Reciting Poems by the Clear Waters of Hwayanggugok [Welchon] | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Hwayang Gugok is a valley located in Hwayang-ri, Cheongcheon-myeon, where clear water flows over a wide expanse of bedrock, and the surrounding dense forest creates a magnificent view. In the mid-Joseon period, scholar Song Si-yeol of the Wooam school stayed here and named it after China's Wuyi Gugok. Hwayang Gugok refers to the 3.1 km distance from the first spot, Gyeongcheonbyeok, next to the parking lot, to the ninth spot, Pacheon. Passing the second spot, Unyeongdam, a jade-colored pond reflecting clear clouds, appear the third spot, Eupgungam, with circular holes engraved like patterns, and the fourth, Geumsadam; this area is the site related to Song Si-yeol. Across Geumsadam stands Amseojae, where Song Si-yeol mentored his disciples. Nearby restored Mandongmyo and Hwayang Seowon are also closely related to him. Continuing up the valley, the fifth spot, Cheomseongdae, shows large stacked rocks, and the sixth, Neungundae, is said to be sky-high like piercing clouds. It is enjoyable to find the names of the nine spots carved into the rock faces. From the seventh spot, Waryongam, said to resemble a dragon lying and writhing, the path enters the mountains. Passing the eighth spot, Haksodae, where a blue crane nested and laid eggs on a rock, leads to the final ninth spot, Pacheon (or Pagot). Pacheon is named for its widely spread white rocks and water flowing over them that looks like a dragon's scales threaded together. For centuries, names and official titles of visitors have been inscribed on rocks throughout Pacheon. Located south of Gunjasan, Hwayang Gugok can be enjoyed by car, but as it is a one-way route, visitors must go up from the first spot to the ninth. There are resting spots along the way offering chances to pause and admire the spectacular scenery.

Hwayang Seowon is a seowon located in Hwayang-ri, Cheongcheon-myeon, Goesan-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. It was built on the site where the scholar Wooam Song Si-yeol lived in seclusion and served as a gathering place for scholars during the Joseon Dynasty. The Mantongmyo shrine enshrines the memorial tablets of the Ming Dynasty emperors Shenzong and Yizong, who sent reinforcements to Joseon during the Japanese invasions of Korea. After being designated as a national historic site in 1999, eight buildings with remaining structures were restored and maintained from 2002 to 2004.

The stele in front of the seowon records the purpose of the seowon's establishment and praises the figure enshrined there. This stele is located at Mandongmyo Shrine, which performs rites for the Ming dynasty Chinese kings Xinzong and Yizong who aided Korea during the Imjin War. Mandongmyo was built in 1704 (30th year of King Sukjong's reign) by Suam Kwon Sang-ha, a disciple of Wooam Song Si-yeol, following his teachings, 60 years after King Yizong's death. After the 1910 Japan-Korea Annexation, Japanese authorities banned rituals at Mandongmyo in 1917 and arrested Confucian scholars opposing the ban. Despite this, Confucian scholars secretly held ceremonies during spring and autumn. In 1937, Japanese authorities arrested them, burned tablets and ritual implements, and damaged the stele by breaking it with a mallet; in 1942, they burned the buildings and buried the stele underground. After liberation, it was found and re-erected. The stele is a typical stone monument placed on a lotus-patterned base stone, with a square pedestal, the main stele body, and a jade roof stone. Erected in 1747 (23rd year of King Yeongjo's reign), the text was composed by Lee Jae and written by Yoo Cheok-gi. The inscription is hard to read because characters were deliberately carved by the Japanese to be unclear. After Wooam Song Si-yeol-related sites were designated historic in 1999, Mandongmyo and related structures were restored between 2002 and 2005.

Bihakbong Village refers to the villages of Hakdong-ri, Oesari, Saorang-ri, and Gallon-ri, situated along Sanmaki Old Road, which winds around Gunjasan and Bihaksan mountains, where Ssanggokgugok and Gareungugok stand like a folding screen. The village offers seasonal rural experiences along with accommodations, with facilities such as Sanmaki Old Road Forest Experience Center and Gallon Mountain Village Experience Center. It operates various seasonal experience programs in a clean natural environment for those exhausted from urban stress and fatigue. In spring, visitors can gather spring herbs, make rice cakes using the herbs, and plant potatoes. Summer activities include potato harvesting, freshwater snail catching, campfires, and 9-gok valley trekking. In autumn, guests can pick peppers and transplant cabbage seedlings, while winter offers one-night two-day kimchi making and ice-hole fishing at Yulwon Reservoir.

고향마을 산모롱이길 산막이 옛길은 충북 괴산군 칠성면 외사리 사오랑 마을에서 산골마을인 산막이 마을까지 연결됐던 총 길이 10리의 옛길로서 흔적처럼 남아있는 옛길에 덧그림을 그리듯 그대로 복원된 산책로이다. 옛길을 따라 펼쳐지는 산과 물, 숲이 어우러지는 아름다움은 괴산의 백미로 꼽을 수 있는 곳이다.

Seongbulsan Forest Recreation Complex is a natural recreation forest where you can enjoy healing in all four seasons. Since 2009, Goesan-gun has invested 25.5 billion KRW to develop the Seongbulsan Forest Recreation Complex in the Geomseung-ri area of Goesan-eup. The project covers an 81-hectare natural recreation forest, an ecological park, Forest Tourism Megacity, Miseonhyang Theme Park, Ecological Forest Learning Center, Forest Culture Recreation Center, Hanok Experience Center, and other facilities. Currently, 10 forest houses and Miseonhyang Theme Park have completed construction and are ready to welcome guests. The goal is to complete the ecological park, Forest Culture Recreation Center, Ecological Forest Learning Center, Forest Tourism Megacity, and Hanok Experience Center soon to open a recreation complex where families, couples, and loved ones can enjoy healing together.