Cheongam-myeon,Hadong-gun, the sister city of Yeonsu-gu
Green, Deep, and Historic Southern Region Hadong
Writer Juran
Photos Hadong-gun
Hadong, where history and literature and nature and humans are well-harmonized, is permeated
with the scent of green tea with a 1,000-year history. This beautiful place is even more appealing thanks to its sister ties with with Yeonsu-gu’s Cheonghak-dong.
Like Yeonsu-gu, Hadong-gun has a Cheonghak-dong, too. Cheonghak-dong, Cheongam-myeon, Hadong-gun is a village of people practicing the ways of Taoism. The residents protect the sacred and mystical Samseonggung Palace (the Sixth Scenery of Hadong), and worship Hwanin, Hwanung, and Dangun (the legendary gods and founding father of ancient Korea). Agyang-myeon, which was selected as the 5th 'Slow City' of Korea, has many beautiful natural sights, such as Jirisan National Park, Hallyeohaesang National Park, and Hadong Port on Seomjingang River. With its vast field, Pyeongsa-ri provided the background for Author Park Gyeong-ri's 'Toji' (Land). Even now, the scenery of the wide plains beneath Jirisan Mountain seems to have come straight from the novel. The ridges between rice paddies, gazed upon by Seo Hee from the residence of Vice Minister Choi (the Fourth Scenery of Hadong), and the green barely fields swaying by the wind are serene. Simni cherry blossoms, which start from Hwagae, are considered the First Scenery of Hadong. This flower road is also called 'marriage road.' Young couples who walk down the road hand-in-hand are said to happily grow old together. The road stretches as far as Ssanggyesa Temple, which takes up an important position in Korea's Buddhist history. This area is also the origin of tea cultivation, as Kim Daeryeom brought tea from the Tang dynasty and cultivated it here in the third year of King Heungdeok's reign (Silla Dynasty, 828). Although the gentle image of the mountain temple is splendid throughout the year, it is the best during autumn (the Third Scenery of Hadong).
Standing 849m and covering 32km, Geumosan Mountain is a range stretching southeast from Jirisan Mountain. From the summit, the dark blue South Sea is to the south while the main ridge of Jirisan Mountain is to the north. Surrounded by such magnificence, the sunrise at Geumosan Mountain and the archipelago make it the Second Scenery of Hadong. The Fifth Scenery of Hadong is the royal azaleas of Hyeongjebong Peak, which cover the foot of Jirisan Mountain with shocking pink, while the Seventh is Buril Falls cascading from a height of 720m. The Eighth and final Scenery is the white sands and green pines of Hadong Port, which exquisitely harmonize with each other along the clean waters of Seomjingang River. The pines were first planted by Governor Jeon Cheon-sang in the 21st year of King Yeongjo's reign (Joseon Dynasty, 1745) to block the wind and sand. Now, the pines create a thick forest of 26,000m2 with more than 1,000 trees aged over 250 years blocking the sky.
To the north, Hadong is bordered by Jirisan Mountain and neighbors Sancheong-gun, Hamyang-gun and Namwon City (Jeollabuk-do), and to the west, it is close to Gwangyang City (Jeollanam-do) and Gurye-gun, with Seomjingang River in between. To the east are Jinju City and Sacheon City, and to the south is Namhae-gun, bordered by the South Sea. In total, Hadong adjoins two dos and eight cities/guns. The total area of Hadong is 675.55km2 with one eup, 12 myeons and 108 dongs/ris. The gun office is located at Eupnae-ri, Hadong-eup. The Sobaek Mountains circle from North to South, and Jirisan Mountain is to the North of Hadong while Baegunsan is to the west. These two mountains rise face to face. The southern area is an archipelago embracing many islands and bays. For more information on Hadong, visit the website, 'Hadong Tour: Gratifying the Five Senses' (http://tour.hadong.go.kr/).
TIP. 8 views of hadong
❶ Simni cherry blossoms of Hwagae Fairground: This flower road is also called 'marriage road.'
❷ Sunrise at Geumosan Mountain and the archipelago: The view of the sunrise at Geumosan Mountain and the blue South Sea is magnificent.
❸ Autumn of Ssanggyesa Temple: In autumn, Ssanggyesa Temple shines in five colors.
❹ Residence of Vice Minister Choi at Pyeongsa-ri: This is the main setting of Author Park Gyeong-ri's epic novel 'Toji (Land).'
❺ Royal azaleas of Hyeongjebong Peak: This is a colony of royal azaleas stretching from Hyeongjebong Peak to Sinseonbong Peak.
❻ Samseonggung Palace of Cheonghak-dong: This is a sanctuary for worshiping Hwanin, Hwanung, and Dangun, the sacred ancestors of the Korean people.
❼ Buril Falls at Jirisan Mountain: Located 3km from Ssanggyesa Temple, Buril Falls is also one of Jirisan Mountain’s Top 10 Sceneries.
❽ White sands and green pines of Hadong Port: First planted in 1745, Korea’s finest old pine forest has been growing for more than 250 years.
