The respected Comrade
"In the future, too, we should develop traditional music, dance and fine arts of a strong national character, promote national sports including Taekwon-Do and ssirum (Korean wrestling–Tr.) and encourage people to play such folk games as yut and top-spinning."
Yut-game, a popular game that has a long history and is enjoyed by Koreans of all ages and both sexes, is associated with the creative wisdom and talent of Korean nation who applied the law of movements and changes of the whole universe to the game.
It is an interesting game in which the players compete for passing the routes more quickly, such as winter solstice, summer solstice, spring equinox and autumnal equinox, which are reflected with four seasons in Korea, using yut board and sticks.
Circular patterns and edged secant lines on the board are thought to symbolize the sky and the earth from an idea that the former is round and the latter square, and the sticks to be made after the sky and the earth because they are round and square.
It can be found in old documents that the patterns on the board were made after movements and changes of the celestial sphere.
A phrase in the poem recited by Ri Saek in praise for the scene of yut-game, who lived in the 14th century, says that a point called Pang on the board is centred with 28 points nearby, which helps people know that there was the yut-board with 29 points in the days of Koryo.
According to the records, there are 28 points with a central point Pang as centre on yut-board, which indicates a constellation.
As for this, "Chunggyongji", written by Kim Mun Phyo in the 16th century, says figuratively that the central part of the board is the North Star and other 28 points are moves and explains that the shortest route to the termination symbolizes winter solstice, the farthest coming-round route summer solstice, and the half coming-round route spring equinox and autumnal equinox.
This shows that 28 moves were named after dividing the celestial bodies around the ecliptic and the equator into 28 constellations.
"Ojuyonmunjangjonsango", written by Ri Ku Gyong in the mid-19th century, says that the central point on the board symbolizes the North Star and those nearby seven constellations in four spaces, which means that four spaces are run by seven constellations.
From olden times, Koreans applied such 28 moves to the patterns on the yut-board which helped people understand the astronomical knowledge while enjoying the game.
In detail, a circular frame is divided into four spaces with seven constellations in every space and these constellations are placed with the North Star as centre, showing 29 constellations in all. Reflecting four seasons of the country, seven constellations are made the fastest coming-round route called winter solstice, the farthest coming-round route summer solstice and the half coming-round route spring equinox and autumnal equinox to enjoy the game.
Yut-game was invented in ancient times and traditionally handed down to posterity among Koreans.
Titles of ancient Puyo reflected on the game board shows that yut-game has a long history, while yut-board patterns carved on the rock in front of the tomb No.3319 at the second capital of Koguryo in the middle age, yut-board patterns carved at the bottom of Manwoltae, the palace site of Koryo and pictures of yut-game in the days of feudal Joson dynasty proves that this game has been inherited and developed historically.
In this way, Koreans made yut-board and enjoyed it competing with each other for knowledge and wisdom on the basis of profound knowledge about a celestial body.
Today, excellent folk traditions of Korean people have been inherited and developed in the DPRK under the wise leadership of the respected Comrade
