受韩国浦项市政府邀请,以中共山东省委宣传部副部长刘保聚为团长的赴韩文化交流访问团一行于2009年12月31日赶赴韩国浦项迎接2010年的第一道曙光。本刊也有幸参与了此次访问的跟踪报道,在几天的访问中,我们深切地感受到了这座钢铁城市所折射出的韩国民众的爱国热情和生活激情。
2009年12月31日,在首尔至浦项的高速路上,屡屡发生大面积堵车,最长的堵车距离长达近60公里,车辆井然有序地排列着。“今天对于韩国人来说很特殊,很多人从全国各地赶往浦项。堵车,我们都习以为常了,这是除过年以外的又一次‘民族大移动’。”司机师傅告诉我们每年的这一天都有十几万人去浦项看日出、祈福。
愈近海边,愈感到海风的刺骨,十几万民众不顾零下二十度的严寒相聚在浦项市虎尾串迎日广场,每个人都被厚厚的帽子、围巾、绒毯包裹得严严实实,很多人有备而来,干脆裹上被子打算通宵迎新年。“我不是第一次来了,这次不同,我带着四岁的女儿过来,孩子很好奇,都感觉不到冷了,” 朴女士2009年12月30日就从光州赶来了,虽然鼻子和脸颊已经冻得通红,但她还是坚持在舞台前等候着零点的到来。
“我们的韩半岛就像一只雄壮的老虎,而我们就站在象征虎尾的虎尾串。现在,我将和15万民众共同开启新一年的第一天⋯⋯”伴随着浦项市市长朴承浩的致辞,2010年1月1日零时零分到来,舞台下,众人为之欢呼雀跃。此时,烟花漫天,主持人又掀一轮高潮,“今天我们又迎来了特殊的宾客,他们就是从中国山东来的贵宾们”。此时赴韩文化交流团团长刘保聚同浦项市市长朴承浩交换了礼物,欢呼声此起彼伏。浦项市观光局局长李秉琪告诉我们,“这是浦项市首次迎来中国客人,特殊时刻,意义非常。”
从1月1日凌晨至日出前,各种日出庆典演出活动一直在持续,歌声、笑声、欢呼声打破了这个海边小镇的寂静。“每年只有这时候才感到久违的热闹,最期待这个时候了,”独居老人金奶奶告诉我,1月1日前很多人赶来这里,需要住宿的宾客也是络绎不绝,“有了人气,心里面也开心啊。”每年至年末最后一天,虎尾串附近的宾馆、民宅都住满了来自全国各地的游人,小镇狭窄的小路被大大小小的车辆挤个水泄不通,很多游客干脆在车里盖着被子度过跨年的夜晚。
从浦项市观光局解说员田惠玉那里,我们了解到,浦项市虎尾串海水浴场是韩国迎接第一道曙光的地方,自1998年开始,虎尾串迎日出庆典活动就成为了国家级活动。这里曾因“相生之手”雕像的落成而声名大噪,每年都会吸引大量的游客前来参观。于1999年为迎接千禧年而建造的“相生之手”雕像分别设置在陆地与海洋。陆地上的是左手,海洋里的是右手,以青铜与花岗岩制成,象征着全体国民互助互生。
2010年1月1日7时左右,太阳穿透了厚厚的云层,带着满面的红光,从“相生之手”中缓缓升起,激情澎湃的海水荡漾着太阳的光辉,形成一条通向古老东方的金光大道,映红了十几万韩国民众的脸。为了能拍到日出由雕像手中升起的照片,很多游客在黎明前赶到海边,选择好的拍摄角度和位置。“我们一夜没睡,一直在这里等待日出的到来,”KBS国际频道的中国籍主持人李磊已满面倦容。
与往年相比,2010年的迎日出庆典活动又添了许多新节目。来自韩国全国各地的十几万民众手持各国国旗排成整齐队列,随着欢快的音乐,跃动在虎尾串迎日广场上。浦项市市长朴承浩身着韩国传统服装带领各级政府领导分散在队伍前列,和民众一起兴高采烈地挥舞着手中的旗子。太阳已高高升起,十几名穿着轻薄迷你裙的年轻姑娘在舞台周边不知疲倦地舞动着优美的身姿,似乎忘记了零下十几度的寒冷。各种传统舞蹈剧、国乐演出、海兵队表演引起游客发出阵阵欢呼。广场上,很多游人排着长队等待品尝年糕汤、鳗鱼干。田惠玉告诉我们,“最具吸引力的是‘万人年糕汤’活动,大家可以免费品尝一下象征新年的韩国传统食品年糕汤。当然还可以品尝到我们浦项最具代表性的美食―鳗鱼干。吃了年糕汤、鳗鱼干,一年都会有好运相伴”。
Watching Homigot Sunrise in Pohang
On December 31, 2009, invited by the government of Pohang City, Korea, Liu Baoju, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of CPC Shandong Provincial Committee headed a delegation to visit Pohang to attend the Homigot National Sunrise Festival in order to watch the first sunrise of 2010 in Pohang.
The Homigot National Sunrise Festival begins on the eve of December 31, and ends on January 1 the next year. Various programs are prepared to make this all-night festival entertaining until early morning. Programs include a fire show, movie watching, the experience of ten thousand people making tteokguk (rice cake soup), digital camera contests, popular singers’ concerts, as well as a photographic contest.
Right at 12 midnight, a siren goes off to celebrate the arrival of the New Year; fireworks and a midnight music concert are scheduled. As the New Year’s first sunrise begins, a large iron pot is filled with hot and tasty New Year tteokguk (rice cake soup), which is passed around to the visitors of Homigot Beach.
After the sunrise, visitors can watch entertaining programs such as a traditional wedding ceremony, a traditional Korean dance performance, and many more. Other events include a Foreigners’ Talent Show and a Mackerel & Catfish Festival.
Homigot (Homi Cape) Beach is located at the very Eastern tip of Gyeongsangbuk-do Pohang Yeongilman Bay, and is one of the best locations where the first sunrise can be seen in the whole of Korea. Therefore, even when there is no festival, Homigot Beach is still a popular place where many visitors go to see the day’s first sunrise all year round.
The annual Homigot National Sunrise Festival begins on New Year’s Eve and ends on New Year’s Day. Because this place is a famous spot to see the sunrise in Korea, numerous people gather each year to participate in the Homigot National Sunrise Festival.
The Homigot National Sunrise Festival is the place to be to watch the first sunrise of the year in Korea, but it is also popular for its unique sculpture. The sculpture here signifies the New Year’s Homigot sunrise and is entitled “Hand of Harmony.”
The left hand stands on land, and the right hand stands in the waters of the ocean. The sculpture is made of bronze and granite. The hands were constructed in 1999 to symbolize continuing efforts of all Korean citizens to pursue a better quality of life. The sculptures are most impressive at sunrise when the sunlight shines on them. Therefore, naturally most pictures of Homigot Beach include the ‘Hands of Harmony’. If you want a nice shot of the ‘Hands of Harmony’ during sunrise, be sure to come early and get a good spot before the sun rises because many visitors have the same idea.