Thursday, November 20, 2008

More on the holy mountain of revolution

On our last excursion to this great landmark, "Thaw has begun in Mt. Paektu, the holy mountain of revolution" the emphasis was on scenic wonders. The present article delves more into the political (religious?) significance of the HM of R:
There are three grandiose and mysterious peaks on Mt. Paektu, the ancestral mountain, associated with the spirit of the Korean nation where the Korean revolution was pioneered.

They, more than 2,700 meters above the sea level, are called Janggun (general) Peak, Hyangdo (leader) Peak and Haebal (sunbeam) Peak.

Janggun Peak, the highest one (2,750m) in Korea, had been called Paektu Peak representing Mt. Paektu. Paektu Peak was renamed as Janggun Peak in accordance with the ardent desire of the Korean people to convey the undying revolutionary exploits of President Kim Il Sung down through generations and to hold him in high esteem for ever.

A monument to Mt. Paektu, telling immortal feats of the President, was erected on a fairly flat area on the northeastern slope of the peak. Near to the monument, there is the place chosen by the President to have a photograph taken against the Lake Chon.

Standing on the top of the peak is a 1.5-meter high granite monument engraved with the letters Janggun Peak.

Hyangdo Peak rising 2,712 meters above the sea is similar to Janggun Peak when viewing it on the shore of the Lake Samji and on the shore of the Lake Chon.

It had been once called Chonwang (King of the Heaven) Peak where the king descended. It was renamed as Hyangdo Peak in accordance with the noble desire of the Korean people to convey long, along with Mt. Paektu, the immortal revolutionary exploits of General Secretary Kim Jong Il who is carrying forward the revolutionary cause of Juche pioneered by the President and firm will to follow and hold him in high esteem.

Haebal Peak, 2,719 meters high, which had been nameless, was given the name of Haebal Peak in order to hand down to the rising generations the immortal feats of Kim Jong Suk, an anti-Japanese war woman hero, who took part in the war against Japanese imperialism under the warm sunrays of President Kim Il Sung, the sun of the nation, and defended the headquarters of the revolution at the cost of her life fighting sanguinary battles for many years and gave birth to Kim Jong Il.

The three peaks on Mt. Paektu are associated with the distinguished revolutionary exploits performed by the three peerlessly great persons.
Two deceased, and one soon-to-be-deceased.

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