14. 
  11. ^ "International relations". Kathmandu City website. http://www.kathmandu.gov.np/internationalrelation/. Retrieved 2006-01-10. [dead link]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pyongyang
Search Wiktionary Look up pyongyang in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

[edit] Further reading

  • Chris Springer, Pyongyang: The Hidden History of the North Korean Capital. Saranda Books, 2003. ISBN 963-00-8104-0.
  • Robert Willoughby, North Korea: The Bradt Travel Guide. Globe Pequot, 2003. ISBN 1-84162-074-2.

[edit] Pictorials

  • Christian Kracht, Eva Munz, Lukas Nikol, "The Ministry Of Truth. Kim Jong Ils North Korea", Feral House, Oct 2007, 132 pages, 88 color photographs, ISBN 978-932595-27-7
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1 Often considered part of Central Asia.  2 Otherwise known as Taiwan. 3 Full name is Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte.  4 Formal.  5 Administrative.  6 See Positions on Jerusalem for details on Jerusalem's status.  † Transcontinental country.  ‡ Entirely in Southwest Asia but having socio-political connections with Europe.₮ Entirely in Melanesia but having socio-political connections with Southeast Asia.

Coordinates: 39°01′55″N 125°45′14″E / 39.031859°N 125.753765°E / 39.031859; 125.753765

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