By Liu Jiawen | Compiled & Reported
The 15th day of the first lunar month is when the Chinese celebrate the Lantern Festival, but in Jeju, South Korea, there’s the Wildfire Festival. This traditional event carries meanings of praying for peace, health, and a good harvest. Now in its 15th year, the festival will take place from February 2 to February 4 at Sinseondae in Bongnae-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju City. The highlight is the mountain fire, where 300,000 square meters of Sinseondae serve as the stage for setting a wildfire. The blaze, which includes the burning of thatched cottages on the mountain, creates a spectacular scene of a mountain ablaze. It symbolizes the burning away of the misfortunes of the past year and prayers for wishes to come true in the new year.
The highlight of the Jeju Wildfire Festival is the mountain fire, where 300,000 square meters of Sinseondae serve as the stage for setting a wildfire, creating a spectacular scene of a mountain ablaze that symbolizes burning away the misfortunes of the past year. (Image provided by the Jeju Promotion Taipei Office)
Additionally, the festival will feature folk entertainment activities such as a torch parade, straw rope weaving experiences, stone-carrying competitions, and dice throwing. The straw rope weaving activity originates from early Jeju residents who tied grass ropes in a Go-board-like pattern to prevent their thatched houses from being blown away by the wind — now it's an experience for visitors. The stone-carrying competition is a rite of passage popular on Jeju Island, where participants must carry round stones weighing between 100 and 130 kilograms in a race.
This year’s Wildfire Festival will be held from February 2 to February 4 at Sinseondae in Bongnae-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju City. (Image provided by the Jeju Promotion Taipei Office)
The origin of the Wildfire Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month comes from early Jeju villages, where after the busy farming season, villagers would gather their cattle for open grazing. To clear harmful weeds and pests from the mountains, they would set fires to the grass. This year’s Wildfire Festival promises to be exciting, with activities such as stone tower stacking, writing family mottos, and climbing Sinseondae all worth experiencing. In addition, the festival site will host local food stalls, a Jeju specialty promotional hall, and a folk market, offering visitors a rich array of cuisine and entertainment.
Jeju Wildfire Festival official website: buriburi.go.kr/foreign/chi/htmls/main.htm