[Curiosity Lab] Baemsagol, Baemgol, Jangsado... Where Are the Places Named After Snakes?

The year 2025 is the Year of the Snake, Eulsa Year (乙巳年). The snake, symbolizing wisdom, abundance, and immortality, is the only animal among the twelve zodiac animals?excluding the mythical dragon?that has no fur or legs. In our culture, it has been both revered and envied. It has been depicted as a guardian snake protecting homes and wealth, a guardian deity of eternal life (永生不死), and also as a fearful creature threatening humans. This dual image is reflected in the place names across our land.

Sado and Wado in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do. Provided by Jeollanam-do.

◆Among 1.5 million place names, 208 are related to snakes

The National Geographic Information Institute analyzed snake-related place names in 2013, the previous Gyesa Year (癸巳年). At that time, out of approximately 1.5 million place names, 208 were related to snakes. Jeollanam-do had the most with 41, followed by Gyeongsangbuk-do with 32, Gyeongsangnam-do with 31, Jeollabuk-do with 27, Gyeonggi-do with 14, Chungcheongbuk-do with 11, Gangwon-do with 10, Jeju-do with 6, Incheon with 3, Gwangju with 2, Daegu with 2, and Daejeon with 1. Seoul had none. The concentration of snake-related place names in the southern regions appears closely linked to agricultural life.

By type, village names were the most common with 157, followed by island names with 15, and names of passes and mountains with 14. However, a more detailed investigation into the origins of these place names is expected to reveal even more snake-related names.

Looking at the characters used, the place name ‘Sadong’ was the most common with 15 instances nationwide, including the village name in Dongbu-dong, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Next was ‘Baemgol’ with 10 instances. In some regions, snakes were called ‘Baeam’, ‘Biam’, or ‘Baeyeom’, resulting in various forms of place names.

Scenery of Jangsagol, Haman-gun, Gyeongnam. Provided by the National Geographic Information Institute

◆Mostly found in Yeonghonam regions, none in Seoul... Derived from snake appearances and snake-shaped terrain

Among snake-related place names, those related to the shape of snakes accounted for 137 (65%), the largest portion. Among these, 72 place names were given because their overall shape resembled a long snake, such as ‘Jangsado’ in Maejuk-ri, Hansan-myeon, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do.

Examples of snake-shaped places include Baemgil Village in Anbo-ri, Seomyeon, Chuncheon-gun, Gangwon-do (officially designated on March 30, 1989), named because the valley in the village resembles a snake; Jangsagol in Sadori, Gunbuk-myeon, Haman-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do (designated April 22, 1961), named because the area in front of the village looks like a long snake; Bisado in Ochwi-ri, Podu-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do (designated April 22, 1961), named after a legend that a flying snake (飛巳, Bisa) once lived there; and Saduseom in Sagok-ri, Sadeung-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do (designated April 22, 1961), named because the island’s shape resembles a snake’s head.

Among place names describing snake shapes, the ‘Jangsachuwa form (長蛇追蛙形)’, where a snake is chasing a frog, is considered a good site rich in resources and regarded as a prime location by geomancers. Examples include ‘Sado’ in Yeongnam-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, and ‘Saseong’ in Sinseong-ri, Hongseong-eup, Hongseong-gun, Chungcheongnam-do.

In Yeongnam-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, there is an island called Wado (蛙島), shaped like a frog, and an island called Sado (蛇渡), shaped like a snake crossing to catch the frog. Geomancers consider the part corresponding to the snake’s head as a prime spot, which is why villages formed there.

Anbori Baemgil Village, Seomyeon, Chuncheon. Provided by the National Geographic Information Institute

◆Derived from legends of snakes appearing... Also depicted as evil beings

There are also place names related to legends of snake appearances. The village name ‘Gubaemi’ in Guam-ri, Nam-myeon, Gyeongju-si, originates from a story about a snake with ears appearing there. ‘Gusujae’ in Geumgye-ri, Haebo-myeon, Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do, has a story about nine snakes that could not cross a pass and sat down there.

Place names derived from the snake as a fearful creature include ‘Gimnyeong Sagul’ in Woljeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and ‘Deokryeong’ in Sangdeok-ri, Jiksan-eup, Cheonan-si, where snakes were depicted as evil beings threatening humans.

Jeju Gimnyeong Sa Cave, resembling a crawling snake. Provided by Visit Jeju

Gimnyeong Sagul in Woljeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (officially designated August 23, 2003) is a cave 705 meters long, with a winding shape resembling a crawling snake. It has long been called Gimnyeong Sagul (金寧蛇窟). During the Joseon Dynasty under King Jungjong, a man named Seorin was appointed as the Jeju magistrate at the young age of 19. It is said that a large snake lived inside the cave. The snake caused great harm to the villagers by demanding a young maiden as a sacrifice every year, threatening to ruin the crops otherwise. The story goes that Magistrate Seorin led soldiers to defeat the snake.

◆Multiple theories about Jirisan Baemsagol Valley

Additionally, Jangsadong in Gopung-ri, Unsan-myeon, Seosan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, is a village shaped like a large snake. Reflecting the snake’s attribute of shedding its skin and growing?symbolizing immortality?the local residents are said to live long. Also, Baemgol Pass (Baemgoljae) in Hancheon-ri, Donggang-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, is named because those who have committed evil sins are said to encounter a large snake when crossing the pass, indicating that snakes were regarded as wise beings in the place name.

Jirisan Baemsagol. Photo by Asia Economy

Jirisan Baemsagol is also famous. It is a valley in Banseon-ri, Sannae-myeon, Namwon-si, Jeollabuk-do, stretching 12 km. The valley is lined with rocky cliffs, over a hundred large and small waterfalls and pools, clear water, and lush trees, creating a magnificent scenery, literally forming a ‘Bokgyesu (碧溪水)’?a clear blue stream.

There are several theories about why it is called Baemsagol. One is that there was a temple called Baeamsa here, so it was originally called Baeamsagol, which later changed to Baemsagol. The most common theory is that this area is where the most snakes were caught in Jirisan, making it famous nationwide as a snake habitat and thus called Baemsagol. Another theory is that it means ‘the valley where snakes died.’

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