My hometown, ‘Honam Plain’ region

My hometown, Iksan in Cholla-do, is located in the ‘Honam Plain’ region, consisting rich soil and flat land. It was blessed with rich soil, optimal for high-quality rice production. Like the generous land, the peasants who primarily lived on the ‘Honam Plain’ had warm, giving hearts, with a love of good food, of sharing, and of dancing. The people of this coveted land have been historically exploited by struggles for its possession. Therefore, the rich soil of the ‘Honam plain’ had been wet all throughout Korean history with struggling people's blood. The condition of Japan’s colonization got worse and worse. After having completed a land survey, Japan planned to meet its food grain shortage with increased rice productions in Korea and large quantities were shipped to Japan and to China for Divine Japanese soldiers. This left facing destitutions Korean farmers and starvations and, of course, my hometown on the ‘Honam Plain’ got the very critical heat. Japanese occupation (1910-1945), followed by Korean War (1950-1953) and Post-War were the most difficult time in our hometown due to the fertile soil conditions. But, the peasants in this generous land had to survive with severe exploitation—Heavenly Japanese Emperor forced to dress like them and speak only Japanese language—no more Korean language—no more Korean clothes—no more Korean name—no more Korean speaking.

My grandpa’s families, mostly Korean traditional doctors, were one of the richest families in the whole province. So, my grandpa, the third son in the wealthiest family, inherited one third of the property. They saved many farmers and children’s lives. Korean traditional doctors used natural ingredients, like herbs and roots, to heal others. Using basic and natural methods, my grandpa’s families taught farmers about our universal nature and the order of the cosmos. We were educated how to plant farming better and when to harvest on the dependency of the universal nature. Since they interpreted the movement of Moon according to the universal nature, our ritual activities were mostly conducted the movement of the moon cycle. So they were educators and healers! But my extented families were the people who were not pleased by the Japanese during the Occupation.  My grandmother was only one to survived.