The Road of the Rock-Carrying Skirts

Haengju-ro winds near Haengjusanseong Fortress in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, overlooking the Han River. It is the site of the Battle of Haengju (1593), one of the three greatest Korean victories during the Imjin War against Japanese invasions.

The historical context of the battle was desperate. General Gwon Yul, commanding an ad-hoc force of about 2,300 regular soldiers, warrior monks, and civilian militia, established a defensive camp at this earthen fortress with his back to the river. Surrounding them was a highly trained Japanese army outnumbering them 15 to 1—over 30,000 troops.

Against overwhelming odds, the Korean defenders utilized advanced gunpowder weaponry, including the Hwacha (a multi-rocket launcher) and Singijeon (exploding arrows), to repel nine massive assaults. As the fighting dragged on, the defenders began to run out of arrows and stones. According to popular legend, it was the women of the fortress who turned the tide. They cut their long skirts to make them shorter and tied them like aprons, using the folds to carry heavy rocks continuously up the hill to supply the soldiers.

The rocks rained down on the attackers, and the Japanese army ultimately retreated with heavy casualties. To this day, a common Korean apron is called a "Haengju-chima" (Haengju skirt) in cultural memory of these women. (While linguists note the word likely existed before the war, the legend's endurance speaks to the immense civilian sacrifice involved.)

Today, visitors driving along Haengju-ro can visit the memorial shrine of General Gwon Yul. The road is also famous locally for its cluster of restaurants serving grilled eel and hearty bowls of banquet noodles (jeanchi guksu) to weekend hikers.