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Start
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Mt. Mireuk
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Miraesa Temple
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Haean-Nurigil
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Dala Observatory
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Chungmugimbap
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Hansando
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Myulchi Maeul Sikdang
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Dongpirang Village
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Jungang Market
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Finish
Getting on a ship at Tongyeong Ferry Terminal heading to Admiral Yi Sun-sin's headquarters, Hansando Jeseungdang
With a pack of Omisa Ggulbband in one hand, we are going to Hansando Jeseungdang(制勝堂) where the headquarters Admiral Yi Sun-sin, Duke of Loyalty and Warfare, used to rule the three provinces, was located. This could be a pleasant trip in many ways including you could enjoy getting on a ship and beautiful scenery of Hansando Island not just historical significance it has.
Yi Sun-sin as the commander of the left Jeolla province (the headquarters is in Yeosu) in 1592 realized the need for a strategic camp assignment for naval forces and moved it to Hansando Island in July, 1593, appointed as a Naval Commander of the Three Provinces in the following August, and Jeseungdang is base of the original Tongjeyeong, which used to be headquarters of three provinces for 3 years and 7 months until he was discharged.
Okay then, let's get on board at Tongyeong Ferry Terminal and visit Hansando Island. If you take a car, you have to pay for the parking at the terminal but you shouldn't worry that much because it only costs 5,000 won for 24 hours. Even when you take some time to take a look around the island, they charge you 4,000, though. If you want to take a walk around the terminal, you could park here.
We traveled during the week so the terminal was empty. I was reluctant to get on a ship in part because of the Sewol accident.
Ship fare to Hansando Island costs 5,250 won for one-way, and 10,500 won for a round-trip. It takes 20 minutes to get there, the ship departs every hour on the hour from Tongyeong Port, and every 30 minutes from Jeseungdang to Tongyeong Port.
You should write down your name, date of birth and telephone number since the Sewol accident before you get on a ship. Plus, they check your ID card so you have to take it with you.
Sea Paradise ship or New Paradise ship was big enough to carry trucks or buses. It had been so long since the last time I had taken a ship so I was quite excited.
As I travel only on weekdays in off-seasons, there were not many people on the ship. It almost seems like I rented the whole ship. Just in case I need it, I had to make sure where the life jackets were.
This one photo tells you how it is like in Korea these days. There were few people. There were only two vehicles and they were owned by residents of Hansando Island.
While I was attracting seagulls on the rooftop deck, I checked where the lifeboat was just in case we needed it. The ship was not so big so it had a small raft on the back.
We were in a hurry so we forgot to buy a must-have item on a ship, Saeunggang. So we tried to attract them with chocolate snacks we had. We were not sure if they eat it though...
Seagulls peeked at us circling over our heads a few times if it's eatable and started to stare at our hands.
But they noticed they're not eatable instantly and left without even looking back. Phew...I remember buying Saeunggang from automated system on a ship from Jejudo Seongsan to Udo Island and I hope Tongyeong would put something like that on this ship. They could make profits and tourists would have fun. One hand washes the other, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, you have your cake and eat it……!!
The ship departs on every hour on the hour. It takes only 20 minutes so you won't have to take pills for sea sickness even if you normally do. The person accompanying me has severe sea sickness but said this ship doesn't rocks back and forth and it's a short distance.
The almost empty ship is heading to Hansando Island slowly.
After about 10 minutes, we saw Geobuk lighthouse on a rock on the right side of sea route. That lighthouse was built in 1963 in order to let people know that this is where Hansandaecheop(Battle of Hansando) happened and to alert other ships to be cautious about rocks around here.
After we passed Geobuk(turtle) lighthouse, we got Hansando Island soon. There were more employees than tourists...
You'll see a bus when you get off the ship and it is for the customers once every hour. The bus is for the residents of the island but travelers could also use it.
As soon as we got off the ship, we turned right and headed to Jeseungdang. It was spring but the sun was so hot almost to burn my face. It seemed like it was going to rain soon and the summer began. Summer is a scary season for travelers who walk.
Apart from the ship fare, you need to pay for the fee in order to get into Jeseungdang.
The road along the beach was perfectly clean. Sky, air and the sea was all clean enough to look at the seabed. As a place well-known for oysters, Tongyeong had white oysters even on the beach. I really wanted to bring chopsticks and eat them right there. :)
The gate to Jeseungdang is called Daecheopmun. As I looked at each pillar on the left/right, it looked the same as one pillar gate (Iljumun Gate) of a temple. I guess it means you will meet a holy place when you pass this gate.
Walking along the path in the forest with full of trees seemingly over a few hundreds of years old and smelling fragrant scent of grass, we took a walk feeling fresh. The trees were appearing to be lying on the ground without a support. That tree was an enormously big pine tree and it was so mysterious that it still stands like that not falling down.
This is Chungchumun you will see after you pass Daecheopmun and got out of the dense forest. I could say this is the entrance to Jeseungdang.
This is the famous Jeseungdang where Admiral Yi Sun-sin used to rule over three provinces during Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592.
Inside, there are various relics and exhibition displayed, and that big signboard is written by Kim Yeong-soo, 140th Naval Commander. The signboard put up at the entrance of the building was written by Jo Gyeong, 107th Naval Commander.
The 5 pictures hung up behind my back show the history of the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare which will remain long in the history of world's naval battle, and thegun used in the Turtle Ship was also displayed.
Ah...I needed to see Suru Tower but it was dismantled and the restoration work is carried out on it. Suru Tower is a lookout tower facing the ocean, also used as a pavilion.
When you walk down the road behind Jeseungdang, you will see a pavilion called Hansanjeong. Admiral Yi Sun-sin used to shoot arrows here and the target is installed up on the hill across the water.
I could see the target 145m away across this small beach. It's amazing that an arrow flies that far. I tried archery in Suwon Hwaseong Fortress once and my fingers hurt even to shoot an arrow to a target 30m away.
After you pass the red Hongsalmun, you will get into Chungmusa Temple where the portrait of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's is being kept. For your information, Hongsalmun is like a warning sign that a holy place is inside the gate.
Under the warm sunlight, there was Chungmusa Temple. When you stand there, you will constantly hear the sounds of birds and I felt like somebody was whispering to me. It was quite strange and new experience.
Inside Chungmusa, there was the portrait of Admiral Yi Sun-sin. I found incenses so I burnt one of them and paid a silent tribute to him for a while. I was told that they still hold a sacrificial rite twice a year.
Not just because Jeseungdang is here, this quiet Hansando Island is a very wonderful travel destination in which there are leafy trees and flowers, clean coast and beautiful nature. This place also belongs to Hallyeo Haesang Bada Bangni Gil and I suggest you to walk your way around the island or use the bus when you travel on foot.
Address : 316, Seoho-dong, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do (경상남도 통영시 서호동 316)
Tongyeong Ferry Terminal Telephone : 1666-0960
Jeseungdang 제승당
Address : 70, Hansanilju-ro, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do (경상남도 통영시 한산일주로 70)
Jeseungdang Telephone : 055-642-8377
