| Baekhwa-san the 934-meter-summit "White-Flower Mountain" on the border of Yeongdong County of North Chungcheong Province with Sangju City of North Gyeongsang Province a notable spur off the Baekdu-daegan National Range, 8 km away |
There are many mountains, peaks and temples in Korea named Baekhwa or "White
Flower", a reference to the Lotus flowers sacred to Buddhism and the color of the
heavenly clouds (sacred to all Korean religious traditions). This is one of the better-
known ones, really a high steep ridgeline right in the center of South Korea. Its summit
is the impressive Pyoseong-bong at 934m, forming the provincial border. The ridge
heads north from it into the SW corner of Sangju City (dividing Moseo-myeon District from
Modong-myeon) then curves around east for 6 km, dropping to about 300m, until it meets
the Baekdu-daegan mainline just west of Baekhak-san (615m). This entire mountain-
ridge is called the "Baekhwa-jimaek" sub-range. Several notable historic sacred sites
are found on its southern and eastern slopes.
Note: this name can also be spelled "Baeghwa-san", "Paekhwa-san" or "Paeghwa-san"...
Flower", a reference to the Lotus flowers sacred to Buddhism and the color of the
heavenly clouds (sacred to all Korean religious traditions). This is one of the better-
known ones, really a high steep ridgeline right in the center of South Korea. Its summit
is the impressive Pyoseong-bong at 934m, forming the provincial border. The ridge
heads north from it into the SW corner of Sangju City (dividing Moseo-myeon District from
Modong-myeon) then curves around east for 6 km, dropping to about 300m, until it meets
the Baekdu-daegan mainline just west of Baekhak-san (615m). This entire mountain-
ridge is called the "Baekhwa-jimaek" sub-range. Several notable historic sacred sites
are found on its southern and eastern slopes.
Note: this name can also be spelled "Baeghwa-san", "Paekhwa-san" or "Paeghwa-san"...
| Sacred Sites of Baekhwa-san: Banya-sa Temple Bohyeon-sa Temple Okdong-Seowon with Baekok-jeong Pavilion (below on this page) |
| Okdong-Seowon with Baekok-jeong Pavilion |
This handsome and historic seowon [Neo-Confucian Academy with a shrine] was first established in 1518 in the
early Joseon Dynasty, at nearby Shindeok Village. It was moved to this location in Subok-ri [Water-Fortune
Village] of Sangju City’s Modong-myeon, and reconstructed to its current form during the 1700s. It is just south
of Baekhwa-san’s 365-m Baekok-bong [White Jade Peak], and the Baekok-jeong Pavilion above the gateway
enjoys a fine view of it. This academy was built by the local Hwang clan to honor and enshrine their ancestor
Hwang Hee (1363-1452), a revered scholar who served as prime minister during the reign of king Sejong,
earning a reputation for good judgment and righteousness. Several well-known scholars born in this area were
educated here, and it was one of the 47 academies that were preserved from destruction during the great
closure /suppression of most of the nation’s seowon by the Daewon-gun [Regent-Prince] in the 1860s.
early Joseon Dynasty, at nearby Shindeok Village. It was moved to this location in Subok-ri [Water-Fortune
Village] of Sangju City’s Modong-myeon, and reconstructed to its current form during the 1700s. It is just south
of Baekhwa-san’s 365-m Baekok-bong [White Jade Peak], and the Baekok-jeong Pavilion above the gateway
enjoys a fine view of it. This academy was built by the local Hwang clan to honor and enshrine their ancestor
Hwang Hee (1363-1452), a revered scholar who served as prime minister during the reign of king Sejong,
earning a reputation for good judgment and righteousness. Several well-known scholars born in this area were
educated here, and it was one of the 47 academies that were preserved from destruction during the great
closure /suppression of most of the nation’s seowon by the Daewon-gun [Regent-Prince] in the 1860s.
| (a shot of the oldest dark foundation-stones here was used to make the background for these Baekhwa-san webpages) |