I just love to go to the homepage of the different counties. They each have their own identities created uniquely in their own special styles. But what I love best are the little symbols that are representative of the respective counties – the county flag, the county mascot, the county flower, the county tree and the county bird.
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Bonghwa where we are going next has chosen the Mountain magpie as the County bird. The magpie symbolizes a good omen, and displays the progressive spirit and possibilities of the county’s residents. The County tree is the Chunyangmok, a pine tree that stands solid and straight in spite of its long life, and symbolizes the powerful spirit and patience of the county residents. Whereas the County flower is the Mountain magnolia which is widely found in the whole county blooming from May – August. The flower is white symbolizing innocence and the good nature of the county residents.
How thoughtful of them, the home page has listed the different types of accommodation that is available in Bonghwa including a description of the different kinds of Korean food. I wish all the other counties could do that too especially the description of the local cuisine. It would be a great help in that we won’t order the wrong type of food and thus no wastage.
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| Bonghwa Seonju: A liquor matured with medical herbs such as okapi, pine leaves and cinnamon etc. as well as good rice, Korean barley and clean water from the upper stream of Nakdonggang (river). Traditional home-brewed liquor that the natural taste, fragrance and color are kept. Bonghwa Mountain Meoruju (wild grapes wine): made by fermenting and maturing wild grapes raised at the edge of Sobaek Mountain, high-level fruit wine that has sweet taste and fragrance as it is. It was appointed to one of the world 100 high quality liquors. Oksusu Yeotsul (corn liquor): corn liquor made by secret method succeeded in folk town. It has pure taste. Bonghwa Sansong-I Dolsotbap (pine mushroom rice boiled with vegetables): rice and other crops boiled in beef soup with pine mushroom at the end of the cooking course. Pine mushroom has rich ingredient and great effect on preventing cancer, adult disease and hangover. You can enjoy subtle fragrance of pine mushroom. Song-I Bulgogi (beef roasted with pine mushroom): mix Korean beef, sources, and vegetables and put it on the hot pan. When it is cooked, put pine mushroom on it. Song-I Yukhoi (raw beef with pine mushroom): put pine mushroom and pear around a dish, and seasoned raw beef at the center. It is fresh and fragrance without the smell of fat of meat. Hanyak Yaksu Dakbaeksuk (chicken boiled with herbs and mineral water): Bongseong Dwaeji sutbulgui(charcoal-broiled pork): Slice sow meat thick and roast on pine charcoal. It is plain and stringy with pine fragrance. It has abundant vitamin, calcium, and protein. As being roasted on pine charcoal, terpene ingredient is penetrated in it and it is good to prevent adult disease. Hanyakwu Sutbulgui (charcoal-broiled herbal beef): sirloin and rib are cooked with charcoal. To make Bulgogi, season the meat with a lot of paprika and cook it in a stone bowl. Compared to general Korean beef, it is mild and has no fatty smell because of the high protein content. Euneo Hobanglipssamgui (roasted sweet fish wrapped with vegetable): put grill on pine charcoal and roast sweetfish to be yellowish. It has less fishy smell and tastes plain. Euneo Sollipgui (sweetfish roasted with pine leaves): roasted sweetfish with pine leaves on it. Enjoy with sour soy source or mustard source. The pine leaves add sweet fragrance to the dish. Cheongdungori Hanbangbaeksuk (Mallard duck boiled with medical herbs): |
Bonghwa is mountainous land and the most famous mountain of all to be found in Bonghwa is the Cheongnyang Mountain. Bonghwa with a population of 50,000 is made up of 1 eup and 9 myeons and is “a place of manners with a scholarly spirit and beautiful mountains” so it says on the homepage. It meets Uljin-gun and Youngyang-gun to the east, Youngju-si to the west, Andong-si to the south, and Youngwol-gun/Taebaek-si/Samcheok-si of Gwangwon-do to the north. The northern borderline is where the Sobaeksanmaek (mountains) are separated from the Taebaek Mountainmaek (mountains).
The much celebrated Mount Cheongnyang, well-known for its beauty, is located not far from Andong’s Dosanseodang.
In volume three of his popular cultural travelogue ‘My Exploration of Cultural Heritage,’ Prof. Yu Hong-june, said: "The climax of the Gyeongsangbuk-do course is Mt. Cheongnyangsan but I will not write about it for fear of it becoming too well known."
But despite the efforts of some people to keep the mountain a secret, Cheongnyangsan is no longer a well-kept secret. In 1982 it was designated a provincial park of Gyeongsangbuk-do, known as the Mt. Cheongnyangsan Provincial Park. Fortunately, despite its reputation, not many people visit the mountain. It is in rugged territory, very much off the beaten track and as such is not easily accessible. As a result, Cheongnyangsan is still clean and beautiful.
Going down to Andong on the national road no.35 via Myeongho-myeon, you can get to Mt Cheongnyangsan. Balanced with high rock peaks and strange-shaped rock cliffs, it used to be known as Sogeumgang because of the beautiful scenery. Mt Cheongnyangsan is a noted mountain that stands 870m high. The Nakdonggang river which originates from the Taebaek Mountain flows around it. There is an old site where there used to be 27 temples and monk’s cells in the mountain.
In the olden days, Mt. Cheongnyangsan Provincial Park was the place where many famous high priests and scholars resided. At Mt. Cheongnyangsan, the Giam cliff forms 12 peaks and the Nakdonggang River flows through it. On this mountain stands the Cheongnyangsa Temple. Behind the Provincial Park’s boulder is a monument with a poem inscribed on it by the famous scholar Toegye I Hwang of the Joseon Period called Cheongnyangsanga.
The “Cheongnyangsanga or the Song of Mt. Cheongnyang.” When translated goes something like this:-
“The wild white goose and I know the beautiful peaks of Mt.Cheongnyang.
The wild white goose would not deceive me:
However, I can’t believe in the peach flower.
Peach flower; don’t fall in the water,
I worry the fisherman will come to know this place by following the floating flowers.”
So it looks like Prof. Yu Hong-june was not the only person who did not want to share the beauty of this place with others. Even this great Confucian scholar, Toegye I Hwang wanted to enjoy this beautiful place all to himself. When Toegye was planning to build Dosanseodang, a school for the teachings of Confucianism, he had a tough time deciding on whether to build it there at Mt. Cheongnyangsan, or at the alternate spot, where it was eventually built, on a last minute decision.
Besides Toegye I Hwang, Won-Hyo and Ui-Sang, the Buddhist monks, Gim-Saeng, a master of calligraphy, Chi-won Choi, a scholar, many others came to this mountain to cultivate their arts. Their presence still lingers on in legends, being retold to this day.
Osandang is believed to have been built by the disciples of Toegye at the spot where Toegye conferred with literary men, and is one of many relics found here, amongst them the Mt. Cheongnyangsan Castle, which is believed to have been built by King Gongmin of the Goryeo Period, to escape the rebellions from the peasantry.
The Cheongnyangsa Temple is located at the foot of Yeonhwabong Peak, which is in Mt. Cheongnyangsan Provincial Park. It is a 1000-year-old temple founded by the monks Wonhyo and Uisang in the year 663 A.D. It is quite difficult to reach Cheongnyangsa Temple; the path to the summit is very steep.
It is only at the final hundred meters or so to the temple gate that the path is widened and paved with wooden planks across it. Yet, despite its lack in architectural grandeur, it remains a very tranquil place where you can feel the presence of Buddha. The Cheongnyangsa Temple commands some of the best scenery in all Korea. It’s just too spectacular for words. The best spot to get the best view is in front of the Yuri Sanctuary at this temple.
A few hundred meters below the temple is Cheongnyang Jeongsa, a small retreat used by scholars for study and meditation in solitude. Above that is the Gimsaenggul, a shallow cave about ten minutes away from the temple, named after the famous Shilla Dynasty calligrapher Gim Saeng who is said to have practiced his writing there a thousand years ago. The Gimsaenggul cave is situated at the bottom of a large rock, making it an especially good cave to live in. Gim Saeng had lived in the cave for seven years, when, proud of himself for having stayed so long, he prepared to descend from the mountain. But as he was setting out, a maiden appeared and challenged him to a calligraphy contest. Gim Saeng lost. So he unpacked his belongings and went back to the cave and stayed until he had been there a full ten years.
Several trails start from the Mt. Cheongnyangsan Provincial park's main valley road. Major trails are marked by signs, but many of the tiny trails above the temple are not. Most of the trails up to the temple are steep and difficult, but the easiest and most pleasant one is the Ipseok trail, which heads around the side of the hill near Cheongnyangsa. The trail splits into two directions, the upper trail going up to the cave while the lower trail goes to the temple.
It is well known that Toegye, dearly loved the mountain. He first came to know it when at the age of 15, he came to study under his uncle at Osandang, near Cheongnyangsa Temple. After leaving the area he continued to come back and even when he was old and sick, he would be carried piggyback to the mountain by one of his students.
Cheongnyangsan is the setting for some famous stories about famous people. Ungjinjeon, a small hermitage where Monk Wonhyo stayed for ascetic training, sits on the shelf of a rocky cliff. Deep in autumn when the cliff is covered with colorful autumn leaves, people stop in their tracks and spend a long time just looking at it.
Cheongnyangsa Temple is currently a very small temple, but it is believed to have been very large at one point in time. There used to be 33 pavilions but due to political measures to abolish all temples in the country, during the Joseon Period, only the Cheongnyangsa Yuribojeon (a regional cultural asset) and Eungjinjeon, the annexed building remain today. Among the 12 summits forming flower petals, the Cheongnyang Temple is located right in the center as if it were the pistil. It is hard to find a temple more harmonized with nature as seen from afar than the Cheongnyang Temple. The calligraphy tablet of Yuri Sanctuary is written by King Gongmin himself when he hid in the temple, during the invasion of China in the Goryeo Period.
Just before the front entrance to the temple grounds, there is a small tea house called "When the wind meets sound." Some time back, a small concert was held at the teahouse. Several musicians and artists are known to have come regularly to the mountain to clear their heads. Over time they have come to know the monks at the temple and would sit down with them for rounds of song. When this became known in Seoul, the idea of a small concert was born. The event came as a surprise for those climbing the mountain at the time and left a deep impression on them. The Mountain Temple Music Concert which was initiated by the Cheongryang Temple and transmitted to all temples in Korea, is usually held on an autumn evening, a huge music concert where 6000 -7000 come to visit every year.
Art Nakdong River located at Myeongho-myeon, Bonghwa-gun, is where you can experience water rafting, whilst enjoying the beautiful natural view of the Cheongnyang Mountain Provincial Park. Nakdong River Rafting starts from where the upstream of Nakdong River and Ungok Stream meets. Nakdong River Rafting is available not only in summer, but also in spring and autumn
There are a few other temples in Bonghwa but I shall only tell you about the Chukseosa Temple in Gaedan-ri, Mulya-myeon as we do not have time to visit them all. This temple was built in 673 A.D by the great Buddhist monk, Uisangdaesa. Most buildings were destroyed by fire during the Korean War, and Daewungjeon and Yosachae are the only ones remaining today. There are two treasures to be found here at the Chukseosa Temple.
Dakshil Ma-eul village is a historic site of the Joseon Dynasty, where the Cheongamjeong and Seokcheonjeong are well preserved. Lee Jung-Hwan, a realist during the Joseon Dynasty admired this area as a place for the prominent and fine views of Korea which can be seen in the Taekriji (a book).
Bonghwa has some very beautiful valleys and mountains.
The Seokcheon Gyegok valley is wide, shallow, and surrounded by thick pine forests. Broad, flat rocks are scattered throughout, and the valley is a great place for children to play. Next to the valley, you will also find the Seokcheonjeong Pavilion, which was built in 1535 during the Joseon period. This pavilion, made up of Bonghwa red pine trees called Chunyangmok, (the county tree) offers a great view of the nearby scenic mountain.
The Cheongoksan Recreational Forest is surrounded by 100-year-old pine trees, together with younger pines and larches. On Mt. Cheongoksan (1,276m in elevation) in the Taebaek Mountain range, you can see the trees standing tall amidst the majestic rock formations. In spring, beautiful wild flowers blossom throughout the forest, magnolias (the county flower) in particular, bloom within the valley. Cheongoksan Recreational Forest features a variety of facilities such as a nearby water park, a children’s playground, a fitness center, a campsite and an outdoor lecture field.
There are lots of virgin forests and deep valleys in the Baekcheok Gyegok valley located right on the edge of Mt.Cheongoksan. As it is being surrounded by high mountains such as the Yeokhwabong, the Cheongoksan, and the Jorokbawibong, as well as Mt.Taebaek, the water is clean and very cold. Here you will be able to see the Manchurian trout which live in the clean, fresh water streams.
The Samijeong Gyegok valley in Socheon-ri, Beopjeon-myeon, is a Y-shaped valley between Mt. Taebaek and Mt. Sobaek. It has beautiful views of pine forests and wide rocks. Here too you will be able to see an abundance of fresh-water fish living in the streams.
Some of the famous mountains in Bonghwa include the Cheongoksan, the Taebaek, the Seondalsan, the Munsu, the Okseok and the Guryong. The Taebaek Mountain is known as Youngsan or spiritual mountain. The sunrise here is spectacular.
Seondalsan at 1,236m, belongs to the Sobaeksanmaek mountain range and is known as Seondal Mountain. It is surrounded by Bonghwang Mountain to the south, Hyeongjebong of Hoiam Mountain and Sobaek Mountain to the west, and Yebaebong of Munsu Mountain and Man Mountain to the east and south.
Munsu Mountain is the guardian mountain of Bonghwa and stands 1,205.6m above sea level.
The Dadeok mineral water resort (carbonic mineral water) is located at the side of the national road no.36. It is located under the Seumeunamu (tree) at Yesan, lots of people who drank it were favored. So it was called DadeokYaksu (mineral water). Agricultural products cultivated by nonpolluting methods are sold here, and the market is very popular among visitors.
Okseok Mountain, at 1,242m is located 14km to the north of Bonghwa. According to Cheonbugyeong and Samilshingo, Hwanin (God) dropped by here when looking around the world and called it Okdolbong because of its jade and beautiful views. Okseok Mountain is the watershed of the Nakdong River flowing to the south and the Namhan River flowing to the north.
Guryong Mountain at1345.7m was named as Guryongsan because of a dragon that flew in the sky. According to legend a woman carrying a water jar saw the dragon and pulled down its tail, and the dragon became a snake. It is located at the point where the Sobaeksanmaek mountain range is forked from the Taebaek Mountain Range with Taebaek Mountain, Cheongoksan, Gakhwasan, and Okseoksan.
The Bonghwa Chunyangmok Pine Mushrooms Festival is held in September every year at the Bonghwa-eup sports park, the whole place at Song-I Mountain, the Chunyangmok community. You may have noticed that Bonghwa pine mushrooms are used a lot in the local cuisine. Well Bonghwa happens to be the home of pine mushrooms. And that is reason enough to hold a festival where one can enjoy the taste and fragrance of the pine mushrooms, the jewels of the forest.
The Bonghwa Euneo (sweet fish) Festival is held at the Bonghwa sports park, Naeseongcheon. Some of the activities include a sweet fish fishing experience, a sweet fish roasting experience, a night fishing experience, under-water races, water rafting, cycling, horse-riding, healthy walking competition and a bus tour to explore the cultural heritage in the region.. There will also be performances like the Provincial national classical music group, the Gyeongbuk Wind Ensemble performance and residents singing contest etc.
Some of the activities include a watermelon contest, a watermelon eating tournament, holding watermelon in hand for long time, dribbling a ball while holding a watermelon, instant singing contest, an Exhibition of special products and special performance by entertainers.
And so ends my episode for today. Thanks for stopping by and keep those comments coming in.
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