Hampyeongcheon Waterside Park is located in Hampyeong-eup and is connected to the adjacent Expo Park. You can park at Expo Park and pass through the parking lot to reach Waterside Park, which is connected in all directions. This park is built along the water and has more weeping willows than other places, along with various other trees that invite travelers throughout the four seasons with different scenes. In spring, you can see fields full of yellow canola flowers alongside fresh green buds. Nearby walking trails feature blooming plum flowers, creating a spectacular view. In summer, under the blue sky, countless hydrangeas show off their beauty, creating an indescribably stunning sight. The sky, clouds, and trees blend with the hydrangeas, producing a fantastic scene perfect for photography. The waterside park has well-maintained walking paths ideal for strolling, where you can also find various wildflowers along with hydrangeas. In autumn, the surroundings turn pink with pink muhly grass and pampas grass beautifully complementing each other, attracting many travelers who eagerly take photos. Additionally, red kochia plants bloom abundantly, bringing another sense of autumn. In winter, migratory birds fill the empty spaces, allowing visitors to deeply appreciate the beauty of nature. If you want to see beautiful nature through all four seasons, visiting this waterside park will make for a happy trip.
Hwayang Neighborhood Park is a park located next to Expo Park. The park features various themed areas such as the Golden Bat Pavilion, the Forest of the Oath of the Peach Garden, and the Forest of Health and Longevity. If you walk along the path, you can also find Hampyeong County Library. There is a large parking lot at the entrance of Hwayang Neighborhood Park.
This place hosted the 2008 Butterfly and Insect Expo and holds the Hampyeong Butterfly Festival in spring and the Korea National Chrysanthemum Competition in autumn. The vast park of about 300,000 pyeong includes Hampyeong Auto Theater, a theme video hall, VR experience center, park golf course, Hwayang Neighborhood Park, Expo water playground, county art museum, and Hampyeongcheon waterside park. Exhibition halls include a succulent plant hall, natural ecology hall, butterfly ecological education hall, butterfly and insect specimen exhibition hall, and eco-friendly agriculture hall. The VR experience center on the first floor of the Expo Park theme video hall operates 12 VR types such as roller coaster and underwater exploration and 2 AR types such as screen shooting and soccer. The water playground opens temporarily in summer. The Hampyeongcheon path, a 6 km walking trail, connects Expo Park to Hampyeongcheon ecological wetland and the forested Hwayang Neighborhood Park. At night, colorful night scenery lighting illuminates various spots in the park, offering a different attraction from the daytime and establishing it as a night view landmark.
Bokwangsa is a branch temple of Baekyangsa, the main temple of the 18th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, located at 289 Hampyeong-ri, Hampyeong-eup, Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do. The temple's foundation dates back to 1924 when Mojintaek first built a house used as a separate hall. Around 1938, it was established as a mission hall by followers of Yongcheonsa [龍泉寺]. In 1942, Monk Moseongwol [毛性月, 1886~1979], along with Monk Wonmyeong [圓明] and missionary Kim Namha [金南夏], took over and officially turned it into today's Bokwangsa, managing it as a proper temple. After Monk Yeongmyeong [英明], Monk Beophong [法弘] currently resides there. The temple features buildings such as Geungnakbojeon, a dormitory, and a bell pavilion, with the bell designated as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Property No. 172. The bell, stored in the pavilion on the left side of the main hall, originally belonged to Wongap Temple in Muan but was relocated to its current site in 1967 after being passed through Yongcheonsa in Hampyeong to avoid the Korean War turmoil. The bell’s dragon-shaped suspension ring (yongnyu) features two dragons facing opposite directions, connecting the dragon’s legs to support the bell’s weight. The upper trunk is encircled by two bands with the Sanskrit character for “Brahma” inscribed. Below are square protrusions with nine nipples inside, between which a bodhisattva statue is embossed. The lower trunk has two wide raised lines with inscription indicating the bell’s creation in 1767 (43rd year of King Yeongjo). The bell stands 2.1m tall with upper and lower circumferences of 2m and 2.65m, respectively, and a diameter of 0.83m. Structurally, it includes the yongnyu, the upper band, the bell body, square protrusions, and bodhisattva reliefs, but omits the striking platform and lower base. The bell’s inscription reads "Jeonghae March," confirming the mid to late 18th century date. Despite simplified features at the top, the bell is large compared to typical 18th-century bells under 1m and is praised for its clear, excellent sound.
Built during the Joseon Dynasty to enshrine and honor the memorial tablets of virtuous Confucian scholars and to provide education and moral guidance to local residents. The exact founding date is unknown, but it was rebuilt in 1597 (Seonjo 30) in Daehwa-ri, south of Hampyeong-hyeon, and relocated to its present location in 1632 (Injo 10) due to unsuitable geography. It was repaired annually in 1929, 1956, 1967, 1975, and 1976. Existing buildings include Daeseongjeon (a 3-room gable-roof hall), Myeongnyundang, East Dormitory, West Dormitory, Jeonsago (sacrificial goods storage), Yangsajae, storage buildings, Inner Sammun (three gates), and Outer Sammun. Unlike typical hyanggyo layout, it follows the 'front shrine, rear school' form with Daeseongjeon located in front of Myeongnyundang. The memorial tablets of the Five Sages, Four Virtuous Scholars of the Song Dynasty, and 18 Korean Virtuous Scholars are enshrined in Daeseongjeon. During the Joseon era, the institution received land, books, and slaves from the government, and one teacher instructed up to 30 students. Following the Gaapo Reform and new education system, its educational function ceased, but it still holds the Seokjeon rites in spring and autumn and incense offerings on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month. It is designated as a tangible cultural property of Jeollanam-do and managed by one Jeongyo and multiple Jangui.
The Hampyeong Gigak-ri Red Oak Natural Habitat is known as the northernmost natural habitat of the red oak tree, a subtropical plant in Korea. The red oak growing here was designated Natural Monument No. 110 on December 7, 1962. The current area occupied is 33㎡, and it grows like a fence behind village houses, reaching a height of 8m with a canopy width of about 5m. Called red oak because of the reddish color of its wood, the wood is hard and not easily split, used for making furniture and ships. The red oak belongs to the oak family and is a subtropical evergreen broadleaf plant that is vulnerable to cold, mainly growing on sunny mountain slopes and valleys. Mainly distributed in Jeju Island and southern coastal areas, its northern distribution limit on the mainland is Daedong-myeon, Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do. Due to its phytogeographical importance, it is protected as a natural monument.
