Walking Along the Water Path
Yeongju, a City of Hidden Gems
Strolling along an old road created probably thousands of years ago, I grabbed an apple, rubbed it on my pants, and took a bite out of it. It tastes sweet and tangy, full of the flavors of summer and autumn. The apple grown on Sobaeksan Mountain has condensed all the flavors from the changing seasons in it. Instead of following the traces left behind by old scholars of the past as typically done by many tourists, I chose to walk along the new trail by the lake to reach Buseoksa Temple. Once again, I was back at the temple I have visited in summer for a much needed respite from my hectic life. Yeongju is a uniquely interesting city with mixed charms, where its sights and sounds continue to change from season to season and from time to time. The peaceful yet vibrant city has a lot more to offer than many of us expect.
Text by Gap-su Choi (travel writer) & Editorial Team
Photos by Gap-su Choi & Yeongju City
A Peaceful Stroll Along a Secluded Trail
When you think of Yeongju, you will likely associate it with Sosuseowon Confucian Academy, Buseoksa Temple, and other historic sites. However, the city now has new attractions particularly around Yeongjuho Lake and Yeongju Dam whose construction was completed last summer, 7 years after it began. A panoramic view of the surrounding mountains unfolds along the flow of the beautiful lake as you take a stroll on the trail that goes around the lake.
Dullegil Trail starts from Yongmaru Park, going from Geumgang Village to the Yeongju Dam observatory. On the way to the observatory are the Forest Playpark, a pavilion overlooking the dam and cafes. The observatory is very unique in its design, resembling a dragon coiling around the observatory. Walking up 108 stairs to the observatory, you will be able to get a panoramic view of Yongdugyo Bridge and Yongmigyo Bridge afar, Yongmaru Park, and Yeongju Dam. When seen together from far away, they look like a dragon. That is how the bridges got their names early on when the construction of the park started in 2013.
What used to be two peaks of a mountain before the dam and the lake were created have become two islands. The two bridges connecting the islands are called Yongmigyo and Yongdugyo, meaning “the head of a dragon” and “the tail of a dragon,” respectively. I could see the clean water of Yeongjuho Lake through the glass bottom. I found the water mesmerizing rather than scary. As I crossed the two bridges between the two peaks, hastening back and forth between two squares, the waves on the surface of the lake started to glisten under the setting sun. With my battery recharged, I resumed walking through the forest, sometimes sitting absent-mindedly, taking a rest and savoring the changing season. I quickly realized that summer is here to stay.
▲ What used to be two mountains have become islands connected by two bridges, i.e., Yongdugyo Bridge and Yongmigyo Bridge.
A Forest Trail for Walking and Healing
Old Path of Jungnyeong Pass is a 2.5km trail that starts from Sobaeksan Station (formerly known as Heebangsa Station) and stretches to Junyeong Pass. It is one of the most beloved walking trails in Korea. A round trip starting from and returning to Sobaeksan Station takes about three hours. When you get to the peak of Junyeong Pass, be sure to take a rest and enjoy the stunning view before heading back to where you started. Old Path of Jungnyeong Pass lies between Dosolbong Peak and Yeonghwabong Peak II. Many people had frequently used the road until the 1910s, but it went down in history after the railroad opened during the Japanese colonial rule and National Highway 5 was later built. Recently, part of Old Path of Jungnyeong Pass in Gyeongbuk Province has been restored, and hikers and tourists started to come and enjoy walking on this forest trail stretching from Sobaeksan Station to the peak of Junyeong Pass.
A large area of apple farms continues along the old road under the elevated Jungang Highway. The old road runs through the apple farm and disappears from view, luring me to follow. The forest surrounding Old Path of Jungnyeong Pass emits a sweet-sour fragrance like apples. With each step I take, my nose senses the smell of phytoncide from the trees. The forest smells mysterious and refreshing as all sorts of trees including ash trees, oaks and ginnala maples, and different kinds of vines including Akebia guinata, Seibold’s greenbriers, and fever twigs give off different fragrances that are combined to give the forest its unique scent.
Old Path of Jungnyeong Pass is a forest trail that is just wide enough for one person to walk on. The forest is so dense that even the strongest sunlight at the peak of summer cannot penetrate it. As you walk through the forest, dew from grass will wet the bottoms of your pants and a thick layer of fog clouds your sight out of the blue, landing gently on your shoulders and giving you the chills.
I took a pause from walking and sat down on a mat in the forest. The trail remains tranquil and peaceful. Leaving the urban crowd and all the noises of the summer behind, I relaxed in the tranquility of the forest. A quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of a city can bring you genuine inner peace. I wanted the perfect peace to last until the 2-hour, 5km round trip.
▲ Old Path of Jungnyeong Pass, a trail in a dense forest that even the strongest sunlight cannot penetrate.
▲ Wild flowers greet people walking on Old Path of Jungnyeong Pass.
The Glowing Sunset and the Tranquil Trail
Finally, the long walk took me to Buseoksa Temple as the evening approached. I have visited the temple many times, and I grow more fond of it each time. Sitting on the base of the stone pagoda next to Muryangsujeon Hall, I watched the sun smoothly setting over Sobaeksan Mountain Range. Apple flowers were in full bloom or ginkgo leaves turned yellow. One time, I had to walk through the snow that piled up to my ankles to get to Buseoksa Temple. All my memories of the visits to the temple are still vivid.
The temple is at the end of the path flanked by ginkgo trees. When the sun goes down, the solemn glow of the sunset goes over Sobaeksan Mountain and reaches the front yard of the temple. Soon, the sound of beopgo, the ceremonial drum, and the wooden fish fills the temple. The most salient architectural feature of the temple is the entasis columns in Muryangsujeon Hall. The sheer beauty of the simple architectural design defies any aesthetic rhetoric and just touches your heart.
The humble eaves without dancheong, or traditional multicolored paintwork, never fail to amaze with their simple aesthetic beauty.
Behind Muryangsujeon Hall of Buseoksa Temple is a big dark grey rock called “Buseok” and there is a legend about the rock. Seonmyo, who was enamored with Great Master Uisang, threw herself into the sea and turned into a dragon that escorted Uisang throughout his voyage. Later, when a group of bandits attempted to thwart the construction of Buseoksa Temple, the dragon lifted a huge rock in the air to ward them off. That’s how the temple got its name “Buseok,” which means “a floating rock.”
I always wait until evening when visiting the temple. I stand in front of Muryangsujeon Hall when the sun begins to set. The sun goes down beyond the ridge of Sobaeksan Mountain and the wind gently caresses the chime hanging from the eaves of Muryangsujeon Hall. The golden glow of the setting sun shines on the entasis columns of the hall. People are sitting in the front yard of the temple, watching the sunset. The sound of the beopgo, the ceremonial drum, echoes. Someone beats the wooden fish and strikes unpan, a metal plate that is struck to signal mealtime. The sins of creatures with four feet, fish, and birds are washed away with these sounds. But who or what washes away the sins of humans? People gather together around the beopgo and remain silent as if wishing the sounds would wash away their sins, too.
