The Origin of Hwayang Tug-of-War
The reason why Hwayang tug-of-war came to represent the tug-of-war of the country's southeastern region is because of the size, long tradition, and unique origin of the event, and the fact that it is not found in other regions.
Although the specific origin of tug-of-war is not clear, it was a traditional game in which all the town folks participated to celebrate the 15th day of the first month on the Lunar Calendar. Villagers are divided by east and west or north and south and people would foretell the result of that year's harvest by winning or losing. The tug-of-war began with the rice farming during the ancient three Han states in the southern region. The beginning of the Hwayang tug-of-war is unknown as well but the folk game is believed to have started since the ancient times. The rope used in the tug-of-war had different names according to the times. In the 18th Century, it was called Dojujul, in the 19th Century, Yeongnamjul, and in the 20th Century Eupnaejul. In 1983 the rope got the current name "Hwayangjul".
