Tuesday 31 October 2017

[Jeonju] - Traditional Liquor Museum (전주 전통술박물관)


Although makgeolli is available in Singapore, but the taste is different from freshly brewed makgeolli. It's because the exported versions have to be sterilised to stop the fermentation process. The bottled makgeolli sold here didn't have the natural carbonated fizzy which found in the latter stages of fermentation.

 
I like soju but my first choice or alcohol drink is makgeolli.
It's because I like the sweet flavor of makgeolli and the 
alcohol content is lesser than soju, so I can drink more ;P

It's because according to the report, there are lots of anti-carcinogenic substances in the makgeolli.  A bottle of makgeolli has 70-80 billion lactic-acid bacteria when a bottle contains around 700-800㎖ makgeolli. Probiotics or lactic-acid bacteria has a lot of benefit health, strengthen body immune system and  help to destroy harmful germs and bacteria that cause inflammation or cancer in the intestine.

Jeonju is famous for its savoury food such as bibimbap, kongnamulgukbap and makgeolli. Yes, you read it right. Makgeolli is considered as food instead of drink in Jeonju.

 Traditional Liquor Museum (전주 전통술박물관).

Traditional Liquor Museum is the place where the tradition of home-brewed liquor is alive. This unique museum has the exhibition hall, showing the process on how to make these traditional liquors.

This galery has models showing how the preparation, boiling,
distillation until it's ready for comsumption.

 Comic-style of how to brew traditional wine.

 Japanese Sake.

Not sure what books are those as they're in Chinese characters.

 
History of Soju and explanation on how to make soju.

Wow! so many types of soju from different regions.
 
Various types of yeast ingredients such as: millets, barley, 
green beans, corn, wheat, rice,...

Makgeolli, come to me oh my makgeolli!

 Wines... (Interesting article: Alcohol in Korean Life).

Noticed that a lot of street vendors selling Moju (전주 모주; 母酒).

Curious about this alcoholic drink so I googled to find out more about this drink. Moju is a local beverage from Jeonju although not as famous as Jeonju Makgeolli. It's actually means, "liquor made by the mother of the queen consort." This is according to the "Daedong Yaseung" (대동야승, 大東野乘), an unofficial collection of histories, anecdotes and essays compiled during the reign of King Injo (1595-1649). Based on the book, the mother of Inmok Daebi (1584-1632), the queen consort, made handmade liquor by reusing the rice alcoholic beverage grain from making makgeoli and sold it to local residents at a cheap price when she was exiled to Jeju Island. 

Moju is made from mixing Makgeolli with a range of Oriental medicines ingredients including cinnamon, ginger, jujubes, ginseng, kudzu, roots of arrowroot, and fruit, then boiled for about 24 hours, which causes most of the alcohol to evaporate  leaving about 1.5% of alcohol content. Thanks to the medicinal ingredients, it is known as a healthy drink, helping to prevent colds, especially in the winter. It goes well with any kind of ordinary Korean meal, such as hot soups and rice. These days, Moju is even used to create more varied food items, like ice cream. (Source: Korea.Net)
 

People love to drink on the platform (평상 = pyeong sang) outside the house.

Now, I think I know why Jeonju is famous for Kongnamul Gukbap (콩나물 국밥) too, because it's good for relieving hangover after drinking alcoholic drinks. 

 
  This wavy waterway pond is use to serve the wine.

In old days, seonbi will recite a poem when the cup filled with wine 
is flowing in front of him. It's such an interesting game.

This decoration wooden fish looks like Mokeo (목어),
which usually found in Korean temples.

There are many programs with small participation fee such as: making sweet rice
 alcoholic beverage, Moju (crude liquor) filtering, Hyangeumjurye (local 
wine-drinking rituals). Please note that reservation is needed in advance.

Add: 74, Hanji-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si
Phone: 063-287-6305



Related Posts: 

Jeonju Gain Makgeolli House 가인막걸리 | meheartsoul.blogspot.com

[Seoul] Gangnam, Garosugil & Gwanghwamun | meheartsoul.blogspot.com

www.meheartseoul.blogspot.sg | [Kobe] - Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum

Thursday 19 October 2017

[Jeonju] - Sound Culture Center & Oriental Medicinal Culture Center

Annyeong~! Really sorry for taking so much time to update my 2015 trip. My previous post stop at Jeonju Village that retains its historical charms and tradition...

Hi, welcome back~!^^

 Jeonju SORI Culture Center (전주 소리문화관).

Jeonju is home to Pansori, a UNESCO Memory of the World Register. This hanok-style house is Jeonju SORI Culture Center (Jeonju Sound Culture Center). It's built to raise the cultural superiority of Jeonju and to lead the new Pansori culture.


A diversity of such Pansori related performances can be found at this Culture Center. On top of that,  visual records of pansori, and other various historical records are on display at the memorial hall. But, sadly it was not opened when we're there.

Performing stage and hall.

I searched google images and saw they often have performances here. Hope next time I'll be lucky enough to catch Pansori performance at night, because it looks so beautiful! Behind the stage is the hall for classes, experiences and seminars. 

Elegant hanok pavilion (정자) is the perfect spot for resting and 
enjoying the charming surrounding and pleasant ambience.

 The pavilion is nestling on top of wishing pond with a lot of koi fish. 

My hubby was busy snapping photos of me in hanbok, while kids trying to throw the coins inside the pair of traditional Korean shoes (화혜장 = Hwahyejang). ;P

I really like beautiful Korean pavilion.

You should check these big pavilions offering beautiful surrounding and awesome views of Jeonju Hanok Village: 

  Add: 56, Hanji-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do.
 Operating hours: 10:00-19:00 (Closed on Mondays).
 Website: sori.jjcf.or.kr (Korean only).

 Random Photos: Fortune Teller Machine and
beautiful calligraphy for road signs.

Now, let's check out another interesting Culture Center: 

Oriental Medicinal Culture Center (우석대전주한방문화센터).


This Oriental medicine and Oriental pharmacy is connected to the traditional living culture and oriental medicinal culture center.

Legendary Physicians in Traditional Korean Medicine (Hanbang).

Thanks to Sageuk dramas, out of these 5 famous physicians at least I know Heo Jun. He's frequently protrayed in Sageuk dramas. The recent fantasy medical drama, Live Up to Your Name, Dr. Heo, he did travel to modern Korea. Heo Im, a great accupunture physician also had the same experience.

Heo Jun (허준) was a court physician during the reign of King Seonjo of the Joseon Dynasty. He wrote a number of medical texts, but his most significant achievement is Dongui Bogam (Mirror of Eastern Medicine). It's the first book on medicine to be inscribed on the Memory of the World Register by UNESCO which spread to East Asian countries like China, Japan, and Vietnam where it is still regarded as one of the classics of Oriental medical encyclopedia.

Although he worked extensively with the royal family, he put a great emphasis on making treatment methods accessible and comprehensible to common people. He found natural herb remedies that were easily attainable by commoners and wrote the names of the herbs using the simple hangul letters instead of hanja (Chinese characters).

Googled on Yi Je-ma (이제마), he was a Korean medicine scolar in Late Choseon who founded the study of Sasang medicine. Hhe claimed that Because each person's natural constitution is different, the same disease must be treatd differently.

 
Korean Oriental medicine sees the human body as 
a miniature of universe based on the concept of yin and yang.

There are 4 seasons, people have 4 limbs. There are 5 elements and human have 5 organs. There are 6 poles in the universe and human have 6 bowels. There are 9 points in universe, and we have 9 body openings. The day is diveded by 12 hours, and we have 12 energy points. In the year there are 365 days, human beings have 365 joints (acupoints). 

The mind must be under control to treat disease. Patient must let go of negative thoughts and leave the body in peace. If one's mind merges with the universe, one will find peace and health.

It studies O-haeng (5 elements) comprising the universe: geum (metal and rock), mok (wood), su (water), hwa (fire), and to (earth). It also studies the process of Yuk-gi (6 Atmospheric Influences) in the realm of natural science: pung (wind), han (cold), yeol (heat), hwa (fire), seup (humidity), and jo (dryness).  Therefore, illnesses is treated holistically to the entire body and not locally.

 Antique Medicine Cabinets and knife for slicing medicinal herbs 
similar to those found in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Various types of medicinal herbs.

Aromatherapy Essential Oil and Candles.

Besides Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and consuming Herbal medicine, Oriental treatments also include Aromatherapy by treating bodily ailments using essential plant oils and Meditation to relax and calm body and mind.

I'm always amazed how the physician know what's wrong with the body 
just simply put their 3 fingers on the hand to diagnose the pulses!!!

 
Hanbok Rental also available inside this cultural center.

Beautiful jeogori and chimas...

 
Traditional Hanbok Rental Fee: 1.5 hours ₩5,000 / 4 hours ₩10,000.
Uhwudong Hanbok Rental Fee: 1.5 hours ₩20,000 / 4 hours ₩30,000.

Add: 53, Eunhaeng-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si 
Phone: 063-232-2500

Happy kids queueing to buy cute candy floss outside the center.