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Start
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Soswaewon
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Myeongokheon Garden
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Original Changpyeong Pork Tripe and Intestine Soup with Rice
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Samjinae village
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Metasequoia Road
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Meta-Province
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Soarejone
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Dalbittturak
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Jungnogwon Bamboo Garden
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Gwanbangjerim Forest
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Ttukbang noodles
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Yongheungsa Temple
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Finish
The best private garden in Korea would be “Soswaewon garden(No.40 beauty spot). This place is usually called either “Byeolseo” or “Wonrim”. Byeolseo means a house that is built by classical scholars who left mundane world. It is similar to villar, but different in that it is used to do farming. Wonrim and garden have almost the same meaning. Unlike artificial garden, however, Wonrim is created after a house and a pavilion have been assigned naturally. Why, by whom Soswaewon garden was made? Who came in and out? I will explain them one by one.
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This place was built by Yang San-bo, who was the pupil of Jo Gwang-jo. He lived in seclusion in Changamchon after Jo Gwang-jo was exiled and received poison as a death penalty. He was 18 years old and his pen name was “Soswae”. You may understand the origin of the name “Soswaewon”. Soswae means clean and cool.
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I expected snow landscape as it had been snowing a couple of days ago. But it is all gone due to the warm weather. The bamboo forest along with the access road is so distinctive. There are a lot of bamboo and Metasequoia road in Damyang. Every village hill is made of bamboo, and most street trees were Metasequoia. I wonder how classical scholars lived after lefting mundane world.
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I can see two pavilions after passing bamboo road and coming inside. Soswaewon Gwangpunggak Pavilion is located in the front side, and Jewoldang in the back side. They look so peaceful and beautiful.
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The pond has been made on the opposite side of a brook. It is a good idea to use natural power. There is none of leaves so it looks a little bit chilly. But it is really beautiful in fact. :-)
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Steep road has been made of stones, preventing soil crumbling. There is Jewoldang on the right side of the road, and Gwangpoonggak on the left side. Jewoldang is a house, and Gwangpoonggak is a guest room.
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A word “Soswaecheosa Yanggongjiryo” is hanging on the wall of Jewoldang. But I couldn't find an explanation about the meaning of this word in Damyang-gun website. The word was written by Song Si-yeol. “Cheosa” means a person with fidelity, and Soswae is a pen name of Yangsanbo. So the word means “Humble home of Yangsanbo, the owner of Soswaewon garden”. It has not special meaning. It would be a doorplate.
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This is Jewoldang which means “the clean moon in the sky after raining”. It was originated from “Gwangpungjewol” when Huang Tingjian of Song Dynasty talked about personality of Joo Moo-sook. Gwangpunggak must be borrowed from it, I guess. The signboard of Jewoldang was written by Song Si-yeol.
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On the roof of Jewoldang, there is a plaque that is made of poems written by the best writers such as Kim In-hu, Song soon, Im Yeok-ryeong, Kim Yoon-je and Jeong Cheol. Classical scholars felt shame of paying back with money when they are treated well. So they presented a plaque or a tree as a token of their appreciation instead.
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Even though it is Byeolseo, there is no kitchen. It would be the sleeping place. So classical scholars would have a meal, welcome guests, read a poem, drinking alcohol and study in this room.
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Winter seems to be over. Flowers are blossoming in a twig. People are so temperamental. I was looking forword of spring, but I am sorry that winter is over.
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You can find Gwangpunggak after entering the small door in front of Jewoldang. The guest would hold their horses at the empress tree, and go to Gwangpunggak through the door.
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The house is a sqaure with three front rooms and three side rooms. The center of house is ondolbang(room with the Korean floor heating system). The house changes a perfect pavilion when all doors are open. Pillar is curved inside but well trimed outside. It is so distinctive.
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The wind would be so fresh in summer. Gwangpunggak is so charming place. Valley flows below, and waterfall falls on the left side. It is so amazing.
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There is a wall on the right side of Jewoldang, which divides Soswaewon garden and outside. It is called “Ogongmun” as water curves five times near the rock. There is an apricot tree on the left side of the wall. There was a door named “Ilgakmoon” in the past.
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A painter is drawing a wall of Soswaewon garden outside. I thought the painter is a woman with ponytail. But it was not, in fact. :-)
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There is a straight line road to Ongjeongbong, so the garden seems to be surrounded by valley, wall and bamboo forest. It is picturesque. I hope architects and gardeners to get impression in this place. It was wonderful.
+ Address: Soswaewon tract, Nam-myeon, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea, 17 - 17 Soswaewon tract, Nam-myeon, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea
+ Contact information: 061-381-0155
+ Operation hours: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (it is open throughout the year)
+ Admission fee: 2,000 won for adults, 1,000 won for teenagers, 700 won for children
Address: 전남 담양군 남면 소쇄원길 17 / 대한민국 전라남도 담양군 남면 소쇄원길 17
