Gochang Byeongbawi, Resembling an Upside-Down Bottle, Designated as a Scenic Site

Terrain Formed by Weathering and Erosion of Cretaceous Lava and Tuff
Magnificent Scenery Created by the Harmony of Climbing Plants and Pine Forests

The Byeongbawi area in Hoam Village, Banam-ri, Asan-myeon, Gochang, Jeonbuk, will be designated as a scenic site. On the 8th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced the preliminary designation of 'Gochang Byeongbawi Area' as a nationally designated cultural heritage scenic site. Opinions from various sectors will be collected for a month, and the final designation will be confirmed after review by the Cultural Heritage Committee.

Byeongbawi, which reaches a height of 35 meters, is a unique natural heritage that resembles an overturned gourd or a human face depending on the viewing angle. Along with the surrounding Sobanbawi and Jeonjawawi (Durakam) rocks, it creates a distinctive landscape. This terrain was formed by the weathering and erosion of tuff, a rock made from lava and volcanic ash erupted during the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era. The vertical cliffs called dan-ae and the layered sedimentary rocks known as stacks illustrate this. Taphoni, holes formed by the detachment of rock fragments, are also found. On top of these, climbing plants such as Baekhwa-deung and Damjaengi grow naturally. The pine tree clusters harmonize beautifully with the scenery.

Byeongbawi is also called 'Hoam (壺巖)'. According to legend, a fairy who got drunk at a feast kicked a small table as he fell, causing a wine bottle on it to be stuck upside down by the riverside, forming Byeongbawi. This story led to the surrounding rocks being referred to as 'Geumban Okho (金盤玉壺)' and 'Seonin Chwiwa (仙人醉臥)'. The picturesque scenery is also mentioned in old documents such as 'Yeojidoseo', 'Daedongjiji', and 'Honam Eupji'. Records state, 'It is located 20 ri west of the government office at Jangyeon (長淵)', and 'It stands in the shape of a bottle (壺), hence called Hoam (壺巖)'. The 'Jibangjido' map made in 1872 also emphasized and depicted the rock in the shape of a bottle. Next to Jeonjawawi is a small pavilion called Duamchodang. It was a place where the brothers Byeon Seong-on and Byeon Seong-jin, who settled in the mid-Joseon period, and their descendants studied and conducted research.

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