According to the Korea Tourism Organization, starting from 1st April, two double-decker buses, imported from Germany, will be traversing the city, giving visitors a convenient and beautiful downtown City Tour of Daegu. But the buses will undergo a series of trial runs from the 12th to 27th before being officially open to the public. The buses will run every day from 10:00 – 18:00 except on Mondays, running at 2 hourly intervals.
Standard Route: Dongdaegu Stn (Departure) -> Exco -> Opera House -> Jungang-ro -> Daegu Oriental Medicine Market -> Duryu Park (Ubang Land) -> Seomun Market -> 2.28 Park -> National Debt Repayment Memorial Park -> Daegu National Museum -> Dongdaegu Stn (Arrival)
The City Tour is a downtown tour circuit designed to showcase the city's historic and cultural attractions by allowing visitors brief stops at each point of interest to sightsee, explore, and experience. Scheduled program include: five regular travel circuits, the Palgongsan Mt. circuit route, and other themed courses featuring interactive programs such as strawberry-picking and taffy-making.
The introduction of the double-decker tour bus service is expected to not only revitalize city tourism, but also liven up the city’s whole atmosphere in preparation for upcoming international events scheduled to be held in Daegu.
I shall be telling you about the tourist spots of Daegu, area by area. So how about starting with the downtown area first, Dalseong Park and the Daegu-hyanggyo Confucian Academy
The Dalseong Park, Daegu was constructed on an old site of an artificial earthen mound fortress. This area had been the capital of the tribal state of ancient Daegu area. The Dalseong Fortress was constructed in 261 and has been designated Historical Site #62.
Dalseong Park, Daegu happens to be the oldest park in Daegu. Dalseong Park derived its name from the name of the ancient fortress Dalseong. Dalseong Park, Daegu houses a zoo which is very popular amongst tourists all across the globe. Opened in 1970 the Zoo is home to various creatures including elephants, lions, fur seals, ostriches, etc. Tourists visiting the Dalseong Park, Daegu will certainly come cross a number of monuments dedicated to the stalwarts of Daegu like the statue of Choi Je-u, the founder of Donghak an Eastern Scholastic Religion boom in 1860 and the statue of the nationalist poet, Lee Sang-hwa. Other popular tourist attractions within the park include the Gwanpungnu Pavilion, the old gate of Gyeongsang-gamyeong and a local history hall. On entering the Dalseong Park, Daegu one will notice well trimmed grass gardens beautifully adorned with flowers. Elms, zelkova, as well as some aboriginal Korean trees make the Dalseong Park, Daegu all the more beautiful.
Visiting Hours at the Dalseong Park:
Daegu- Dalseong Park, Daegu remains open from 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Daegu Hyanggyo Confucian Academy
Established in 1398 at Gyo-dong, the Daegu Hyanggyo Confucian Academy, was an academy for Confucian philosophy. In 1592, it was entirely burnt down during the Japanese Invasion and in 1599, it was rebuilt near Dalseong Park and in 1605, it was moved back to the Gyo-dong area. In 1932, it was settled down on its present location. Every year during spring and autumn, Confucianists in the Gyeongsangnam-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do provinces arrange memorial services honoring Confucius. The Daegu Hyanggyo Confucian Academy, Daegu has old school buildings bounded by beautiful gardens. At present, lectures on old Chinese characters and traditional Korean manners and etiquette are organized at this space and on weekends and holidays traditional Korean wedding ceremonies are organized at this beautiful garden. The Daegu Hyanggyo Confucian Academy, Daegu comprises of the Daeseongjeon Hall, which is a single-story building with a multi-cluster bracketed structure with a gabled roof and the Myeongnyundang, which is used as a classroom.. In this Hall, ancestral tablets are preserved and an ancestral memorial service is organized every year and this Hall is designated Cultural Properties Materials #1 (Daegu).
Next, the seaside area of Mang-u Park, Otgol Village (Gyeongju Choe's Head House), Dalseong Oriental Arbor Vitae Forest, Bullo-dong Wood Crafts Zone, Bullo-dong Tomb Park and the Historic site of General Sin Sung-gyeom.
This is a statue of Gwak Jae-u in Mang-u Park in Daegu.
General Gwak Jae-u (1552–1617) was a Korean patriot from Uiryeong; in 1592, nine days into the Japanese Invasion of Korea, he formed a militia to fight against the Japanese army.
Gwak, Jae-u disrupted Japanese supply lines around the Nakdong River in many guerrilla actions. Gwak also had the distinction of winning Korea's first land victory of the war - The Battle of Uiryeong. In part of a two-pronged offensive into Jeolla, Ankokuji Ekei led 6th division men from the south. Ankokuji needed to cross the Nam River to reach Uiryeong, an objective. He had his men find the shallowest parts of the river and mark them with stakes. While Ankokuji's army slept, Kwak's men moved the stakes to deeper sections of the river. When the crossing began, the Japanese soldiers found themselves in the deep water, and Kwak's army attacked then. In multiple attempts to cross, Ankokuji suffered many losses, and was forced to abandon his attack on Uiryeong. The battle gave the Korean government respect for Kwak's abilities, and he was placed in command of the Korean forces in and around Uiryeong and the nearby Samga.
In 1597, in the Battle of Hwawangsan he defended the Hwawangsan Mountain Fortress. Gwak Jae-u's pen name was Mang-udang. He was called the "Red Robe General" after his habit of wearing red costumes dyed with blood of maidens murdered by Japanese and riding a white horse in battle.
Head House of Gyeongju Choi Family Daegu.
One kilometer east of the Daegu Airport is a village of the Gyeongju Choi’s clan (Otgol Village), where typical houses of the ruling yangban class of the Joseon Dynasty are found. At the northern part of the village lies the head family house, Bakbulgotaek, built in 1616 by Choi Dong-jip, a Confucian scholar. Designated Daegu Folklore Material #1, the house consists of a 400year old women’s quarters, master’s quarters, master’s study and shrine.
The Dalseong Forest of Oriental Arborvitae, Daegu has been designated Natural Monuments #1 and is a must see for any nature lover or environmentalist. Trees in the Dalseong Forest of Oriental Arborvitae, Daegu are rooted in the rugged rocks and the thick wood forms a flora. There are several thousand Oriental arborvitae trees growing on a stone cliff 100 meters high and 60 meters wide.
Platycladus, a distinct genus of evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, containing only one species, Platycladus orientalis, also known as Chinese Arborvitae or Biota forms the main cover in this forest and hence the name. It is a small, slow-growing tree, 15-20 m tall and 0.5 m trunk diameter (exceptionally to 30 m tall and 2 m diameter in very old trees) and is widely used as an ornamental tree, both in its homeland, where it is associated with long life and vitality. The wood is used in Buddhist temples; both for construction work, and chipped, for incense burning.
Bullo-dong Wood Artifacts Complex
Forming a complex in the area of Bullo-dong, Bongmu-dong and Jimyo-dong of Dong-gu, around 70 wood artifact shops are found within the development. The market share of wood artifacts produced in Daegu amounts to about 70-80% of the national production, and their quality is guaranteed. The artifacts are made from Chinese juniper wood only through handicrafts. Wood blocks, beads and other Buddhist items, tea tables, telephone tables, vessels and other daily commodities, and various traditional service utensils are the main woodcrafts produced in the Daegu Wood Artifacts Complex. Wood artifacts are sold at inexpensive prices at this place. Additionally, these local specialty goods are exhibited and sold at the Cultural Souvenirs area in the Daegu Tourist Information Center.
Daegubullodonggobungun(Ancient tombs in Bullo-dong, Daegu) Historic Sites #262, consist of 211 small and large tombs, around Bullo-dong and Ipseok-dong, Degu-si.
Some of the tumuli were excavated in 1938 and 1963. They were found to have rock-lined, pit-type chambers topped with stone plates. Many funerary items were found including gold and gilt-bronze ornaments, iron weapons, and unglazed pottery vessels with stamped and incised designs. The ancient tombs are estimated to have been built about the 5th or 6th century in the Three Kingdoms period. They are estimated to be those of the aboriginal ruling powers of this region at that period
Sinsunggyeomjanggunyujeok(Place of General Sin Sunggyeom's Death) Monuments # 1
Shin Sung-gyeom, was a famous general of the Silla Kingdom. Shin is remembered today for giving his life for Wang Geon, Goryeo’s King who had come to help Silla fight against Hubaekje at the Dongsu battlefield near present-day Daegu. According to the legend, the two exchanged armor so that the king would be able to escape from the battlefield and return to Goryeo. While Wang Geon escaped from the battle field disguised as a soldier to his kingdom, Shin and the remaining army fought bravely against the Hubaekje army. But eventually his army was routed and in the woods Shin was shot with arrows and was killed by the enemy. He was beheaded and his head was sent to Gyeon Hwon, King of Hubaekje
In Daegu there’s a landmark of a tomb of a Japanese national. Strange isn’t it? Yes, it's the tomb of Mitsusaki Rintaro who was the chief of Gibu-town in Japan in the Meiji age. He settled in Daegu with his family in 1914 and worked as a farmer. He saw the local farmers suffering from the dry weather and flooding, so he drew a plan of an irrigation reservoir, that he proposed to build, which he presented to the Japanese governor. But the Japanese governor refused to build it because the reservoir was good for the Koreans, but not for the Japanese. He was upset and said "we should think of the Korean people." Eventually he met the governor-general of Joseon who gave him 12.000Yen (presently 1 billion Yen) which he used for the building of the irrigation reservoir.
When he died he was buried near the reservoir according to his will. The Suseong plain became a residential area and the streets filled with restaurants. The Suseong Pond was changed into a resort place for citizens.
And now I’m going to tell you about another Japanese national who became a naturalized Korean because he was a follower of Confucianism and who also became famous..
Nokdong-seowon (Confucian Academy) is located in Urok-ri, Gachang-myeon. This academy was dedicated to General Kim Chung-seon who achieved great feats of arms during the periods of Hideyoshi's Invasion and the Manchurians's Invasions.
This academy is frequented by many Japanese tourists because the general was originally Japanese. General Kim considered humanity (Confucian Ideology - Joseon's State Ideology) seriously from his childhood and he kept something in his mind against the Hideyoshi's Invasion of Joseon from the beginning. During the invasion he was the commander of the Right Side Troops of Hideyoshi's Army. When he landed at Busan Port, he immediately became a subject of Joseon. Right after becoming a naturalized Korean, he participated in the battles of Gyeongju and Ulsan, and achieved great military feats for Joseon. Thereafter whenever there was military disputes with neighboring nations he himself participated in battles and achieved great feats. The academy was built by Confucians in this region in 1789 and was dedicated to the general. Later the academy was demolished by Regent Daewongun (King Gojong's father) at the end of the 19th century and restored in 1914. On the premises, a lecture hall, Nokdongsa Shrine, and Hyangyangmun Gate(sun facing gate) are situated.
Inheung-seowon Confucian Academy was built to pay tribute to Nodang Chu Jeok(1246¡1317). He was a founding father of the Chugye Chu Clan and a scholar in the reign of King Chungyeol of the Joseon Dynasty. The academy was established in 1825 during the 25th year of the reign of King Sunjo of the Joseon Dynasty by Confucian scholars from all over the nation, and by Chu Se-mun, his 20th descendant. It is maintained as it was since being saved from the Confucian academy demolition policy of King Gojong's father. On the premises are five buildings including the Confucian academy and a shrine. Thirty-one wood blocks of the Myeongsim-bogam book written by Chu Jeok are kept here. Because it is at the entrance of Inheung Village, this place can be visited along with the village.
Might as well include another seowon that is not in this area though. Dodongseowon Confucian Academy Daegu was a local private organization that held memorial services for great scholars and studied Confucianism in the Joseon era. Dodongseowon was established in 1568 in order to commemorate the scholarship and virtues of Kim Gwoingpil, one of the great scholars. However, it was burnt down during the Japanese invasion and a shrine was rebuilt on the same site in 1604. This shows a traditional structure of seowons built in a simple and frugal way in the mid Joseon Dynasty. King Seonjo granted the tablet of the seowon written by the king himself in 1607. Dodongseowon Confucian Academy is well known for its beautiful scenery in the Dalseong-gun District, with a 400year old gingko tree standing in the yard. The academy has been well preserved and has been designated Treasure #350.
Twelve Distinguished Hyeonpung Gwaks' Shrine
Starting from Dodong-seowon Confucian Academy, drive to Guma Highway past Hyeonpung-myeon, then you will come across the sign board of Hyeonnam Elementary School on the road side. Turn toward the sign board and follow the road, then you will get to the shrine. The shrine was built in the period of King Yeongjo(the 18th century), and kept 12 Jeongryeo of Gwaks'family which were collected from this neighborhood. A Jeongryeo was a policy of the Joseon Dynasty, to honor, with a certifying stele such good deeds as loyalty, filial respects, chastity, etc. It was very rare that so many jeongryeo were given to one clan in the whole nation. The story of a daughter and a daughter- in-law who committed suicide following the death of their farther who was killed in battle, the story of a chaste wife who was killed to save her husband, and many other stories of the Gwaks¡¯clan which are transferred generation after generation with this shrine make us, modern people, reconsider our daily life.
The Hwawon Area includes Mt. Apsan, Daegu Arboretum, Inheung Village, Yongyeongsa Temple and the Hwawon Resort
I have already talked about the Yongyeonsa Temple in my last post so I shall not go into it today.
Mt.Apsan and Apsan Park are 4.5 km south of downtown Daegu and is the largest park in Daegu and is a popular tourist destination on the Biseulsan Range. The name 'Apsan' means 'front' and 'mountains', meaning that the mountain is in 'front' of Daegu. Fabulous views of Daegu can be seen from the top. You can choose to either take one of the hiking trails to the top or take the gondola.
Mt. Apsan Park has clean air and green forests, and it is well equipped with various resort facilities. This park is the most familiar natural resort area for the citizens. The mountain ridge from Mt. Biseul to Mt. Sanseong and Mt. Daedeok forms the main ridge of Mt. Apsan. Smaller ridges spread out from the main ridge like the ribs of a fan, and form valleys in between. Mt. Apsan is well known for its many valleys, amongst them the Keungol Valley, the Gosangol Valley, the Anjiranggol Valley, the Yongdugol Valley, the Maejagol Valley, and the Dalbigol Valley. The cable cars show panoramic views of the mountain. At the observation platform of the upper terminal, the whole view of Daegu City comes into sight. Besides these, there’s the War Memorial Museum of the Nakdong River Battle which took place during the Korean War. In the same area is a small amusement park. And a little further up from here is where the cable car can be boarded to take you to the peak.
Daegu is a very nature-conscious land that loves it flora. It is greatly concerned with maintaining the eco-system balance, and is striving towards restoring the spoiled ecosystem. One of the initiatives that it has taken towards this is by setting up the Daegu Arboretum, Daegu, in May 2002. Built on a former landfill, this arboretum is a conscious move on the part of the Daegu City Government in providing its citizens with an opportunity to experience the importance of forests, and in educating them about preserving and fostering nature.
The Daegu Arboretum, Daegu is home to local as well as rare plants. There are about 1,000 herbs, plants and trees planted in the Daegu Arboretum, Daegu, which covers an area of around 230,000 sqm. Though this area, which is situated in 284 Daegok-dong, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, was used as a landfill between 1986 and 1990, it was transformed by the City Government, and made into a botanical garden that includes more than 1,000 species of unique plants.
The Daegu Arboretum, Daegu, has gardens with giant cactuses, medicinal herbs, wild flowers, and potted plants. The different types of gardens that can be found at the Daegu Arboretum, Daegu are # a wild plant garden, a rock garden, a hydroponic garden, a broadleaf tree garden, a coniferous tree garden and an aromatic plant garden. Apart from it, there is a luscious greenhouse, cottonwoods, groves with different kinds of trees, and, a pond with aquatic life. There are also several trails that are helpful for walking, as well as large grassed areas where one can sit down and enjoy a picnic
Inheung Village(Nampyeong Moon Clan's Original Residence Area), a collective habitat is located in Bon-ri. It was constructed at the end of the Joseon Dynasty by Moon Gyeong-ho who was the 18th generation grandson of Moon Ik-jeom. In this village, nine buildings of traditional gentry houses and two pavilion buildings stand in the original form of the late Joseon Dynasty building style. Moon Gyeong-ho leveled the ground and divided the land into squares with straight roads to build a village according to Jeongjeonbeop (the ancient manual or regulations of using land).
The village itself has been preserved intact. It is designated as Folklore Material #3. The representative buildings of this village are the Subongjeongsa Pavilion, Gwanggeodang Lecture Hall, and Insumungo Library. Subongjeongsa Pavilion stands at the entrance of the village and it was used for meeting guests or for having clan meetings.Gwanggeodang Lecture Hall was built to educate the youth of the clan. Insumungo Library contains about 10,000 volumes of books which are listed in Gyujanggak (the central library of the Joseon Dynasty), and a separate reading room is prepared.Find a cozy sentiment of your hometown, or enjoy a simple beauty of a traditional Korean rural village in this old village.
The neighborhood of Hwawon Resort commands a scenic beauty as its name Hwawon (flower garden) does. The most conspicuous area is the scenery of the western side where the villages of Seongsan-ri and Gura-ri are located. It is said that king Gyeongdeok of the Silla kingdom was so attracted to the scenic beauty that he visited this place nine times. So it is called Gura-ri (coming nine times). Seongsanri is the place where the Nakdong River flows around Mt. Seongsan embracing it. Since long ago, this area has been frequented by numerous heroes and poets. The Seongsan-ri Observation Tower will show you the beauty of this area at a glance. Mt. Seongsan-ri has been a natural fortress. Its northern side has been blocked by steep cliffs and the Nakdong River. The other sides were blocked by artificial walls. Old ruins of earth mounds which were built during the Silla Dynasty in defense of the fortress still remain on top of the mountain. The natural beauty of this area actually came to be known with the construction of the Hwawon Resort by the Japanese. The resort was renovated in 1958 .Two traditional old houses were moved from the Andong Dam to this resort. .
Hwawon Resort encompasses the cobalt-blue water of the Nakdonggang River, the shear cliffs and a vast sandy beach. The royal family of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. to A.D.935) used to visit here to enjoy the native flowers, giving this place its name "Hwawon," meaning "Flower Garden." On Sanghwadae Stand, visitors enjoy the best view of the flower gardens. The white sandy bank adds to the beauty of the area. Facilities include a boat marina, a swimming pool, a children’s playground, and an observatory.
I guess that’s about all for today. Shall tell you about the wonderful shopping in Daegu in my next post.
Special thanks and appreciation to the following:
Photos and articles © courtesy
http://english.daegu.go.kr
http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english
http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/south-korea/daegu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Sung-gyeom
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