Likely to Revisit
Time for a Getaway
Jangheung
I often found myself wanting to pause, slow down, and look further afield. Exhausted from the hectic daily routine, both my body and mind began to quickly unwind while I was visiting different places in Jangheung. I thought I could use a few more days in Jangheung to heal my body and soul.
📝Text, 📷Photos by. Jae-hyeon Park, Novelist
Borimsa Temple
Time Flows Backwards
Traveling is not only about visiting a special place but also about going back into the past to a special moment in time. Borimsa Temple is a great place for time travel. Founded in AD 860, the temple obviously has a long history to time-travel through. Many of the original buildings were destroyed during the Korean War and restored later on, but Iljumun Gate, Cheonwangmun Gate, the stone pagoda and the stone lantern survived the war, remaining intact for over one thousand years. Both stone pagoda and stone lantern are clearly visible from as far away as Oehomun Gate, as if the architect had this particular view in mind when he designed the temple. Being completely surrounded by mountains on all sides, the temple is very quiet, which makes me feel humble as I realize that I am merely a speck of dust in the universe.
After completing a tour of the temple, you can take a rest under one of its trees. The trees are very big, and so is the shade. Maybe what we ultimately want from travel is to be able to pause and take a rest.
The “crown jewels” of Borimsa Temple are its stone pagoda and stone lantern. Designated as a national heritage, the stone sculptures show the quintessential aesthetic beauty of the United Silla period. Given that they have been preserved in their original forms, they have great historical value. Behind the temple building are a Torreya forest and other trees that are over 300 years old, where you can easily get lost in time and travel back in time.
Wood Land
Talking to Trees
There must be something special about the trees in Jangheung. The trees have witnessed all that has happened there over the years, so they must have a lot to tell us. And I would tell them in return: ‘You only give all you’ve got to others. I wish I could live a life of giving like you.’
In Wood Land, a cypress forest, you can immerse yourself and relax amid the aromatic bosom of the cypress trees. You will find yourself breathing in deeply. Every time you take a breath, the pleasant, refreshing aroma of the cypresses will fill your lungs. The forest is so dense that there is always plenty of shade. You will be happy to encounter the thin rays of sunlight shining through the trees once in a while, even in the middle of summer. As you sit on a bench and relax, watching the fluttering shadows of trees swaying in the breeze, gentle waves may arise in your mind as well. Maybe scientists can find a way to communicate with the trees one day. Trees must have so many stories to tell us!
Wood Land offers various ways to enjoy nature, including walking trails, waterfalls, the Cypress Salt House, a museum, and forest therapy. You can have more fun and create more memories on your trip by staying overnight in a lodge built with eco-friendly materials.
Sunhakdong Village
Anyone Can Be a Wanderer in Sunhakdong Village!
Jangheung is the birthplace of many writers - perhaps this has something to do with its beautiful views of mountains, fields, and the ocean. The village of Sunhakdong is located at a place where all these features can be seen. A Wanderer in Sunhakdong, a novel by Cheongjun Lee, who was born in Jangheung, is set in this village. Sunhakdong has a uniquely charming landscape that changes from season to season. In spring, the whole village is covered in rape blossoms, while it is filled with buckwheat flowers in fall. From a pavilion standing on a hill, one can enjoy a panoramic view of Deungnyangman Bay and the entire village. The rectangular edges of the pavilion frame the view nicely. Descriptions associated with scenes from Cheongjun Lee’s novel are written on bulletin boards placed along roads and alleys across the village. Anyone who has read the novel will be able to travel back into the story once again as they walk around the village and read the descriptions. The villagers are so friendly that they sometimes invite visitors to have something cold to drink when they ask a question about the village or ask for directions.
In Sunhakdong, the higher the location, the better the view of the mountains, fields, and the ocean will be.
In autumn, snow-white buckwheat blossoms cover a large area of over 100,000 m2, creating a dreamy landscape where you will feel like you are in a fairytale.
In October, the village holds a buckwheat blossom festival, which is worth checking out. You can also visit the birthplace of Cheongjun Lee located nearby.
Sodeungseom Island
Things that Are More Worthy and Beautiful!
Some things are more beautiful when they are small. Sodeungseom Island looks better when seen from afar. Its pine trees rise majestically like flowers blooming on the back of a turtle. The island can be reached by foot as it is connected to the mainland, but not all the time. The road connecting the island with the mainland appears two or three times a day when the water recedes during low tide. Things seem more valuable when you have to wait to get them. The light-pink glow of the sunset paints the backdrop behind the island, creating a picturesque scene that you will remember for years. Watching this masterpiece painted by nature, you may think of someone drifting into your mind like a floating island.
The women of the island used to light an oil lamp and pray for the safety of their husbands whenever they went out to sea to catch fish, hoping that the light would guide them back home safely. That is why the island is called “Sodeungseom Island” (island of small oil lamp). Sunset is more beautiful and better for photos than sunrise.
