Trail to Baengnyonsa Temple on Mount Deogyusan home of Muju fireflies | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Muju Firefly Market is a traditional five-day market and a permanent traditional market held on the 1st and 6th of every month. The predecessor, Muju Market, was a traditional market formed around 1890 on the site of the Muju-gun government office, now where the post office stands. In 1919, it was a historical site of the March 1st Independence Movement. After the Korean War, when the entire market building burned down, a natural five-day market formed around Muju Bridge, and in 1950 it moved to its current location in Eupnae-ri, Muju-eup. This place is an inland hub with convenient transportation connecting Gyeongsang-do, Chungcheong-do, and Jeolla-do, offering clean food products (wild greens, medicinal herbs, meoru berries, apples, walnuts, deodeok root, various vegetables), eel porridge, sundae (blood sausage), market-style gukbap (soup with rice), noodles, and many attractions.

향로산 북고사(香爐山北固寺)는 전라북도 무주군 무주읍 읍내리 520번지에 위치한 사찰로서, 대한불교조계종 제17교구 본사 금산사(金山寺)의 말사이다. 무주읍내 뒷산인 향로산 중턱에 자리한 북고사는 본래 고려 공민왕 때 경월사(慶月寺)로 창건되었고, 조선 초기 새 왕조의 꿈을 펼치던 무학대사(無學大師)에 의해 새롭게 태어난 절이다.

Deogyusan Natural Recreation Forest is adjacent to tourist attractions such as Deogyusan National Park and Muju Resort, allowing visitors to enjoy seasonal recreation throughout the year: azalea clusters in spring, Gucheon-dong valley (a symbol of Korean valleys) in summer, autumn foliage in Jeoksangsan in fall, and frost on the summit of Deogyusan plus leisure activities at Muju Resort in winter. The forest is dense with larch and Korean pine, featuring grand German spruce trees which are a representative attraction, providing a deep forest atmosphere. Accommodation includes one campground for 100 people, a forest culture recreation hall for 166 guests, and forest houses. Facilities include walking trails, a wildflower garden, a forest bathing area, and a lawn plaza. The trails are wide and gentle, suitable for families with children and the elderly. Various experience programs such as forest experiences and wood culture activities are also available.

Baengnyeonsa Temple is a temple located on Deogyusan Mountain in Muju and is a branch temple of Geumsansa, the main temple of the 17th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. During the reign of Silla's King Sinmun, Baeknyeon built a hermitage and meditated there, and a white lotus flower sprouted, which led to the establishment of this temple. At the temple site, traces of a monument erected by Lee Haseop when he rebuilt the temple in Gwangu 4 (1900) can be found. The buildings were burned down during the Korean War, but the temple bell, said to have been made in Gyeongjong 3 (1723), remains after being relocated. In 1968, when the temple lodgings were constructed, the temple's name was changed from Baengnyeonam to Baengnyeonsa, and restoration efforts were made for over 30 years. The Daeungjeon Hall is five kan wide at the front and three kan deep at the side, with a distinctive eight-sided paljak roof when viewed from the side. Other structures include Seonsudang, Wontongjeon, Sacheonwangmun, and Iljumun gates. Behind the temple is the Baengnyeonsa stairway used for Buddhist precept ceremonies. Notably, it is said that anyone who chants 'Gwanseum Bosal' (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) and circles the area seven or more times will have their wish fulfilled, attracting many visitors continuously.