South Korea travel introduction

Overview of South Korea

Korea, the full name is the Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea and South Korea. Korea The English name Korea comes from the ancient name Korea. The country was founded on August 15, 1948. The country's name comes from three Korean tribes in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in ancient times, such as Chen Han, Mahan and Han Dong. South Korea is located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in Northeast Asia, surrounded by the sea on three sides, the Yellow Sea to the southwest, the Korean Strait to the southeast, the Sea of ??Japan to the east, and adjacent to North Korea across the 38th Parallel Demilitarized Zone to the north. Its territory accounts for 4/9 of the total area of ??the Korean Peninsula. South Korea is a member of the G20 and OECD, a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the East Asia Summit, and one of the Four Asian Tigers.

South Korea is located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in the northeastern part of the Asian continent. It is surrounded by sea on three sides in the east, south and west, covering an area of ??99,600 square kilometers. The total length of the peninsula's coastline is approximately 17,000 kilometers (including island coastlines). The terrain is high in the northeast and low in the southwest, with about 70% mountainous. It has a temperate monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 13°C and precipitation of about 1300~1500 mm. The average winter temperature is below freezing. August is the hottest month with a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. March, April and early summer are prone to typhoons.

The total population of South Korea is 50.087 million (at the end of January 2010). The main ethnic group is Korean (or Korean), a yellow race of East Asian type, accounting for 99% of the country's total population. This is a single-ethnic country. The basic unit of the Korean won is the Korean won. About 10% of Korean is the native language, about 69% is the Chinese variant, 10% is the English variant, and the rest is the variant of other languages. Korean and Korean are basically the same, except for slight differences in pronunciation and loanwords, as well as some grammar and word usage, especially in pronunciation and loanwords. Due to political reasons, the Korean Peninsula was divided between the north and the south for a long time after the civil war, resulting in slightly different languages ??in the north and south.

South Korea’s famous tourist attractions

The world calls South Korea the mysterious light of the East. It coexists the old and the new, blending the ancient and the modern; it hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics and has the style of modern civilization; it has a 5,000-year cultural tradition and still retains the essence of ancient oriental civilization. South Korea is an ideal vacation destination with stunning scenery and sincere and candid people. It has a unique cultural and historical heritage including mountains, lakes, hot springs, coasts, palaces, temples, pagodas, monuments, folk villages and museums, totaling more than 2,300 places.

As of October 2011, South Korea has 9 world cultural heritages and 1 world natural heritage. Korean cultural heritage listed as World Heritage include: Seoul Ancestral Temple, Haeins Temple, Buddhist Temple and Seokguram, Suwon Flower Fortress, Changdeokgung Palace, Gyeongju Ancient Monuments, Gochang Hwasun, Ganghwa Soldier Tomb, Korea 40 Tombs, Andong Hwahye Village . Jeju volcanic island and lava caves were included in the World Natural Heritage List in 2007.

Korean food recommendations

The climate and local conditions in South Korea and the United States are suitable for the development of agriculture. The cultivation of cereals began as early as the Neolithic Age, and then rice cultivation became popular. Since then, grains have become the center of Korean food culture, and in the late Three Kingdoms period, Korean home-cooked meals with rice and vegetables as the main non-staple food were formed. Later cereal foods included rice, porridge, cakes, noodles, dumplings, soups, wine, etc. was developed, which also led to the development of the fermented diet of making soy sauce as a starter culture and then making yellow sauce. Not only cultivated vegetables, but also many kinds of wild vegetables growing in the mountains, which can be used to make salads, rice balls, vegetarian dishes, kimchi, etc. And decorate the table with seasonal changes. Traditionally, under the food concept that medicine and food come from the same source, medicinal materials such as ginger, cinnamon, mugwort leaves, schisandra chinensis, wolfberry, adenophora, platycodon, papaya, pomegranate, grapefruit, ginseng and other medicinal materials are widely used in food cooking. Prepare foods such as ginseng chicken soup, mugwort cakes, adenophora, salads, etc., as well as tea products such as ginger tea, ginseng tea, papaya tea, grapefruit tea, wolfberry tea, and cassia seed tea. Seasonings and spices are also used as medicine in Korea, and onions, garlic, ginger, chili peppers, sesame oil, sesame seeds, etc. are all believed to have medicinal value. Koreans eat rice as their staple food in their daily lives, along with several dishes. The staple food is rice mixed with millet, barley, soybeans, and adzuki beans.

Non-staple food mainly includes soup, miso soup, pickles, sauces, and foods made from meat, flat fish, vegetables, seaweed, etc. This way of eating can not only achieve a balanced intake of various foods, but also achieve the purpose of nutritional balance. Staple foods include rice, porridge, noodles, dumplings, rice cake soup, and sliced ??soup. Non-staple foods include miso soup, barbecue, soy sauce meat, fried meat, wild vegetables, vegetables, soy sauce fish, dried fish, pickles, stews, hot pot, pickles, etc. In addition to these daily meals, Korean food also includes various pastries, snacks, tea, wine, etc. and various fermented foods. Food recommendation: Kimchi, one of Korea’s representative kimchi, is an essential fermented food on the Korean table. Nowadays, people pay attention to the health of their diet. Kimchi has become a popular diet not only in Korea but also in many other countries. The most widely known kimchi is spicy cabbage made from red peppers, but there are actually dozens of varieties. In addition, there are various dishes such as sauerkraut soup, sauerkraut pancakes, and sauerkraut fried rice. Bibimbap and kimchi are listed as Korea's representative foods. As the highest traditional Korean diet, stir-fried meat and various vegetables are mixed on white rice and eaten with chili sauce or seasonings. Not only is it delicious and healthy, it is also simple to make and convenient to eat, making it the best meal on the plane. There are many famous snack bars in Jeonju, the hometown of bibimbap, and there are also many famous restaurants in Seoul. Dumplings and dumpling soup are Korean people's favorite delicacy in the cold winter. A bowl of it will warm your heart. Put a few large dumplings stuffed with meat and vegetables in the soup and boil them to make dumpling soup. It is usually served with pancakes and is often eaten during the Spring Festival. Recently, in addition to pork or beef steamed bun fillings, dumpling soup made with pheasant is also delicious, and the dumpling wrappers can be made pink or yellow with vegetables. Dumpling soup is eaten the most all year round, especially in winter. It is more delicious when eaten with pickles. A bowl usually costs 4,000~6,000 won, depending on the small shop. Carp bean cake Carp bean cake (carp bean cake) made from flour and adzuki beans in glutinous rice flour is also a street delicacy in winter. And because it is made of glutinous rice, it tastes delicious and cheap. You can buy it for 5 or 6 yuan for 2,000 won. In addition, there is a saying in Korea that people’s character can be judged by eating crucian carp and bean cakes. There are different opinions on whether to eat from the head or the tail. Roasted sweet potatoes and roasted chestnuts Autumn is the harvest season, but sweet potatoes are only planted in November, so you can eat sweet potatoes and chestnuts at the same time starting in late autumn. 2,000 won can buy three baked sweet potatoes. And roasted sweet potatoes have a purer and more delicious flavor than boiled or steamed sweet potatoes. It tastes better too. Chestnuts are not easy to ripen and need to be roasted for a long time. But it is delicious and cheap. You can buy a pack for about 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. Near Korea University

Fish Balls On a cold day, when the cool breeze blows, what everyone wants to eat most is steaming fish balls. Street stalls usually sell fish balls in skewers, so they are also called fish ball skewers. Form the crushed fish balls into fish balls and boil them in water. The clear soup made with radish, onion and kelp tastes better but is not very spicy. It is eaten with fried rice cakes in the cold winter and is especially popular with children and foreigners. A better way to eat it is to dip it in onion sauce. Recently, chili sauce is added to the soup to make a slightly spicy fish ball soup, which is also very delicious. A bunch costs 1,500 to 700 won, and is sold on the street in the cold winter months. Tteokbokki The most representative roadside snack in Korea is sweet and spicy Tteokbokki. Cut the cake into strips (long white strips, usually cooked in cake soup during Korean Spring Festival), make fried rice cakes, and eat them with fish balls and fried foods. It is a roadside snack that is loved by men, women and children. Especially in winter, eating it with hot fish ball soup will warm your whole body and fill your stomach. It is very popular among everyone. There are Tteokbokki stalls on the roadside where people gather, and there are also many stalls near Myeongdong and Jung-ro. It usually costs 2,500~3,000 won per person. If you eat fried rice cakes, you can drink fish ball soup for free.

Introduction to South Korea's traffic conditions

Arrivals and departures:

Airlines - Korean Air and Asiana Airlines in South Korea have nearly 50 routes around the world, with weekly About 600 flights arrive or depart from South Korea. It takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes from Shanghai to Seoul, and 2 hours from Beijing to Seoul.

In addition to China-U.S. routes, other international routes include: routes from Japan to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Nagoya; routes from North America to Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, and Honolulu; and routes to Southeast Asia and the Pacific to Taipei, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, and Singapore. ;Middle East routes to Jeddah, Bahrain, Tripoli; European routes to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Moscow and Rome.

Water transportation - South Korea and the United States have relatively developed maritime transportation, with passenger ships communicating with many countries, ranking 13th in the world. Busan Port and Incheon Port are South Korea's first and second largest international ports respectively. China is close to South Korea and can be reached within 24 hours by boat. Maritime routes between Incheon and Shanghai, Tianjin, Qinhuangdao, Dalian, Dandong, Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Rizhao and Lianyungang have also been opened with South Korea and China. There are ferries between Busan and Shimonoseki, Japan, every day except Saturdays. International Ferry Company and Korea Express Liners run between Nippon Tozan and Kobe.

Local transportation:

Railway - There are 14 railway routes from Seoul, the capital of South Korea, so Seoul is the hub for train travel in South Korea. There are five train stations in Seoul: Seoul Train Station is the most important train station and the starting point of the Gyeongbokgung Line connecting Seoul and Busan. The main train terminals from Seoul Station are Busan and Gyeongju. Trains from Yangcheong Station lead to famous tourist cities such as Gangwon, Gangneung, and Andong in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The train terminals at Yongsan Station are Mokpo and Cheonan. The main train terminals from Yeongpo Railway Station are Pyeongtaek, Suncheon, and Yeosu. Seongbuk Station, where the railway line runs through the Bukhan River, Chuncheon Station, Cheongpyeong Station, Gapyeong Station, and Gangchon Station are surrounded by many famous tourist attractions and resorts. The scenery along the way is beautiful. On weekends, many people use this route to travel to the suburbs of Seoul. In South Korea, ordinary railway tickets KR-PASS are provided to passengers, and the holders can take all trains in South Korea within a certain period of time.

Subway - The Seoul Subway sells small cards with a credit limit, which is more cost-effective if you ride a lot. The fixed-price card should be a fixed-price Korean subway ticket, which can be used 60 times in a month (the scope of use is limited, but as long as you don’t leave Seoul, it’s generally not a big problem). In addition, the subway designs at each transfer station in South Korea are different. Normally, the transfer time is only 10 minutes. But every station has auxiliary facilities, such as elevators.

South Korea - The long-distance bus hubs of the US highway are the capital Seoul and Busan. There are five long-distance bus terminals in Seoul: Express Bus Terminal, Central City Bus Terminal, East Seoul Bus Terminal, Nam Bus Terminal and Sangbong Bus Terminal. Among them, Seoul Express Passenger Terminal operates the Gyeongbokgung Line between Seoul and Busan, and the Donghae Line east of the Korean Peninsula. Next to the Central City Passenger Terminal, it operates the Hunan Line to Jeolla Road. They are available at Busan Comprehensive Passenger Terminal, East Busan Gyeongnam Passenger Terminal, and West Busan Passenger Terminal.

Taxi - Korean taxis are divided into two types according to color: black ones are model taxis, and white ones are ordinary taxis. There is also a large taxi that can accommodate 8 people at the same time in addition to the driver. Among them, the general taxi fare within 2 kilometers starts at 1,900 won, not calculated in kilometers, and increases by 100 won every 144 meters or 35 seconds. The price of a large taxi is the same as a model taxi, starting from 4,500 won for 3 kilometers and increasing by 200 won for every 164 meters or 39 seconds.

Car rental - If you rent a car in South Korea, it costs 59,000~460,000 won. Due to different regulations and terrain, visitors require a good level of driving skills. Generally speaking, you can rent a car if you meet the following conditions: have more than 1 year of driving experience/US driver's license for international drivers/over 21 years old/valid passport. In addition, hiring a driver is also a solution. If you want to hire a driver, you will need to pay for the driver's meals and accommodation. In Seoul, the cost of hiring a driver for 10 hours a day is about 150,000 to 510,000 won, including car rental.

South Korea Travel and Shopping

Korea has always been a shopping paradise for MM. Not only are there handsome guys and beauties to look up to, but there are also a dazzling array of fashion products to buy. Seoul is a stimulating place with the greatest desire to shop.

Duty-free shops, Dongdaemun, Myeongdong, and Shinsegae Department Store are all charming, and each place will make you a true shopaholic. Korean ginseng: There are 6 to 7 kinds of ginseng in the world. The most common ginseng on the market is Korean ginseng cultivated in Northeast Asia such as South Korea. American ginseng and Canadian American ginseng; Panax notoginseng is produced in China and Guangxi. Among them, Korean ginseng has a similar appearance to the human body and can be divided into American ginseng and Panax notoginseng. All ginseng grown in Korea is called Korean ginseng. Korean ginseng is a perennial semi-shady perennial grass (perennial grass: the plant withers and dies in winter, and only the roots remain to reproduce in spring). After sowing, it takes about 4 to 6 years to mature. In particular, natural environments such as climate, sunlight, and soil are very important. Only with these conditions can excellent ginseng be cultivated. Korean ginseng is known as a cure-all for all diseases and has superior medical effects than other ginseng. Electronic products: Various small shops selling mobile phones, home appliances, computer-related spare parts and other products are emerging in endlessly. And the price is cheaper than the normal market price, and the competition is fierce. A pricing system centered on large stores leaves customers no risk of being cheated. And the prices are different every day, and the prices of discounted products in each store will also change accordingly. So, by shopping around, you can buy your favorite products at low prices. In addition, the latest electronic products on the market will also appear here as soon as possible, and you can choose your destination based on the different characteristics of the two places. Among them, TechnoMart is a comprehensive shopping mall integrating various commodities and fashion. On the contrary, Longshan Electronics Commercial Street only deals in electronic products, which are large and miscellaneous, so the prices are low. Hanbok: Hanbok, the traditional Korean clothing and windbreaker popular in France, best represents the color and culture of Korea. The price of Hanbok varies greatly depending on the brand, fabric, design, embroidery, and various decorations. The price of ordinary women's Hanbok skirts and tops starts at 150,000 yuan. Men's hanbok consists of pants, tops, vests and jackets. When buying at the same time, it is usually around 150,000 to 300,000 won. Within this basic price, there are varying degrees of price increase depending on the fabric and embroidery. However, Korean hanbok for kids is cheap and popular. Jewelry: Korean jewelry can be said to have various styles, leading fashion, high quality and low price! Especially our domestic style is unique and exquisite, which can be described as beautiful! Jewelry shopping in South Korea was mainly for middle-aged and elderly people who were once rich and expensive. It has developed into a popular trend among young and middle-aged people who are simple, sophisticated, economical and diverse. And the sales area can be roughly divided into three places: department stores represented by miniGOLD and LLOYD, low-price jewelry stores and retail stores, and wholesalers streets specially prepared for newlyweds. Department stores: the safest and most reliable quality assurance, with various high-end jewelry brand stores densely packed, providing free space for consumers who like brands and value quality assurance. But in terms of style type, level and satisfaction, Wholesale Street is more advanced. Retail stores: Retail stores can be divided into Lloyd's and miniGOLD American jewelry stores and individual retail stores. As a large franchise store, Lloyd and miniGOLD are large enterprises, so quality assurance is certain. There are various styles, mostly suitable for the needs of young people. In addition, the quality assurance of jewelry stores in living areas is similar to that of wholesale merchants, and the main consumer group is middle-aged people. The Gangnam area, centered on Cheongdam-dong and O-O Hall, is a local jewelry wholesale street with high jewelry prices and high quality assurance. Dozens of small shops on large shopping streets sell various types of jewelry. Because it has a variety of shops gathered together, it is far ahead in terms of design and fashion. Quality assurance is generally trustworthy, but when buying high-end jewelry, department store quality assurance is more reliable.

Notes on traveling in South Korea

1. Shopping skills

Tax refund: If you shop in a shopping mall marked with tax-free shopping. You must leave the country within 3 months from the date of purchase and purchase goods above a certain amount (minimum purchase price).

1. When shopping at a store marked with the Global Tax Refund Tax-Free Shopping logo, receive a tax-free shopping invoice (Global Tax Refund Check).

2. If you plan to check the purchased goods, do not check your luggage and purchased goods at the airport when leaving the country. Instead, present the invoice and goods to the customs and stamp the confirmation stamp.

If the purchased items are too large to be checked in, you can bring the purchase invoice to the oversized baggage check-in counter in front of counters D and J to go through the relevant procedures before changing your boarding pass. Please refer to the picture below for the specific location. If you plan to take the purchased goods as carry-on luggage on the plane, you can get a confirmation stamp at the customs declaration office. Please refer to the picture below for the specific location. For more information, please visit the Incheon International Airport website www.airport.or.kr

3. Present the invoice at the cash tax refund window next to Gate 28 of the airport and refund the VAT on the purchased goods in cash. lump sum. If you are unable to get a tax refund due to time constraints, if you show the airport certificate, you can get a tax refund stamped and confirmed at the domestic exchange office after returning to the country.

Second, transportation

Ordinary buses cost 600 won, a section of the subway costs 600 won, regular taxis cost 1,900 won, and model taxis cost 4,000 won.

Third, food

Korean food in ordinary restaurants costs 5,000-6,000 won, while McDonald’s Big Mac is worth 3,900 won.

Four. Accommodation

Super hotels (150,000 won~), tourist hotels (80,000 won~150,000 won), hotels (20,000 won~50,000 won) and residences (20,000 won~40,000 won) .

verb (abbreviation of verb) other people

Domestic cigarettes cost 1,300~2,000 won, tickets to the ancient palace/national museum are less than 3,000 won, movie tickets are 7,000 won, and coffee in cafes is 3,000- 5,000 won, supermarket ice cream 500 won, mineral water (500cc) 500-600 won, paper towels 500 won.

Intransitive verb customs and taboos

If you visit a Korean friend’s house, you should know Korean habits, such as when pouring wine, hold the bottle in one hand and the other in the other hand. Hold your arms; respect the host's dish, accept it the first time or twice, and accept it the third time; it is impolite to refuse someone else's toast. If you can, there is still a little wine left in the glass. Koreans forgive drunk people; you don't have to eat the dishes on the plate cleanly, otherwise it will be disrespectful to the host; you don't have to smoke or wear sunglasses when elders are present. Use both hands when accepting items, don't. Don't open gifts in person. Koreans prefer odd numbers to even numbers. Use white gift bags instead of red ones, etc.

Travel and Entertainment Activities in South Korea

The various festivals and traditional ceremonies held throughout South Korea are particularly eye-catching and worth a visit. The unique style of dance, music, and technology is dazzling. The main cultural and tourist festivals include: Snowflake Festival, Martial Arts Festival, Porcelain Festival, Costume Festival, Matsutake Festival, Food Festival, etc. Gangneung Dragon Boat Festival (from March 20th on the lunar calendar to toast the gods and end on May 6th) Location: Gangneung Gangnam Dragon Boat Festival, etc. History: Traditional Korean celebrations held on Dragon Boat Festival, based on the sacrifice of Daegwallyeong Seonghuang. Activities: In addition to folk games and performances, such as masquerade, swing, wheel throwing, etc. There are also experiential activities for visitors to participate in, such as learning to sing and making masks during the Dragon Boat Festival. Like Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most important festivals in South Korea. On this day, people dress up and go out. Sacrifice during the Dragon Boat Festival also means praying for a good agricultural harvest. Daelyeong Snowflake Festival (1.26~1.30) is held in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province. Government activities include large-scale ornamental sculptures, snow sculpture competitions, traditional sleigh races, Huang Shoushan hunting, ski competitions, winter fitness naked long-distance running, etc. The Chungcheongju World Martial Arts Festival (09.30~10.08) will be held at Geumgeumdae Martial Arts Theme Park in Chigeumdong, Chungcheongbuk-do. Activities include traditional martial arts performances, outstanding martial arts program displays, free martial arts sparring, martial arts learning activities, children's American martial arts summer camp and decathlon. Icheon Ceramics Festival (9.23~10.8) is held in Icheon, Korea's first ceramic village. This is a festival of earth and fire, where visitors can purchase traditional and modern ceramic works by more than 100 famous ceramic artists at prices ranging from 30 to 50. There will be various exhibitions, ceramic teaching classes for tourists, a Grand Prix themed for my ceramic products and other activities will be held simultaneously.

Anton International Masquerade (10.6~10.15) Location: Anton Activity content: Appreciate local culture, oil sand chariots, masked dances back to the river and other colorful folk art activities. Xiangyang Matsutake Festival (September-October) Location: Xiangyang County Event content: Matsutake mushrooms, which grow at the roots of alpine pine trees, are famous in South Korea and Japan for their delicious taste and rich nutrition. There are various activities such as a matsutake model exhibition, a matsutake competition, a matsutake direct sales event, a snack street, a cooking competition, and a traditional Korean music recital. Nakshi will hold the Namdo Food Festival (10.18~10.23); Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do. Called the largest food culture festival in South Korea, it will host cultural activities such as Korean traditional food streets, South Island music performances, and traditional weddings.

Namil Island Namil Island is located in Bangha-ri, Namsan Mountain, Chuncheon, South Korea. It was not an island at first, but due to the construction of Cheongpyeong Reservoir to store water, an island was formed on the Bukhan River. Namil Island, located in Gangwon-do, South Korea, is the filming location for many TV series such as "Winter Sonata" and has unique and beautiful scenery. Fangyuan Island is about 6 kilometers long and covers an area of ??more than 130,000 square meters. There is a grassland covering an area of ??more than 80,000 square meters in the center of the island, and lush chestnut and poplar trees grow like a screen around the island. This is an excellent walk. In the United States in the 1950s and 1960s, due to economic growth and urban development, Cheonggyecheon was once covered as an culvert, and the water quality of Cheonggyecheon became poor due to the discharge of wastewater. In the 1970s, an elevated road was built above Cheonggyecheon Stream. Beginning in July 2003, driven by Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak, the restoration project not only demolished the Cheonggye Elevated Road, but also re-excavated the river, beautified and watered the river, planted various plants, and collected and built a number of Different bridges across the river. Restore the Guangtong Bridge and mix the piers of the old Guangtong Bridge into a modern bridge for reconstruction. Build a river bed to prevent the Qingxi River water from draining away easily. During the dry season, water from the Han River will be used to irrigate the Qingxi River, allowing the Qingxi River to flow all year round. The water quality will be kept clean through two pipelines, clean water and sewage. The project cost 900 billion won and was completed in September 2005. Cheonggyecheon Stream has now become a resting place in the center of Seoul. Gyeongbokgung Palace Gyeongbokgung Palace was one of the five major palaces in Seoul, South Korea (formerly known as Seoul) during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), and was also the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty. It covers an area of ??126,000 square meters (57.75 hectares) and consists of 330 buildings with a total of 5,792 rooms (one room with four pillars in ancient times). It is the palace of the new dynasty built by the ancestor of the Joseon Dynasty, Lee Mooseonggui (reigned from 1392 to 1398), when he moved the capital to Goryeo in the 28th year of Hongwu of Joseon (1395). It is 500 years old. Gyeongbokgung Palace is based on the ancient Chinese "Book of Songs". Because it is located in the north of Seoul, it is also called Bukjak. The Blue House, the official residence of the President of South Korea, is located at No. 1, Sejong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Blue House was originally the palace of the Goryeo Dynasty. After the Joseon Dynasty established its capital in Seoul (Seoul) in 1426, as the back garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace, some buildings such as Yongwudang, Cheongnongjae, and martial arts training grounds were built, and a piece of farmland belonging to the king was opened up.