Namdaemun Market

Namdaemun Market
Namdaemun Market
Korean name
Hangul 남대문 시장
Hanja
Revised Romanization Namdaemun Sijang
McCune–Reischauer Namdaemun Sichang

Namdaemun Market is a large traditional market in Seoul, South Korea. The market is located next to Namdaemun, the "Great South Gate," which was the main southern gate to the old city. [1] It is the oldest and largest market in Korea.[2]

Contents

History

Namdaemun market dates back to 1414, during the reign of King Taejong, as a government managed marketplace. In 1608, King Seonjo set up the office of seonhyecheong (hangul:선혜청, hanja:宣惠廳, "tribute bureau") in the district to manage the tributes of rice, cloth and money. A trading marketplace took its form around that time and commercial activities flourished as traders set up various shops. Trade was active in grains, fish, fruit, and miscellaneous goods.[1]

The management of the market went over to the Japanese in 1922, but after liberation in 1945 the merchants established the Namdaemun Merchant Organization and took over management. The market, however, turned to ruins during the Korean War and succumbed to fire in 1953. The Seoul Namdaemun Market Co. Ltd. was found in 1954 to rebuild the market, but efforts fell short due to financial troubles. Endeavors for reconstruction continued in the following years, but fires swept the market again in 1968 and 1975.[3]

The city of Seoul announced plans to renovate the market in 2007, and reconstruction and renovations are being continued in 2010.[4][5]

Characteristic

Namdaemun Market is one of the oldest continually running markets in South Korea, and one of the largest retail markets in Seoul.[6] The streets in which the market is located were built in a time when cars were not prevalent, so the market itself is not accessible by car. The main methods of transporting goods into and out of the market are by motorcycle and hand-drawn carts. It occupies many city blocks, which are blocked off from most car traffic due to the prevalence of parking congestion in the area. The market can be accessed by subway or bus; the location is within a 10 minute walk from Seoul metropolitan station and is even closer to the subway Hoehyeon Station, Line 4.

Much of the market is outside, but there are also many stores which line the streets. Many retailers buy their items, particularly clothing, at wholesale prices at Namdaemun, to resell in their own stores in other cities. Namdaemun is a popular tourist attraction.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b (Korean) Namdaemun Market at Doosan Encyclopedia
  2. ^ CNN Go 50 must-visit traditional markets in Korea 11 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-11
  3. ^ a b (Korean) Namdaemun Market at Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
  4. ^ (Korean) Will Namdaemun Market lose its charms due to renovations?, Oh My News, 2009-02-19. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
  5. ^ (Korean) Renovations for Namdaemun Market, Seoul News, 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
  6. ^ Jang Eunyeong(장은영), Fashion Retail & Marketing, Gyohak Research, Seoul, 2008. ISBN 9788935403981

External links

Coordinates: 37°33′34.00″N 126°58′38.70″E / 37.55944°N 126.977417°E / 37.55944; 126.977417


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Namdaemun (disambiguation) — Namdaemun is Korean for South Grand Gate and may refer to Namdaemun, a historic gate at the southern part of the old city of Seoul, which is also known as Sungnyemun. Namdaemun Market one of the oldest and largest traditional outdoor markets in… …   Wikipedia

  • Namdaemun — This article is about the gate known as Namdaemun. For the nearby market, see Namdaemun Market. Coordinates: 37°33′35″N 126°58′31″E / 37.55972°N 126.97528°E / …   Wikipedia

  • Dongdaemun Market — Korean name Hangul 동대문시장 …   Wikipedia

  • Seoul — 서울   Special City   Seoul Special City   transcription(s)  – Hangul 서울특별시 …   Wikipedia

  • Hoehyeon Station — Korean name Hangul 회현역 …   Wikipedia

  • Shopping in Seoul — Seoul in South Korea has many shopping centres and markets throughout the city. The largest market is the Dongdaemun Market which is the largest in South Korea. Myong dong is a shopping and entertainment area in downtown Seoul which contains some …   Wikipedia

  • Seoul — /sohl, soohl, say ool/; Kor. /syue ool/, n. a city in and the capital of South Korea, in the W part. 6,889,470. * * * City (pop., 2000: 9,853,972), capital of South Korea since 1946, with the administrative status of a province. Located on the… …   Universalium

  • Neighbourhoods of Seoul — are not governmental administrative divisions, but rather more informal area designations, often surrounding a particular landmark, such as a road, a university, or a gate of the old city.Names are listed in Hangul and Hanja. *Apgujeong (압구정 : )… …   Wikipedia

  • Rex Hotel Seoul (Seoul) — Rex Hotel Seoul country: South Korea, city: Seoul (Namdaemun) Rex Hotel Seoul The Rex Hotel is located the centre of activity in the heart of Seoul. It is within walking distance of Namdaemun Market, the largest shopping district in Korea, Myung… …   International hotels

  • List of neighbourhoods of Seoul — Neighbourhoods of Seoul are not governmental administrative divisions, but rather more informal area designations, often surrounding a particular landmark, such as a road, a university, or a gate of the old city. Names are listed in Hangul and… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”