We all know the famous story in the Bible that says Moses separated the waters to save the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt , not in vain is a scene that we see every year for Easter on our televisions. For what has been a legend for thousands of years, it happens today in the Jindo Sea, the place where the waters separate as in the Bible .
Jindo is one of the 14 states of Korea and is connected to the continent by the longest and narrowest bridge in the world at the time of its construction. Jindo Island received many names in the past and was used as a refuge for rebel forces during the Mongol invasion. Jindo's location coupled with a combination of several factors makes a natural phenomenon unique in the world called "Jindo Sea-Parting" take place.
He Jindo Sea-Parting Festival in the Jindo Sea
There is a phenomenon on this island that becomes a real event. When the Jindo Sea, in East China It has very low tides, A narrow 2.9-kilometer land corridor appears connecting the island of Jindo with a small nearby island . It is such a special event that they have dubbed it "the Jindo Sea-Parting Festival", the "Festival of the Separation of the Sea of Jindo"
This is the third largest island in South Korea and is located in the province of Jeolla del Sur. The strait that separates it from the continent is called Myeongnyang.
This natural passage between the island of Jindo and the small island of Modo, 2.9 kilometers and 40 meters wide, opens every year in spring but only lasts 1 hour for 4 consecutive days. This event became famous when Pierre Landy, ex-ambassador of France in South Korea, baptized it as "the Korean version of the miracle of Moses" in 1975.
Legend says…
An ancient Korean legend tells that a woman named Bbyong was praying to the god Yongwang every day because she had lost her family when they fled to the island of Modo, fleeing the attacks of the tigers. According to the story, the tigers were abundant on the island of Jindo and began attacking the villagers who lived there. God appeared to him in a dream and told him that the next day he would love a passage like a rainbow between the two islands and could reunite with his family, that is, that the Jindo Sea would open in 2 to pass.
The assistant professor of geoscience at the University of Texas, Kevan Moffett, believes that the fact that the separation of the sea has been happening over time, is what has given rise to so many legends and traditions.
What is true ...
Despite the beauty of legends and fables, there is a scientific explanation for this phenomenon that, although less romantic, is more real. It is believed that the separation of the sea obeys to phenomena known as the harmonics of the tides, These are capable of creating extremely low or high tides. The rotation cycle of the Earth or the movements of the Earth and the Moon that produce different distances between them are some examples of tidal harmonics because their occur periodically.
According to Professor Kevan Moffett, these factors, together with the forms and positions of the islands and the Myeongnyang Strait east of Jindo, result in extremely low tides and are the reason for the annual separation of the Jindo Sea.
The Jindo Sea-Parting Festival
This curious festival annually attracts thousands of curious tourists who are attracted by the event that gives rise to the party and to enjoy some local rituals such as the collection of clams and seaweed.
During this Festival he also honors Bbyong whose statue is present on the Jindo coast. Some of the visitors make a pilgrimage to the island of Modo to visit also their family.
Some of the most important acts of this festival are; the Ganggangsuwollae (consisting of a traditional Korean dance), the sleeve (funeral songs), the ssitkim-gut (which consists of a ritual for dead souls), the deul norae (which are traditional songs of farmers). In addition you can also enjoy dog shows and fireworks.
Tourists traveling to Jindo can also participate in the search for clams , crabs and marine algae, besides being able to taste any of these products in the numerous restaurants located along the coast.
We hope you have been attracted to this curious and original place. What do you think? You can add it to your list of interesting places to visit on your vacation. If you do, write us telling us about the experience. We will be happy to read you!