Yongin City Pushes to Designate 'Geonjisan Bongsu' as a National Historic Site... Efforts to Promote Cultural Heritage Value

Academic Conference Held with Participation of Scholarly Experts

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province has launched efforts to promote the cultural heritage value of 'Geonjisan Bongsu' for its designation as a national historic site.

On the 29th, Yongin City announced that it held an academic conference on the 26th at the international conference room of the Yongin Culture and Arts Center under the theme "The Cultural Heritage Value and Utilization Plan of Yongin Geonjisan Bongsu." This academic conference was jointly organized by the city and Dankook University Seokjuseon Memorial Museum to share the excavation process and achievements of 'Geonjisan Bongsu' and to highlight its cultural heritage value.

On the 26th, attendees are taking a commemorative photo at the academic conference "The Cultural Heritage Value and Utilization Plan of Yongin Geonjisan Bongsu" held at Yongin Culture and Arts Center. [Photo by Yongin City]

Geonjisan Bongsu is a site discovered by the city during a local survey in 2021, located about 300 meters southwest of the summit on the ridge around Maengri San 43 area.

Bongsu was a military and communication facility that transmitted urgent messages to the capital Hanyang by smoke signals during the day and torchlight at night. During the Joseon Dynasty, five main bongsu routes were established nationwide. Among them, the route passing through Yongin was the 2nd route, connecting Eungbong in Dadaepo, Busan to Mokmyeoksan (present-day Namsan) in Hanyang. The 42nd station on the 2nd route is Geonjisan Bongsu, and the 43rd is Seokseongsan Bongsu.

Previously, the National Heritage Administration designated 14 stations on the 2nd route and 16 stations on the 5th route as national historic sites last year. At that time, Yongin Seokseongsan Bongsu was also designated as a national historic site.

At Geonjisan Bongsu, the following were confirmed: ▲ protective facilities surrounding the bongsu site ▲ five fire facilities (Yeonjo) used to create smoke by burning fire ▲ a Mangdeok facility arranged to observe signals coming to the bongsu ▲ fire iron tools used as fire devices.

At the academic conference, Hyun Nam-ju, Director of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, explained, "Among the five Yeonjo, the 3rd Yeonjo, which showed the thickest ash layer, was used for continuous fire signaling," adding, "It is unusual that the 'Yeondae' structure, typically built in border area bongsu stations, was found at Geonjisan Bongsu, an inland bongsu." Director Hyun also noted, "The Mangdeok found at the top of the Yeondae is the only case confirmed in an inland bongsu."

Kim Ju-hong, former cultural heritage expert at the Korea Land and Housing Corporation Gangwon Regional Headquarters, stated, "According to records in the past 'Yeongjo Musin Byeoldeungrok,' it appears that Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jeong-je reported raising two torches at Geonjisan Bongsu during the Yi In-jae Rebellion in 1728, proving the actual existence of the bongsu diary."

Professor Shin Kyung-jik of Dankook University emphasized, "The celadon shard and Goryeo Dynasty roof tile fragment found at the bongsu are very important relics that allow us to estimate the initial installation period as the Goryeo Dynasty."

A city official said, "Based on the expert opinions presented at the academic conference, we will strive to have Geonjisan Bongsu designated as a national historic site."

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