For the New Year of 2014, Let’s ‘Ride a Horse!’’
2014 is Gabonyeon, the Year of the Horse. Horses are symbols of liveliness, quickness, health, and cleverness. This article covers the ‘story of horses,’ the old friend of men, often considered sacred. The article also tells of the New Year’s hope of gu residents who were born in the Year of the Horse.
For a long time, people owed many ‘favors’ to horses. Horses were used as a mean of transportation, a device of warfare and also a tool for plowing. There was a time when the power of a nation was determined by the number of horses it had.
Beyond mere livestock, horses became its master’s best friend on many occasions. The term ‘favorite horse’ was once commonly used, and many special stories between a horse and its master have been handed down till today. This may all be because of the horse’s characteristics: they are smart, obedient, fast, and strong. In spite of their stature, horses are easily scared. Surprising and extreme actions in front of a horse make them jump or run away. According to experts, this is not because horses are fierce, but because they are scared.
Horses, the key of the ‘Healing Industry’These days, horses are widely used in leisure and sports. Horseback riding is popular among people of all ages and genders, as a good way for getting fit and correcting posture. It is also a whole-body exercise which requires the rider to commune with the animal. As recent studies have shown, children with ADHD or intellectual & developmental disabilities can benefit from horseback riding, and the number of horseback riding & healing centers are on the rise. People without any handicaps can also relieve stress in their bodies and minds by riding horses through nature, and this recognition is rapidly increasing the number of people enjoying horseback riding. The number of horseback riding clubs are increasing, horseback riding colleges are being newly established in universities, and local governments are beginning to focus on horse-related industries. Horse-related industry is no longer the exclusive domain of Jeju Island. Although it might be difficult to approach horses at first, once people become familiar with horses, they are sure to fall in love with this attractive animal. Horses are also free from foot-and-mouth diseases, which is another reason why the horse-related industry is thriving. Horses are very clean animals, and thus they are strong against infectious diseases.
Historic events that took place during Gabonyeon
Among the events that took place in Gabonyeon, the Gabo Reform of 1894 is a very significant one. The Gabo Reform was a reformation movement conducted by the Joseon government which took place from July 27th, 1894 to August of 1895. Also called the ‘Gabogyeongjang,’ the background of the reform is as follows. In the late Joseon Dynasty, incidents such as the Imo Military Revolt, the Gapsin Coup and the Donghak Peasantry Movement took place as the public started to realize the corruption of the Joseon Dynasty and the yangban (aristocratic) class. However, the Donghak Peasantry Movement failed before becoming widespread due to the intervention of foreign powers, and it became one of the reasons for the Sino-Japanese War. After the war, Japan alone demanded the modernized reformation of Joseon. The powerless Joseon government had no choice but to follow such demands, as its people had become awakened due to a series of incidents, with the Japanese government oppressing the Joseon government under the premise of invasion. This forced reformation movement was the Gabo Reform of 1894. Following the change of the cabinet, the movement was divided into the 1st Gabo Reform and the 2nd Gabo Reform, later followed by the Eulmi Reform (the 3rd Gabo Reform). The major reforms made by the movement were the abolition of the caste system (human trafficking and slavery), prevention of early marriage, permission of widows’ remarriage, and the abolition of torture & implicative system, among other reforms.
New Years’ Hope of Residents born in the Year of the Horse Lee, Seung-yeon (age 36, resident of Songdo1-dong) Hello! I’m a housewife with a loving husband and two little rascals. The Year 2014 is Gabonyeon, the Year of the Horse, and it is also my year! On every New Year’s Day, I tell myself “May this year be a healthy and happy year for all of our family.” 2014, especially so because our first child will enter elementary school. It feels like I’m entering the school, and the feeling makes my heart flutter with excitement. I hope that our child will adapt well in school, making new friends and having a good school life. I also hope that our child will receive good grades! As for me, I’m going to exercise hard this year to get an ‘hourglass’ figure. Please encourage me so my resolution will last longer than a few days. Yoo, Su-hyeon (age 12, 5th grade in Meonwooguem Elementary School) I’ll become a 6th grader this year. My hope is to live happily with my family, without any troubles. I hope this year will be filled only with good things. I’ll do my best to live happily, both in school and home. I am a bit nervous to be a 6th grader, since I have to prepare myself to become a middle school student. I hope to be more mature, thoughtful, and responsible this New Year. Yoo, Gil-yeo (age 48, resident of Yeonsu-dong) This year, my son will become a senior at high school. It seems that our family is getting more frustrated than my son himself. As all mothers with seniors wish, I too wish my son will have a smooth year without any incidents. My son is a bit delicate, so most of all I wish he will be healthy throughout the year. My daughter is also preparing for an important test. I hope she will take care of her health, and get good results because she has studied so hard for the test. The health of my old parents also worries me. The saying, ‘Health is the most important thing of all’ really is true. I hope the best of health for everyone! |
