Have Ancestors Picked Yeongjong Island as Airport?
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
It just might be that the ancestors predicted that Yeongjong Island would be a site suitable for an airport.
When looking at the names of places near Yeongjong Island, where the Incheon International Airport was set up in 2001, it seems that the region was destined to become an airport.
Yeongjong Island's previous name was Jayeon Island, according to geography books of the Goryeo and Joseon kingdoms. ``Ja'' means the color violet, while ``yeon'' means swallow, it is said that the island got the name because a great number of swallows inhabited the area.
The name was changed to Yeongjong during the reign of King Hyojong in Joseon Kingdom (1649-1659). ``Yeong'' means long, and ``jong'' means floor.
So, Yeongjong, ``long floor,'' can be interpreted in recent times as an airport runway, and swallows indicate airplanes.
These are not the only names that remind people of images about airports or flying. Eung Island, north of Yeongjong Island, was once called Mae Island. ``Mae'' means hawk, symbolizing aircraft. On Yeongong Island is a village called ``Janjari,'' another word for ``jamjari,'' dragonfly.
Another village is called Geumseung, which means ``iron fly'' _ a plane. Yongyu Island near Yeongjong Island, means that a dragon is going on an outing and is ascending to heaven, this indicates, ``takeoff.''
In 1995, a researcher for the theory of divination based on topography examined the region and he said Yeongjong Island was a site blessed by the nature, ideal ground for an airport.
Now on the runways of Incheon airport, various kinds of passenger jets and cargo flights take off and land, day and night, instead of hawks, dragonflies, iron flies and dragons.
There is one more thing that flies _ pilots call themselves ``migratory birds,'' as they come and go on the air routes.