▲ Baekje Cultural Festival.

Baekje Cultural Festival is a comprehensive art festival held simultaneously in Buyeo county and Gongju city in Septermber to October each year. The international celebration is one of the top three cultural festivals in Korea.

In 1955, when the nation was suffering the aftermath of the Korean War, and festivals of the modern kind had yet to come into existence, Baekje Cultural Festival was launched with an aim to revive the glory of the Baekje Dynasty and to restore national culture. Boasting a 60-year history, it takes place in Gongju and Buyeo, the capitals of Baekje. 

In 1955, local residents of Buyeo took initiative in installing an altar at Busosan Fortress, where they performed a memorial service for the three loyalists of Baekje (Seongchung, Heungsu and Gyebaek), and a spirit consolation ritual for Baekje women who threw themselves in the Baekma River from Nakhwaam, mourning the collapse of their nation. Though it was a simple kind of spiritual service, rather than a festival, to comfort the souls of the perished kingdom, people flocked from all over the nation to see the one-of-the-kind event. In 1957, Samchungsa temple (literally meaning "three loyalists temple") was constructed, and the festival grew bigger in 1965, when the Chungnam provincial government took charge of its organization.

The Gongju and Buyeo festivals used to take place separately, but from 2007, they were integrated to be held simultaneously. In 2010, it was renamed the Great Baekje World Festival, in an effort to go global.

Hosted by Baekje Culture Promotion Commission and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chungnam provincial government and Korea Arts and Culture Education Service, the festival involves some 12,000 performers each year, in a variety of shows such as King Munju's Capital Transfer to Ungjin, memorial services for deceased kings, King Muryeong's accession to the throne. In particular, Ungjin Palace Parade, Kingdom of Exchange Parade and the Parade of King Seong's Capital Transfer to Sabi are simulations of real historical events, and are always popular among visitors.

The 59th festival this year, in particular, is scheduled to be held from September 28 to October 6, under the theme of 'the World of the Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner', in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the excavation of the Baekje Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner (National Treasure No. 287).

With its recently confirmed plan for the upcoming event, the organizing committee has set out to prepare the event in a way to showcase the excellence and openness of Baekje culture as evidenced by the significant relic.

In the opening ceremony which will be held on September 28 in Geumgang Shingwan Park in Gongju, a keynote performance tentatively entitled 'the secret of the Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner' will be staged, to present Baekje as the kingdom of exchange. National Creative Dance Contest, National Baekje Cultural Product Contest, National Essay Contest for High School Students, as well as an international seminar will all be held under the overarching theme.

Sub-events organized by Gongju City and Buyeo County will also incorporate the theme extensively.

Meanwhile, the organizing committee has decided to support the Special Exhibition of Incense Burners of Korea, China and Japan, which will be held from October 1 to November 24, coinciding with the 59th Baekje Cultural Festival. The special exhibition, featuring approximately 150 incense burners from the three countries, will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the religious, artistic and historic significance of the Baekje Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner.
 

Baekje Cultural Festival online at
(www.baekje.org) or by telephone (+82-41-857-6955(6957, 6958).