[Jo Yongjun's Journey] The Place Where Samguk Yusa Was Written Beneath the Layers of Mountains

Journey to Gunwi, the Time Travel Destination Where Samguk Yusa Was Born

The scenery of Hwasan Village, which has become the leading contributor to promoting Gunwi, Gyeongbuk. Standing at the Hwasan Village Observatory at an altitude of 800 meters, the panoramic view of the overlapping mountains and lakes across the Gunwi area is magnificent.

Hakso-dae in front of Ingaksa Temple

Memories of Hwabon Station: Photos and Hats

Gunwi Samjon Seokbul, known as the original of Gyeongju Seokguram

Filming Locations of the Movie Little Forest

Hwabon Guksu near Hwabon Station, a small railway station

[Asia Economy, Travel Specialist Reporter Jo Yong-jun] Not many people immediately think of Gunwi as a travel destination. Usually, one would recall at least one famous attraction, but even that is not easy. It means there is nothing that instantly grabs your attention. In fact, it might be an unfamiliar region that many do not even know where it is located. It borders Daegu to the south, Uiseong to the north, Yeongcheon to the east, and Gumi to the west. However, even if you are not familiar with Gunwi, hardly anyone would be unaware of the Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). The place where the monk Il-yeon wrote the Samguk Yusa is Ingaksa Temple in Gunwi. There is also the Samjon Seokgul, known as the original of Gyeongju Seokguram, and Hwasan Village, which has recently gained popularity as a scenic spot through SNS (social networking services). You cannot miss Hwabon Station, considered the most beautiful small train station in the country. Is that all? There is also the filming location of the movie 'Little Forest,' which offered small but touching moments. Although Gunwi may be somewhat unfamiliar for travel, it is rich in scenery, history, and stories. A journey to an unfamiliar place can double the excitement just by thinking about it.

◇ Gunwi, the birthplace of Samguk Yusa & the original 'Samjon Seokbul' of Gyeongju Seokguram

What Gunwi takes the most pride in and considers most special is none other than Il-yeon's Samguk Yusa. Monk Il-yeon was appointed as a national monk during the Goryeo period and practiced Buddhism in places like Ganghwado, Daegu, and Cheongdo before coming down to Gunwi at the age of seventy-eight. He stayed at Ingaksa Temple until just before his passing and wrote the Samguk Yusa over five years there.

Ingaksa is an ancient temple established during the reign of Queen Seondeok of Silla. Il-yeon recorded stories from long ago in his book there. The Samguk Yusa, or rather Il-yeon himself, revived the past that might have otherwise been forgotten in Gunwi.

Standing in front of Ingaksa, the stream of the Wicheon River flows before the temple, and behind the waterway, the massive sheer cliff called Haksodae rises steeply. Although the area around Haksodae is currently under maintenance and somewhat unsettled, the grandeur of the rock cliff is impressive.

At Ingaksa, there is the Bogak Guksa Stele, which contains the biography of Monk Il-yeon. It is carved only with the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi, a famous Chinese calligrapher. It is said that scholars at the time, admiring the calligraphy, lined up to take rubbings of the stele. Ingaksa also houses a stone Buddha statue with a damaged face and a modest three-story stone pagoda, but unlike other temples, it has no Iljumun gate or walls and connects directly to the roadside.

Along with the Samguk Yusa, the most recommended local attraction is the 'Samjon Seokgul' (Three Buddha Grotto). Also called the 'Second Seokguram,' Samjon Seokgul is a cave carved into a 20-meter-high vertical natural rock cliff, enshrining the Amitabha Buddha triad. It is the only grotto temple in Korea made by utilizing a natural rock cliff and is considered the original of Seokguram, predating Gyeongju Seokguram by about 70 years. Inside the grotto, the principal Amitabha Buddha triad, created around 700 AD, is seated in a lotus position. On the left and right are carved statues of Daeseji Bodhisattva and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

◇ Hwasan Village at 800m above sea level, Gunwi's rising hot place

In fact, the place to visit in Gunwi before Ingaksa is Hwasan Village. If you had to pick just one famous spot in Gunwi, it would undoubtedly be this place. It is currently a 'hot place' gaining popularity on SNS.

Following a winding mountain road (7.6 km) for a while, you reach a hilltop where a windmill with a red roof appears. This is the Hwasan Fortress Observatory, famous for its views even within Hwasan Village. From here, the overlapping mountain ridges stretch out beneath your feet. The winding mountain ranges and the cozy Gunwi Lake nestled within look like a painting. Just standing there naturally brings out a 'Wow~' of admiration.

Hwasan Village is located on a mountain at 700 to 800 meters above sea level, featuring highland fields and wind turbines, making it a village with beautiful scenery. Under the sky, the highland fields, morning mist, flowers, and Gunwi Lake blend harmoniously, offering fantastic views throughout the year.

Leaving the Hwasan Observatory, you proceed to the Windmill Observatory located at a higher point. A poem inscribed on a rock welcomes visitors. It was written by Yu Seong-ryong, a prime minister during the Imjin War, who admired the beauty of Hwasan.

'Who would cultivate fields on Hwasan?/The source of immortals begins here./Friend, lend me a ladder of clouds,/When autumn winds blow at Okjeong, I will pick blue lotus flowers. (Okjeong Yeongwon)'

The village was not formed long ago. In 1962, about 180 households relocated collectively due to the government's mountain reclamation policy. The 7.6 km mountain road connecting the village to the outside was a difficult path pioneered by the residents themselves at that time.

The neat and orderly highland fields and the sparsely scattered modest houses look like a scene from a fairy tale. Standing at the observatory, I gazed down at the scenery for a long time.

Below the village lies the Hwasan Fortress. It was built in 1709 (the 35th year of King Sukjong's reign in Joseon) by General Yun Suk to defend against Japanese invasions at his own expense. The fortress walls, originally about 4 meters high and 200 meters long, were left incomplete due to a severe famine that halted construction. Currently, about 140 meters of the fortress wall remain.

◇ Time travel through a small train station, the most beautiful Hwabon Station

Hwabon Station preserves its old appearance so well that it is considered 'the most beautiful small train station in Korea.' Painted in a pale ochre color, Hwabon Station looks like it has come out of a faded photograph. Recently, after being featured on a TV program, the number of visitors has increased significantly.

Entering the waiting room, old items such as hats and flags used by station staff in the past are displayed. Black-and-white photos capturing Hwabon Station's old appearance cover the walls. The scenes of residents carrying large bundles boarding and alighting trains are now memories frozen in time.

Even if you are not a train passenger, you can buy an admission ticket for 1,000 won and enter the platform area.

Hwabon Station's history dates back about 100 years. It was completed in 1936 during the Japanese colonial period and started as a regular station in 1938. Residents here, who had no market, used the train to go to Yeongcheon market, making the station a vital part of their daily lives.

As more people visit Hwabon Station, weekend queues form at nearby popular eateries. Among them, Hwabon Noodles boasts a taste worth waiting for. The soybean noodles made from locally contracted soybeans have a rich and sweet flavor. The friendly smiles of the owner couple enhance the taste.

After a bowl of noodles, take a stroll around the village. Passing by a 300-year-old pagoda tree guarding the village entrance, you will find an old rice mill, a mill, dolmens, the Hwabon Station official residence built in the 1930s, a radio shop, and a rural caf? along the road.

About a 10-minute drive from Hwabon Village is the filming location of the movie 'Little Forest.' The film depicts 'Hye-won' (played by Kim Tae-ri), who, tired of city life, returns to her hometown and spends the four seasons there. In the movie, the seasons and food are portrayed enchantingly, and the background is Hye-won's house. The house is open to the public and well maintained as it was during filming.

Gunwi = Text and photos by Jo Yong-jun, travel specialist reporter jun21@

◇ Travel Notes

△ How to get there = From the metropolitan area, take the Yeongdong Expressway - Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway - Sangju Yeongcheon Expressway, then exit at Donggunwi IC and head toward Yeongcheon and Sinnyeong. At the Samguk Yusa Intersection, turn onto Hwasan Road to reach the Hwasan Village Observatory.

△ Attractions = Hanbam Village in Daeyul-ri, Bugye-myeon, is a village where low stone walls between houses seem to share old stories, preserving a cozy and tranquil atmosphere. The Samguk Yusa Theme Park, opened last year, offers all content related to the Samguk Yusa. The nostalgic school-themed museum 'When Mom and Dad Were Young,' remodeled from the old Sanseong Middle School to allow visitors to experience life in the 1960s, is also in Hwabon Village. It recreates classrooms from 40-50 years ago, as well as a barbershop, photo studio, sound shop, comic book room, stationery store, small grocery, and briquette shop. Additionally, there are the birthplace of Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan, the Samguk Yusa rest area, and the Sarawon Story Village.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.