Leaving the World Behind for Scenic Solitude | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Jeongipumsong of Songnisukri, a pine tree estimated to be over 600 years old, stands in the middle of the path to Beopjusa Temple on Songnisan. It is 15m tall, with a chest circumference of 4.5m, and branch lengths of 10.3m east, 9.6m west, and 10m north, covering a total area of 1158.3㎡. The tree was given the rank of Jeong 2-pum (a high official rank) and is widely known as a symbol of Songnisan. According to legend, in the 10th year of King Sejo's reign (1464), when the king's palanquin passing under the tree got caught on the drooping branch, the tree raised its branch for the king to pass safely. It is also said King Sejo took shelter from rain under this tree. Honoring the tree's loyalty, King Sejo awarded it the Jeong 2-pum rank (equivalent to a ministerial level) and it was named Jeongipumsong. Over time, the tree suffered various damages, notably from pine needle gall midges in the early 1980s, leading to extensive insect netting installation. Originally neat and beautiful with a hat or umbrella shape, the tree's large west branch broke in a strong windstorm in 1993, damaging its form. However, it remains very beautiful overall, biologically and genetically valuable as a large old tree, and culturally significant due to its legend reflecting the era's loyalty to the monarch. For these reasons, it is designated and protected as a natural monument.

Beopjusa Temple, meaning 'the place where Buddha's law rests,' is located on the foothills of Songnisan and was founded by Uisin in the 14th year of King Jinheung of Silla (553 AD) and later renovated by King Seongdeok and King Hyegong, when it began to take the shape of a large temple. During the Hong Geon-jeok invasion of Goryeo, King Gongmin passed through on his return from fleeing to Andong. Before his enthronement, King Taejo of Joseon performed a hundred-day prayer here, and King Sejo, who was ill, prayed for three days at Bokcheonam Hermitage. By the mid-Joseon period, Boeun Beopjusa grew to boast over 60 buildings and 70 hermitages but was almost entirely destroyed during the Imjin War. It was restored by Monk Byeokam in 1624 (2nd year of King Injo) and has undergone several restorations since. Previously, the temple layout intersected the Hwaeom faith axis centered on Daeungbojeon and the Maitreya faith axis centered on Yonghwabojeon perpendicularly at Palsangjeon, but this was disrupted after a 33-meter tall bronze Maitreya Buddha statue was erected in 1990. The precinct includes over ten temple buildings, such as Yonghwadang, Wontongbojeon, Myeongbujeon, Neunginjeon, Josagak, Jinyeonggak, Samsanggak, and the temple office, centering on Daeungbojeon. Over half of Boeun’s cultural heritage sites are concentrated in the Songnisan area, with Beopjusa alone holding three national treasures. Notable artifacts include Cheonwangmun gate, Seonhuigung altar dedicated to Lady Yi, mother of Crown Prince Sado, Neunginjeon housing sixteen arhats, the Bodhisattva Heegyeon who offered himself to Buddha by burning his body, and stone jars and iron cauldrons large enough to hold eighty sacks of rice. Boeun Beopjusa, boasting over a thousand years of Maitreya faith history, offers templestay programs allowing visitors to experience basic Buddhist culture through prayer and Buddhist services. Palsangjeon, a five-story wooden pagoda and an important subject in Korean wooden pagoda studies, was built by Uisin in King Jinheung's reign, renovated by Byeongjin in 776, destroyed in 1597 during the Jeongyu War, and rebuilt in 1605. Named for the eight scenes of Buddha’s life painted on its walls, Palsangjeon became the only remaining example of a Korean wooden pagoda after the 1984 fire that destroyed a three-story wooden pagoda at Ssangbongsa. It stands 22.7 meters tall to the finial, making it the tallest existing pagoda in Korea. The Seokyeonji lotus pond features an octagonal base stone with three tiers of moldings and a lotus-shaped stone decoration representing a lotus floating on clouds, an 8th-century masterpiece from the Unified Silla period. The Ssangsaja stone lantern, regarded as one of the finest Silla stone lanterns dating to the 19th year of King Seongdeok (720), features stylized lion sculptures replacing standard lantern pillars. Its octagonal base and lotus-shaped stone elements are carved from single stone blocks, with larger roof stones compared to typical lanterns.

This restaurant with a tiled roof is located next to a small parking lot at the entrance of Songnisan. You can enjoy dishes made with wild vegetables and mushrooms directly collected from Songnisan. The menu includes Sanchae Jeongsik (wild vegetable set meal), Grilled Deodeok Jeongsik, Mushroom Stew Jeongsik, Sanchae Bulgbaek Jeongsik, Bibimbap, and Seafood Pajeon, all available for orders of two or more people. The main entrance has no height difference, allowing easy access, and there are outdoor tables where you can enjoy your meal with the cool mountain air. Nearby attractions include Songnisan Sculpture Park, Ori-gil, and Beopjusa Temple.

속리산 국립공원은 속리산과 화양, 선유, 쌍곡 등 3개의 계곡을 합쳐 국립공원을 이루고 있다. 속리산은 기암 절경이 빼어난 산으로 한국 8경 중 하나로 꼽히며, 태백산맥에서 남서방향으로 뻗어 나오는 소백산맥줄기 가운데 위치하여 충북 보은군, 괴산군, 경북 상주군의 경계에 있는 산이다.