만경강유역 수리지역의 수리관행과 농촌 = Irrigation Practices and Rural Settlements on the Mangyoung River Valley

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Mangyoung river valley, the main research area of this study, plays a great role in rice production in Korea. This river is one of the major rivers in JeonBuk province. It comprise the irrigated areas on the three goons (county) and two cities, such as, Wanju, Iksan, Okku goon and Iri, Kunsan city. This valley consists of two different areas which have each different characteristics on the irrigation practices and rural settlements. I could divide the region into two different areas according to those characteristics; traditional area and new land reclaimed area. I mean traditional area is a plain that is located in the Bongdong myon, Wanju goon, beside the upper part of river and new land-reclaimed one is a plain that is located at the tidal marshes along the shore, Okku goon. The purpose of this study is to distinguish the regional characteristics on the irrigation practices and rural settlements between these two regions. I studied this subject through field survey and reference materials on this area. I get twice field survey at the summer vacation in 1974 and 1975. At field survey I collected many informations from elders through interview. As a result of this study I could have following conclusions.
(1) Mangyoung river has three headworks (weirs and regulation gates) on its bank. Through these headworks supply water to rice paddies on the plain. After Japanese occupation period, JeonBuk irrigation association was established on this area. From that time on, it controlled all the irrigation works, facilities and water-supplying problems. This association use the river as a main source of water and the river supplied the average water through the year from three reservoirs among mountains in the upper part of the river. This association originated for the purpose of supplying water to the reclaimed land along the shore.
(2) Traditional irrigation area This area is known as a famous rice producing area since ancient times and farmers constructed weirs and regulation gates on the bank of Gosan chun (stream), Through it water flow into little brooks and streams and use it as a canal flowing down water to the lower region. At the construction time they use Durae, a kind of compulsory common working systems in the village. They used construction materials available in the near area. Because Koreans did not develope feudalism in the country, real irrigation practices are molded by each rural community. After breakdown the compulsory common working systems, developed a kind of mutual-aid society and exchange-working power system between farmers in the village.
(3) Each village holds a common administration & maintenance body for the irrigation facilities of their village. Supplying water to rice paddy they have old fashioned pumping tools, Young doo-le and Gutdoo-le. But nowadays it changed into pumping engine. Convenience and right of irrigation make some kind of hierarchial status between villages in this area.
(4) The developement of the village are depend on the brooks and streams because of drinking water available. Villages are agglomerated one. The villages which consists of same tribe has been formed along the bank of Gosan chun. We can find out a special land use for ginger. Ginger planting regions are scattered in the midst of rice paddies. It contribute to many aspect of economic life of here and influence to the housing types in this region, especially the attached building for storing ginger.
(5) There was broad tidal marshes along the shore, Okku goon. Tidal marshes are deposited fine sediments from Kum river and Mangyoung river. This region have been reclaimed by Japanese Farming Company and have been migrated Japanese farmers.
Japanese irrigation practices have influence on the Korean rural villages on this area, All the things concerning irrigation are conducted by irrigation association, but have a typical working practices and water supplying method to the rice paddy. Electric motar and centrifugal pumps established on the bank of ditches. These pumping facilities has three kinds of methods: first, private-owned facilities, second, association-owned facilities, third, village owned facilities. The most common method is village owned one. They make a maintenance body in the village.
(6) Working practices are very typical one at transplanting period. At that time the highest supply of working power will be need, but working power are limited because of surplus power working do not flow in from the other place. They extend their working hour from morning till night, about 20-22 hours in a day. Women working hands are very welcomed by most land owners. Canals and ditches attracted the location of village because of drinking water. Most of new developed-villages are located along the canal line consisting 5 or 6 houses in a village.