Year-Round Events: Spring Flower Festivals, Summer Retreats, Fall Stone-Tree Festivals, Winter Christmas Celebrations
The magnificent opening ceremony of the Rock and Tree Festival was held on October 12 at the Wolmyeongdong Natural Temple, hosted by the Christian Gospel Mission (CGM).
At the opening ceremony of the Rock and Tree Festival, a Mission’s official introduced, “Wolmyeongdong is a natural temple that can accommodate up to 70,000 people, and because it was built with rocks, it is unique in the world, and it will not decay over time, but rather, because it uses both trees and rocks, it was designed by God to shine more brightly after a thousand years.”
The Rock and Tree Festival is the only festival in the world to be held with the theme of rocks and trees. Rock-related festivals have been held in Iksan and Hongseong before, but the Rock and Tree Festival in Wolmyeongdong is unique in its use of magnificent natural rocks and trees as the central focus.
The festival, which began in 2011 as the Stone Jewelry Festival and is now in its 14th year, was held from October 12 to 27 with a diverse program. After a brief hiatus due to COVID-19, the festival resumed, attracting not only local residents and church members but also tourists from all over the world to see the world’s only natural holy temple.
Inspiring Performances at the Festival’s Grand Opening
On the opening ceremony day, the “Masterpiece Concert” was held on the lawn and featured songs written and composed by Pastor Jung Myung-Seok himself. The songs, which tell the story of the development of Wolmyeongdong under the inspiration of God, echoed in Wolmyeongdong, the main character of the story, and moved many visitors.
In addition, there were various attractions and activities such as viewing the rock work exhibition, AI painting exhibition, masterpiece singing competition, autumn outing, photo exhibition, futsal tournament, and family invitation event.
Displayed Natural, Not Man-Made Sculptures… Attracting Attention as the Only Exhibition of Its Kind in the World
In Wolmyeongdong, more than 100 works with various shapes are displayed in harmony with nature. The natural rocks on display at the Rock and Tree Festival attracted attention because they were displayed in their natural shape without artificial manipulation.
In particular, the camel rock was excavated by Pastor Jung Myung-Seok and his church members for five years, removing soil and unearthing over 1500 tons of rock in the shape of a camel. In particular, part of the shape is exposed while buried in the ground, and the neck is hollow, making a sound similar to that of a bell when tapped, arousing the admiration of visitors.
In addition, the rocks in Wolmyeongdong have their own stories and shapes. When visitors hear the stories, they gain a deeper understanding of the value of the artworks and understand why Pastor Jung Myung-Seok boasts that they are precious rock jewelry.
Wolmyeongdong is also home to attracting 4 to 500 millennium pine trees, each with its own shape and story.
The Wolmyeongdong Natural Temple has been developed since 1989, when Pastor Jung received God’s idea to “build a beautiful and magnificent millennial temple of God.” It holds festivals such as a flower festival in spring, a retreat in summer, a rock and tree festival in autumn, and a Christmas event in winter, inviting not only church members but also local residents and tourists.
“We hope that the Rock and Tree Festival, along with the World Ginseng Festival, will revitalize the local economy and help the area, which is in danger of losing its population,” said a Wolmyeongdong official who organized the event.
Hong Seong-Pil, Reporter
