You can visit the following sites near the Remains of Dasan:
Jeokgapsan Mt. ⇒ Yebongsan Mt. ⇒ Folk History Museum ⇒ Remains of Dasan ⇒ Mr. Hanhwak’s Tombstone ⇒ Ungilsan Mt. ⇒ Suzong Buddhist Temple
□ Geokgapsan Mt.
Geokgapsan Mt. has a height of 561m and looks over Yebongsan Mt. (683m). The two mountains are connected by a 1.5-km ridge. There is no renowned attraction around the mountain, but there is an enjoyable hiking course along Yebongsan and Ungilsan (610m). Some start their hike on top of Yebongsan. It is less well known than Ungilsan or Yebongsan but commands a fine view of Paldang Lake and the surrounding landscape.
□ Yebongsan Mt.
Yebongsan is a small and scenic mountain linked with Jeoksapsan (1.5-km distant). The starting point of the hiking course is located in the diverging point between Paldang-li and Joan-li. At Paldang-li, the main hiking path passes the Paldang-2-li Community Hall and the bus stop at Paldang-2-li (Hanilgwan restaurant) through the alley on the railway side and under the tunnel. At the top of the mountain, the Han River and Geomdansan across the river can be seen as well as Ungilsan to the east.
□ Folk History Museum
The Folk History Museum opened in September 27, 2000, for the purpose of uncovering, preserving and transmitting the traditional cultures of Namyangju City. It is open from 10 am to 6 pm. It is Korea’s first epigraph theme museum. The epigraph refers to letters or pictures carved in bowls, bells and tombstones made of metal or stone which offer accurate and specific historical data and help the study of hand-writing styles and picture trends of given ages. The museum consists of exhibition rooms and management offices as well as rest areas. Displayed items include over 70 rubbed copies of Gugwang’s Tombstone, the Bongseonsa Temple Bell, Kwangchan Kim’s Tombstone, Choi Rhee’s Tomb Plate, and Cheol Rhyu’s Tombstone in the form of scrolls, frames and screens as well as other folk relics of Namyangju City. The museum runs classes in which people can get rubbed copies of epigraphs with paper and enjoy shuttlecock and other traditional activities. Around the museum, tourist attractions can be found such as the Remains of Dasan, the Namyangju filming site, the Moran Art Museum and the Natural Recreation Forest of Cheonmasan and Chukryeongsan.
□ Remains of Dasan
The great master Yakyong Jeong was a renowned scholar of the late Choseon Dynasty. He was born in this region in 1762 (the 38th year of the King Youngjo’s reign). After seeing Seonho Rhee Ik’s literary remains, he aimed to set up a discipline to help govern the world for the benefit of people’s lives, and became interested in the then new discipline of Seohak (Catholicism). In 1789 (the 13th year of the King Jeongjo’s reign), he passed the national civil service exam and was appointed as a censor of literary and art materials, but was impeached for being a Catholic by the Namin Gongseopa party and forcefully sent into exile to Haimi Chungcheongdo; his exhile was rescinded in 10 days. In 1792 he took the position of Jeongearn, Jypyeng and contributed ”Sig-yeong-eui-pal-baek-zo”; he was appointed as Hongmungwan Suchan the following year. In 1792 (the 16th year of King Jeongjo’s reign), as the Hongmungwan Suchan, he designed Hwaseong Fortress and developed the Geojunggi (a form of crane). Further, he built Hwalcha and Nokro (a pulley), making it possible to move heavier loads with less power, thus contributing to the construction of Hwaseong Fortress. In 1794 (the 18th year of King Jeongjo’s reign), he served the country as a secret royal commissioner in Gyeonggi Province and became Byoengzo Chameui (1795) and Wubu Seungzi (senior official positions). When Father Jumunmo was arrested, he was drawn into the case and demoted to Chungcheong Province. He then published several books as Gyuyoungbugyoseo in Gyujanggak and wrote Magwahoitong. In 1801 (the 1st year of King Sunjo’s reign), at the time of the Sinyubakhai historical incident, he was sent into exile to Gyeongsang-do Janggi Masan-li and then moved to Gangjin in October of the following year as a result of Hwangsayoung Baikseo. While in exile, he devoted himself to Gyeongseohak (the Confucian classics) for 18 years to complete a disciplinary system. In 1818, he was released from exile and came back to his homeland in Mahyeon. spending the rest of his life writing. During his last few years, he wrote 30 volumes of “Heumheumsinseo”, 49 volumes of “Kyeongseyupyo”, and 48 volumes of “Mokminsimseo” to argue political and economic innovation as well as other 500 books. In February 22, 1836 (the 2nd year of King Heonjong’s reign), he died of old age. Dasan’s Silhak ideas and thoughts are widely admired for contributing to the development of living civilization through the discipline of seeking truth based on facts.
□ Han Hwak’s Tombstone
Han Hwak (1403~1456) was a civil minister of the early Choseon Dynasty. His family originated in Cheongju. His Za was Zayu, and his Ho was Ganyeejai and his pen name was Yangzeol. When his sister became a mistress of Seongzo of the Ming Dynasty in China, he was appointed to an official position in China and contributed to seamless diplomatic relations between the two dynasties. When his sister became the queen of Seongzo of the Ming Dynasty, he was given Kwangroksisogyeong in the Ming Dynasty as the Jinheonbusa in 1417 (the 17th year of King Taizong’s reign). The following year, when the Great King Sejong came to the throne, he came back to Choseon as Chaekbongjeongsa of the Ming Dynasty and became Jungchuwonbusa in 1435 (the 17th year of King Sejong’s reign). In 1453, when Gyeyujeonglan broke out, he helped Suyangdaigun and was recorded as the preeminent meritorious man (Jeongnangongsin) and appointed to Seoseongbuwongun.
□ Ungilsan Mt.
Ungilsan Mt. stands in the northwest of Dumulmeori (or Yangsuri), where the North Han River and the South Han River meet. It is described as Ungil in Suzongsajungsugi written in 1890 (27th year of King Gozong’s reign) and Zogoksan in Donggukyeojiseunglam. It commands beautiful scenery and boasts convenient transportation so it is well known as a family hiking curse on weekends. It is a base point for walking along the ridges of Geokgapsan to the west (561m) and Yebongsan(683m). Hiking starts at Songchonli or Jinjungli. At the top of the mountain, the ridge to Yebongsan and Geokgapsan can be seen.
□ Sujongsa Temple
Sujongsa temple is located near the top of Ungilsan at Songchonli in Joan-myeon. It is a branch of the Bongsoensa Temple. With the auspicious aura of the Gwangju mountain range running south and westward, Ungilsan is not only majestic but tranquil and secluded. Particularly, the view from Sujongsa temple is excellent with high and low peaks as well as the spectacular landscape of the North Han River before it joins the Han River. It is not certain when it was founded, but according to Beomwoogo, King Sejo visited this temple in person and excavated the ground to find a water well, or a bell, which is why it is called Sujongsa Temple. In 1939, when the stone-appended map was restored, it was found to have been built in 1439 (the 21st year of King Sejong’s reign) and presumed to have been first established in the early Choseon. Sujongsa Temple is the scene of the following legend: On his way back home from Geumgang Mt., King Sejo rode the royal ship and stayed at Yangsuman (now Yangsuli) for a night when, out of nowhere, a bell sound was heard. The next day, the king ordered a man to find where the sound came from. A rock tunnel was found with 18 Buddha’s disciples at the heart. The bell sound came from the water drops falling into the tunnel and resonating clearly. Considering it extraordinary, the king ordered his men to build a structure with stone enforcement and called craftsmen for the founding a temple. Then he granted paddy fields to the craftsmen, let monks stay at the temple and named it Sujongsa Temple. Suzongsa Temple has been repaired and restored over time. Because of age, the Daiwoongjeon (main hall) and the Yosachae crumbled and the statue of Buddha deteriorated. In 1890 (the 27th year of King Gozong’s reign), a Punggyeheil Buddhist priest was bestowed a budget 8000 nyang by King Gojong and began restoration on March 27 and completed on June 28. The following year he was granted an additional 4000 nyang to build 4 Buddha statues and three displays of Buddhist pictures, and painted the Daibeopdang, Nahanjeon and Erhyanggak as well as Sanwanggak. In 1939, the leading priest Iljotaiwook restored the superstructure of the Daiwoongjeon and, in 1940, the Youngsanjeon, Dokseonggak, Sansingak and Eryounggak were re-built (all of which were destroyed during the Korean war). In 1975, the Buddhist priest Hyegwang restored the Daiwoongjeon and expanded the temple and, in 1999, the leading priest Jusi Dongsan rebuilt the Seonbuljang and Samjeonghun. In 1972, the octagonal five-layered stone padoga (No.22) and in 1995 the Budo (No.157, appended chart) were designated and preserved as tangible cultural treasures of Gyeonggi Province.
□ Paldang Recreation Park
The Paldang Recreation Park is located along the upper part of the Han River from the Paldang Dam to Deokso. On May 24 in 1974, the Paldang Dam was constructed to create a huge lake with nearly 240 million tones of water at the upper part of the dam; this area was developed into an recreation park. With the harmony of mountain and river , the place is suitable for water skiing and boating. The recreation site is divided into the Gyeongpo Gangbyeon recreation park and Dongmak recreation site with hot-and-spicy fish stew village. The former, located between the first Dogok Bridge and the Dogok Bridge, is well known for a river side consisting of gravels and sand. Dongmak recreation park covers the area passing the Dogok Bridge and reaching the Yeondai Farm, where hot-peppered fish stew is available in the village.
□ Wooseokheon Museum of Natural History
The Wooseokheon Museum of Natural History is located in Jinjeop-eup of Namyangju Ccity. It opened in December 2003, and displays fossils and minerals from ancient times as well as extinct creatures from different geologic eras. The place abounds with rare items including fossils representing the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras, skeletal fossils of dinosaurs and the fetus fossils of dinosaurs which were used in the early days of dinosaur DNA extraction. Further, the museum has adopted Korea’s first “4 focus viewing method” so that every visitor can appreciate the displayed items from much closer and various angles. The 2700 items displayed were selected from 100,000 items collected for year-round display or special occasions. Moreover, for practical learning by students, the fang fossils of mammoths and the egg fossils of the world’s largest dinosaur (Therizinosaurus) are presented for in-person handling. With double-lined free moving paths, the museum minimizes congestion and delays in a group viewing. The museum also runs customized experience and learning programs with a wide range of authentic fossils and minerals; these programs attracted 60,000 participants in the first 10 months of operation. Due to its popularity, advanced reservations are recommended.
□ Kim Gyogak Memorial Hall
The Kim Gyogak Memorial Hall is located in Daihan Buddhist Jogyejong Baikcheonsa Temple in Yulseok-li of Wabu-eup, Namyangju City. Born as a son of King Seongduk of the Unified Shilla Period, he left all riches behind and went to China by himself to seek the truth of entering Nirvana. He was the Jijangwangbosal Buddhist priest. The memorial hall was built on September 20, 1998, in his honor. He gave up the crown princess and went to the Dang Dynasty, taking the Buddhist name of Jijang. He entered the Buddhist priesthood and wandered China seeking after truth. Witnessing the miserable lives of the people in the midst of civil war, he devoted himself to the Buddhism as the Jijangbosal. He spent his days of seeking truth in a small cave located in the Guhwa Mt. in the southern part of the Yangtze River. As more and more disciples gathered around him and his practice of austerities improved further, he founded Hwaseong temple and made Guhwasan a Jijangdoryang so as to spread the Jijang religion, which was still unfamiliar to Chinese people at the time, resulting in the recognition of Guhwasan as one of the four sacred Buddhist lands. Of particular note, Kim Gyogak’s prediction before his death was for his reincarnation as a Yuksin Buddha three years after he entered Nirvana. He has become a subject of an absolute religion among the Chinese people as a Jijang incarnation. There is an original temple named Gwangjesa in his honor at Jasan near Muho City in China where he first started to practice asceticism. At the Guhwahanggung of the Jijangjeon in the Gwangjesa Temple, a hanging board bearing calligraphy of Shjlla Daigak is assumed to originate from him. In the Kim Gyogak Memorial Hall, his shoes, hat and stones of his foot traces are displayed. Also, a video is screened with depicts the process by which he became a Deungsin Buddha.
□ Moran Art Museum
The Moran Art Museum is a well-known tourist and cultural site located in Woelsanli Hwado-eup of Namyangju City. In the 8,500-pyeong outdoor sculpture park, art works of domestically renowned sculptors are displayed year round. In the 160-pyeong indoor exhibition room, diverse plane and solid works are displayed. The museum has more than 350 items. In addition to exhibition space, the museum has a wide outdoor stage and sufficient leisure space for visitors to enjoy in a pleasurable and agreeable environment. Further, in the art and science department, domestic and overseas art-related book collections and slides are kept for art history research.
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