Ask
a Korean to name the most beautiful place in Korea and that person will no doubt
say Mt. Seoraksan. It is arguably the area most beloved by Koreans.
With its high craggy peaks, boulder-strewn streams of crystal clear water, large
waterfalls, unusual rock formations, and forests of pine and hardwood, it is
certainly one of the most beautiful places Korea has to offer, any time of year.
In
Korea spring, summer, autumn and winter have climatic conditions that clearly
distinguish them from each other, and no where is this more visible than Mt.
Seoraksan. In spring, its slopes become a riot of various shades of pink, purple,
white and yellow with the flowering of azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwoods and
forsythia. In summer, it is lush with vegetation of every shade of green imaginable
and its valleys are filled with the sound of rushing streams and thundering
waterfalls. In autumn, it is a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors as nature changes
the foliage to various shades of red, yellow and gold. In winter, it becomes
white from its peaks down to its hills and its streams and waterfalls are hushed
and still, all is serene.
Unlike most mountains, Mt. Seoraksan does not rise gradually from foothills;
it rears up abruptly from the coastal plain, a weathered wall of granite and
gneiss topped by serrated peaks that time and the elements have carved into
fantastic forms resembling the battlements and towers of a fortress, its ramparts
half-veiled in fog. Thick mists often drift around and between its peaks, blurring
their outlines and smudging the forests into images like from an old ink painting.
| Pyeongari nancho (A mitostigma gracilis), a perennial of the Orchidaceae family. This variety of orchid grows in rocky, shady places like Seoraksan. |
Indeed, Mt. Seoraksan looks a lot like the classic Korean ink paintings of craggy mountains wreathed in mist. That is because it is part of the southernmost extension of
the source of all those paintings: the legendary Mt. Geumgangsan, or Diamond
Mountains, most of which lie north of the border between the two halves of Korea.
However, Mt. Seoraksan is not a lone peak. It is actually a series of peaks
in the mid-section of the Taebaeksan range that forms the spine of the Korean
Peninsula from north to south. It stretches along the east coast of the peninsula
and penetrates deep inland.
The
mountain has gone by many names including Mt. Seolbongsan, Snow Peak Mountain,
and Mt. Seolsan, Snow Mountain, but modern Koreans call it Mt. Seoraksan, Snow
Rock Mountain. Contrary to these appellations, the mountain is not snow-capped
year-round. It got its name because of the outstanding beauty of its winter
landscapes and because of the outcroppings of white rocks that give it a snowy
appearance when there is no snow. According to an ancient record, the mountain
got its name because snow begins to fall there at the time of the harvest moon
festival and does not melt completely until the summer solstice. Another record
says that it was named for the snow-white boulders that form its peaks.
Daecheongbong, Great Green Peak, is Mt. Seoraksan's main peak. It rises to 1,708
meters above sea level. It is the highest peak in the Taebaeksan range, and
the third highest in South Korea after Mt. Hallasan, a 1,950-meter-high volcanic
mountain on the island of Jeju-do, and the 1,915-meter-high Mt. Jirisan straddling
the border of the three provinces of Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do.
Because of the mountain's scenic beauty and rare flora and fauna, a 163.4-square-kilometer
area around Daecheongbong was designated a natural monument in 1965. The area
was expanded and made a national park in 1970. The park now encompasses 354.6
square kilometers of land and has 28 peaks, 58 valleys, 9 hills, 2 hot springs,
2 mineral springs and 15 grandiose rock formations as well as 12 Buddhist temples
and hermitages.
The
forests of Mt. Seoraksan are luxurious. They are a mix of deciduous broad-leaved
trees with alpine plants and conifers at high elevations near the mountain ridges.
They contain a great variety of flora that provide a habitat for many different
animals. Daecheongbong itself is especially noteworthy as a sanctuary for high-altitude
plant life.
There are about 939 different species of plants, 25 species of mammals including
the Asian black bear, musk deer, mountain goat, sable, and antelope, 90 species
of birds including two rare species of woodpecker, 11 species of reptiles, 9
species of amphibians, 360 species of insects, and 40 species of freshwater
fish living in the national park. Although flora and fauna estimates made by
different studies vary considerably, the park is nonetheless an extremely important
area from an ecological perspective. In fact, the variety and rarity of the
mountain's flora and fauna prompted UNESCO to designate Mt. Seoraksan National
Park and some adjacent areas a Biosphere Reserve on August 12, 1982 in order
to protect them. In April 1983, a monument was set up in a small park within
the national park to commemorate UNESCO's important declaration.
The
national park is divided into Outer Seorak and Inner Seorak, or Oeseorak and
Naeseorak, by the ridges that extend north and south from Daecheongbong. Outer
Seorak is closest to the sea and Inner Seorak is the farthest inland. Inner
Seorak has a more continental type of climate and smooth slopes and thus supports
a lush growth of vegetation. Outer Seorak, however, is characterized by a maritime
climate and steep slopes, and hence, has less flora and fauna.
The best way to see the park and its many sights is to hike the many trails
that crisscross Mt. Seoraksan like a spider's web. But one does not have to
hike far to get a taste of what the park has to offer. Many of the main spots
of interest are within an hour or two from the main entrance to the park, which
is in Outer Seorak, near the main tourist village of Seorak-dong.
Outer
Seorak is considered the most scenic area because of its craggy peaks. It is
also the most accessible. Sinheungsa Temple and its Gyejoam Hermitage, the Ulsanbawi
and Heundeulbawi rocks, Biseondae promontory, and Biryongpokpo waterfall are
among the most popular sights in Outer Seorak, and they are not far from Seorak-dong.
Baekdamsa Temple and the Daeseungpokpo Waterfall are among the most famous sights
in Inner Seorak, but they are not easily accessible, requiring considerable
hiking.
Sinheungsa Temple is the oldest Seon (Zen in Japanese) Buddhist temple in Korea,
and perhaps even the world. It was originally founded in 653 by Jajangyulsa,
a revered monk of the ancient Silla Kingdom. The small but historic temple,
just a short walk from the park's main entrance, marks the beginning of the
trail up the mountain to Gyejoam. Located in about as picturesque a location
as one could hope to find, Gyejoam offers one of the best views of Daecheongbong.
It is located at the base of Ulsanbawi and extends into a natural cave. Ulsanbawi,
literally meaning Ulsan Rock, is a huge hunk of rock that is so named because
of a legend that says a god carrying it to Mt. Geumgangsan from Ulsan, a town
near the southern end of the peninsula, dropped it when he heard that Mt. Geumgangsan
already had 12,000 peaks. It is actually a spectacular outcropping of granite,
quartz and mica that rises to an altitude of 873 meters and has a circumference
of 4 kilometers. Its six granite peaks and rugged cliffs are spectacular to
see. Nearby Gyejoam is Heundeulbawi, Tottering Rock, a large round boulder sitting
so precariously on a cliff that it looks as if it would roll off at the slightest
touch. However, it only rocks slightly when pushed and it rocks the same amount
whether one person or a group of people pushes it. Another trail from Seorak-dong
follows a stream up a beautiful, heavily wooded gorge to Biseondae promontory,
Flying Fairy Peak, a huge, slanting rock over which the stream flows. The 40-meter-high
Biryongpokpo, or Flying Dragon Waterfall is at the top of a lovely gorge below
the Hwachaebong Peak. As its name suggests, it looks like a flying dragon. The
pool at its base is extremely deep and ideal for swimming.
Inner
Seorak is less accessible than Outer Seorak and has fewer tourist sites but
it offers boundless hiking pleasure and memorable scenery. There are numerous
trails of various length and difficulty ranging from several hours to several
days that lead through Inner Seorak, across the ridges into Outer Seorak.
Baekdamsa Temple is one of Inner Seorak's few cultural assets. It is located
in the secluded Baekdam Valley, where a stream originating in Gayadong Valley
and one from the Gugokdam Pool converge. It was built in 647 by Jajangyulsa,
the revered Silla monk who also founded Sinheungsa Temple. It was first called
Hangyesa Temple but later renamed Baekdamsa Temple, Temple with One Hundred
Pools, because there are 100 pools of water between it and Daecheongbong. It
is a strenuous 8.5-kilometer hike from the main entrance to the valley and no
cars are permitted beyond the entrance. Daeseungpokpo waterfall is located at
Jangsudae. With a height of 88 meters, it is one of the largest and most picturesque
waterfalls in Korea. Nearby is the Ongnyutang waterfall where, according to
legend, a heavenly being fleeing from a monster that attacked it at Daeseungpokpo
Waterfall was saved by a thunderbolt hurled by the gods.
Other popular attractions in Mt. Seoraksan include Cheonbuldong, Valley with
One Thousand Buddhas, where the elements have shaped rocky outcroppings into
shapes that resemble human and animal forms; Osaek, Five Color Spring, which
is famous for its iron-rich water; and Gwongeumseong, a mountaintop fortress.
Visiting these or any of the other tourist sites provides an opportunity to
soak up the extraordinary beauty of Mt. Seoraksan.