CHEONGHAKDONG TRADITIONAL VILLAGE - Hadong-gun, Gyeongnam

Jirisan(san meaning mountain) is also known as Duryusan, because of its large peak which lies at the southern end of the large Baekdu Mountain range. Duryusan has been considered a "divine mountain" with its great mass unfolding like a screen with Cheonwangbong(bong meaning peak) to the east, Banyabong to the west, and Yeongshindae in its center. A smaller range sprouts south from this Yeongshindae creating Samshinbong(trinity peak) which in turn spreads its veins east and west creating the peaks of Shinseondae, Samsungbong, Samseonbong, Mireubong, and Shiribong. These six peaks span an area of 16 kilometers creating the village of the sacred blue crane, Cheonghakdong.


Master Choi Chi-Won of Shilla Dynasty and Doseon Guksa(court appointed Buddhist priest) of Goryeo dynasty were among some of the great Seon Master( those who have been enlightened to the true self ) who called Cheonghakdong "one of the great places of the East".

Features of Cheonghakdong Village in South Korea:

- Located on the southern foot of Samsanbong Peak on Mt. Jirisan, the village preserves the traditional spirit of Korean life.

- The term 'Cheonghak' means a crane of blue feathers lives. This area had no role to play in the tumultuous history of the country.

- Electricity was introduced in this village only 20years ago.

- About 200 residents belonging to this community uphold the custom of tying hair in a knot, wearing Korean traditional clothing, and doing farm work in the traditional way.

- This is the sacred site of worshipping Hwanin, Hwanwung, Dangun and a monastery known as Samseong-gung.

- It houses about 1,500 types of stone towers which were made over 15 years. The towers are undergoing refurbishment in order to gather stones on the scared site of Sodo, the place where various ceremonies took place during the Three Kingdoms Era.

The main attraction aside from the central village is Samseonggung , a palace where villagers and other Koreans generate the country's three mytho-historical founders: Hwanin, Hwanwung, Dangun. This site is only accessible from two points: one is a gate at the end of a winding, one-kilometer-long forest trail; the other is at the end of a creekside trail that leads to a hillside cave. At both entrances, there is either a gong or a drum that must be struck by a member of the party in order to announce visitors' arrival.

At the gate in the forest, visitors will have to wait until a village resident open the doors and gives permission to enter. Follow this villager through the darkened passageway and then emerge into the wide, circular courtyard south of the palace. At the hillside cave gate, a villager will guide visitors through the cave, cautioning about turns and slight drops in the passageways. The cave route leads visitors to a large, conical shrine to either one of the historical founders or a Taoist master. Another half-kilometer walk up a ridge leads to a path above Samseonggung.

The entrance is graced by a waterfall, and upon passing the waterfall, one must pass through an outer stone door and then another inner stone door, then walk along a 4km cave-like ravine which on its end opens up into 16km of prairie like grassland and farmland, a unique special place where the Shinseon ( saint-like and immoral beings who have found the quality of true self beyond one's body and ego ) live.

This is a restaurant and gift shop in the large visitors' building that sits at the end of the bridge opposite the entrance. Basic side dishes and panjeon (onion pancakes) are offered in the courtyard next to visitors' building. Herbs, teas, candles, incense, ceramics, textiles and other household items can be purchased at the main building.

Panjeon ( onion pancake )

Admission prices for the village range from 1000 KRW for children to 3000 KRW for adults. The KNTO site says that the village is open 24 hours, while Samseonggung is open from 0830-1930 (Mar-Oct), 0830-1830 (Nov-Feb).


For more information, contact the Cheonghakdong Village Management Office of Mt. Jirisan National Park, +82-55-883-2609 (Korean only), or call the KNTO Travel Phone, +82-55-1330 (English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese )

05.31.2009