Jinjuseong

The great battle.
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In 1379 governor Kim Jung Kwang replaced several adobe walls with masonry walls, and Jinjuseong started on a path that would take 620 years to complete. In 1592 General Kim Sim-In commanded 3,800 men and a number of towns people, and defended the fortress against a 30,000 man Japanese army. The defeat slowed the Japanese invasion, and was a major embarrassment to them. In 1593 they returned with 100,000 troops, and with the help of a heavy rain that helped destroy one part of the wall, breached the fort and killed all 70,000 people inside.

The fortress is 1,760 meters long and runs from 5-8 meters high, so there is a lot of walking, but it’s worth it, the architecture, shrines, and view are fantastic. It contains the Jinju National Museum, built to tell the story of the fort and the two battles fought there. The museum has a large number of tablets and books written by and about those who fought in both 1592 and 1593, as well as a collection of 18^th and 19^th century pieces taken to Japan during the occupation, collected later by Kim Young-Doo, a Korean businessman in Japan and sent back after the second world war ended.

The fortress is 1,760 meters long and runs from 5-8 meters high, so there is a lot of walking, but it’s worth it.

The highest point in the fortification is Bukjangdae, a watchtower built in 1618. It was the northern command post and is also called Jinnamu. The western command post , Seojangdae, is a small two story watchtower, rebuilt in 1934. Both are good examples of Korean command centers during the 16^th century, and both are highly stylized.

If you enter at the main gate on the north side, the one closest to E-Mart, turn left inside the gate and walk up the hill where you will find two stone shrines on one side of a large courtyard, and a large bell on the other side. The bell is called the bell defending the fatherland, and was built in 1980 to admire the spirit of those who defended the fort, and it is embossed with the words of Lee Eun-Sang. Just below the bell you will see a pavilion used as a command center during battles, and a place of education during peace time. It was built in 1241 and was destroyed during the Japanese invasion, and again during the Korean War. It was from near here a smart a** Japanese General saw Nongae dressing on the large rock below.

The rock was called Wiam, and when he went down to seduce her she grabbed him and jumped into the river below killing herself and the General as revenge for the 70,000 people the Japanese had killed taking the fort. It was later named Uiam to honor her, and she is a national hero. You can walk down to the rock and stand where she stood plotting her courageous revenge. Just above the Pavilion is her shrine, called Uigisa.

To the north of the pavilion is Gyeosa Seuindan, built in 1987 to remember those who died during the Japanese invasion, and console the loyal spirits of the 70,000 people who died in 1593. It’s a great example of simple beauty, and is a symbol of overcoming a national crisis. The monument is raised about 3 meters, and large relief’s occupy three sides, with representative scenes from the era. In one scene among the fierce fighting is a mother protecting her child, and reminds us of the most innocent victims of every war. Another shows Nongae as she is about to jump to her death grasping a Japanese General.

There’s plenty more to see, the statue of General Kim Si-Min, Changyeolsa, and Stone Mountain, so plan on spending an adequate amount of time in side before you head out to the Folklore Museum, or the lake. I would advise spending several hours in the late afternoon, walking down to the river and riding in a paddle boat, then after dark heading back into the fort to see all the lights in the city below reflecting off the river.

Entrance is W1,000 for the fort, and another W1,000 for the museum, you take any number of buses, 15,17,21,22,25,27,50, or, 51. If you take a taxi or have any questions just say E-Mart, or E-Martah, there’s an English sign on the building. It’s huge and you can’t miss it, trust me. The north gate is just across the street, you can see it up on the hill. It’s closed on Monday and on January 1. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.