Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope (129) The Evolution of Suwon's 'Eve of the New Year Bell' Ringing Ceremony

The 'Eve of the New Year Bell' is struck at midnight as the last day of the lunar year transitions into the New Year.

Originally, temples would ring the bell 108 times morning and evening to eliminate the 108 afflictions of humanity.

The reason the bell is struck 33 times carries the wish to reach Trayastrimsa Heaven (忉利天, the heaven of 33 deities). The Eve of the New Year Bell rings in hopes for national peace and the well-being of all people.

The bell-ringing ceremony during the Joseon Dynasty began in 1396. The bells were struck at dawn at 4 a.m. (ogyeong) when the four main gates and four secondary gates of the capital city were opened, and at 10 p.m. (igyeong) when the gates were closed to announce curfew.

At 10 p.m., the bell was struck 28 times, representing wishes for peace to the 28 constellations of the universe's celestial bodies. At 4 a.m., called paru (罷漏), the bell was struck 33 times, signifying wishes to the Indra deity who governs the 33 heavens.

The Eve of the New Year Bell tradition in Korea began in 1929 during the Japanese colonial period. Gyeongseong Broadcasting first broadcast the 'sound of the New Year's bell' in early 1929, marking its inception. After liberation, from 1953 onwards, Seoul City took the lead in hosting New Year's greeting ceremonies. From this point on, as citizens watched the broadcast relay on television, it became established as a seasonal custom for welcoming the New Year.

Records relating to bells in Suwon can be found in the 'Wonhaengeul-myojeongni-uigwe' (Record of the Royal Procession to Celebrate Hyegyeong Palace's 60th Birthday), dated the 10th day of the second lunar month in 1795. The record states: "The royal carriage (daeга, the carriage of the king) entered through Janganeun Gate, proceeded along the left and right military camps of Bell Street (jonggga), passed Sinpoongnu Pavilion and the Southwest Gate, and entered through Jung-yang Gate."

Another record from Lee Hee-pyeong's 'Hwaseong Diary,' who participated in the Hyegyeong Palace's 60th birthday celebration, states: "The bell pavilion keeper at the intersection of the Bell Street (十字街) sat at the gate in the same manner as in Seoul's bell pavilion." This record confirms that there was a bell pavilion on Suwon's Jongno at that time.

"The Suwon bell pavilion was demolished in the mid-1910s during the Japanese colonial period when the road between Janganeun Gate and Paldal Gate was expanded. The bell that had been in this location was moved to the second floor of Paldal Gate's tower."

This is the testimony of the late Yun Han-heum, who depicted the restored old appearance of Suwon. This bronze bell was originally at Manyesa Temple in Dongtan but was subsequently placed on the second floor of Paldal Gate and was designated as Gyeonggi Province Tangible Cultural Property No. 69 (Paldal Gate Bronze Bell) on July 3, 1976.

After attracting the Gyeonggi Provincial Government to Suwon in 1963, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new provincial government building took place on October 15, 1964, and that day was officially proclaimed as Suwon Citizens' Day. To commemorate the development of Suwon and celebrate Citizens' Day, which marked a watershed moment in Suwon's development, Suwon held a bell-ringing ceremony on October 14, the eve of the celebration.

From 1966 onwards, the festival was named 'Hwahong Culture Festival (華虹文化祭),' and bell-ringing ceremonies were held at the eve celebrations, ringing the Paldal Gate bronze bell from the second-floor tower of Paldal Gate. As the Hwahong Culture Festival bell-ringing ceremony continued, problems arose.

First, the vibration from ringing the bell in the pavilion was causing damage to the building. Public opinion began to call for halting the bell-ringing ceremony.

Second, since the bell was made in 1687 and over 300 years had passed, there was a risk of deterioration and damage. Additionally, the bell's sound had become dull and its size (height 123cm, diameter 75cm) was too small to befit the status of Gyeonggi Province's provincial capital.

The person who believed that the Paldal Gate bronze bell was unsuitable was Lee Ho-seon, who took office as the 18th Mayor of Suwon in 1991 during the appointed mayor era. In November 1991, Mayor Lee established the 'Hyowon Bell Pavilion Founding Committee' and began casting a new bell. Mayor Lee left office on May 3, 1993, before the completion of the Hyowon Bell Pavilion on Paldal Mountain. Completed in just one year, the 'Hyowon Bell' began its bell-ringing ceremony at the Hyowon Bell Pavilion starting from the eve celebration of Citizens' Day on October 14, 1993, under the supervision of his successor Mayor Jeon Young-guk.

Subsequently, Mayor Sim Jae-duk, elected as the first popularly elected mayor of Suwon, began holding the Eve of the New Year Bell ringing ceremony on Paldal Mountain for the first time on December 31, 1995. Moreover, Mayor Sim opened the Hyowon Bell for citizens and tourists to ring as well.

After that, the Hwaseong Culture Festival and the Eve of the New Year Bell ringing ceremony were held annually at the Hyowon Bell Pavilion.

However, other issues began to be raised.

First, it was said that bells should not be installed in high places. As the bell sound disperses upward, it is not well heard by ordinary citizens.

Second, the space around the Hyowon Bell at the summit of Paldal Mountain was insufficient, making it impossible for many citizens to participate.

Mayor Kim Yong-seo, elected in the third popularly elected term, promoted the construction of 'Yeominag (與民閣)' at the site of the bell pavilion built during the construction of Hwaseong, timed with the development of the Haenggung Plaza. Yeominag means "together with the people."

Yeominag was started in January 2007 and completed in October 2008. The completion ceremony was held concurrently with the bell-ringing ceremony of the 2008 Hwaseong Culture Festival eve celebration.

On the four sides of the Yeominag bell are inscribed: "People unite and enjoy (人人和樂), Households prosper and flourish (戶戶富實), Suwon as the foundation (水原爲本), and the realm thrives with glory (世邦昌華)." These inscriptions convey the meaning: "All citizens of Suwon unite and find joy, all households grow prosperous and abundant, with Suwon as the foundation, the realm becomes globalized and local regions flourish and prosper."

At midnight on the transition from 2023 to 2024, a bell-ringing ceremony was held with the participation of all citizens.

May this year be one in which all citizens, accompanied by the bell's resonance, recall the meanings of people uniting in joy, households prospering in abundance, Suwon as the foundation, and the realm thriving with glory.