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Start
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Uirimji
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Cultural Properties Complex
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Resort
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Villages
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Naeto Traditional Market
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Finish
Natural Healing City Full of Healthy Atmosphere, Jecheon
This time, I'm about to introduce you Jecheon with beautiful Cheongpungho(Lake) and gift of nature. Jecheon is in Chungcheongbuk-do as a basin city surrounded by high mountains, Wolak Mountain, Sobaek Mountain, Chiak Mountain and so on. Gangwon-do and Gyeongsang-do are also close to Jecheon so it's known as an important city for traffic. Why don't we take a two-day trip to Jecheon, the city where anyone would like to go at least once.
The Best Water Irrigation Facilities in Korea, Uirimji 의림지
Uirimji(義林池) built in the Three Han States is known as the best water irrigation facilities in Korea along with Byeokgolje in Gimje and Susanje in Milyang. The circumference of Hoban is 1.8km, 500,000㎥ of water is kept in store and the maximum depth is 13m, which makes an enormous artificial reservoir.
We went back to Uirimji where the mascots of Jecheon, Bakdal taoist hermit and Geumbong taoist fairy, were welcoming us. Jecheon is the background of the song 'Bakdaljae crying over' that is based on a story of these two and I'm going to tell you the story in my next episode and right now I'm going to enjoy a walk for a while. By the way, does anybody know why Koreans call Chungcheong-do 'Hoseo'? Hoseo is a west of the lake, which means west of Uirimji. 'Naeje', the old name of Jecheon which means a 'big bank' ,also was named after this.
So if you keep walking along Uirimji, you'll see a small amusement park. It seems like Wolmido in Incheon and looked very friendly and cosy with rides for kids. Inside the park, they had Tagada, Viking, Bumper Car and Merry-go-round so that it would satisfy young people while the nature satisfies the old people.
There's an island in the middle of the lake. It's an artificial lake so that island is supposed to be an artificial island but it would've been too plain if it wasn't there, such a great island. If you try the duck boat or borrow a boat, you could get there.
It was so large for an artificial lake. Walking along the 1.8km of trail by the lake took 30 minutes and it wouldn't be a problem even if you take a wheelchair or stroller since there's no stairs or uphill or downhill.
We took a walk along the wooden deck across the rainbow bridge.
When we were there, the water level was quite low due to drought. Stream water is supposed to flow from there but instead all I could see was sand. But still, it's a big lake so there's a lot of water!
Walking by the lake, you'll meet a unique rock cave. It was a real rock as I touched it but it wasn't formed naturally so the falls were made of rocks. The water is supposed to flow here and enter into the lake. But the falls did not have enough water.
When you get out of the cave, you'll find a small cafe called 'Some day in 05.2007…'. The chairs that I used to sit on in old school were impressive. What happened in May 2007? I couldn't find the owner to ask that and I'm still wondering.
Seems like I could rent a boat with paddles or duck boat here.
The famous entertaining TV show '1 night & 2 days' team from KBS must've been here in Jecheon. They've been to Uirimji, Bakdaljae and Cheongpung Cultural Properties Complex and I'll show you these places in my next journal.
So you'll have to pay for the boat in case you need it. A duck boat(romance) costs 12,000 won for 3 people and for 30 minutes. A boat with paddles costs 10,000 won for 3 people about 1 hour, which is not so expensive.
Somebody is having a lake trip on a duck boat. A duck boat on a calm lake seems romantic, doesn't it?
When we got to the halfway, we found a restaurant, cafeteria and resting place, and we started walking again after a short break under the tree.
In the modern days, people could do farming without this water but in old times this must've been valuable to do farming so that they could feed their families. Uirimji is a beautiful place such that it was selected as the first best scenery in Jecheon. Especially in a sunny day in fall, you'll see a magnificent view of blue sky reflected on water.
On the bench by the side of the road, we were drinking coffee and watching the pine trees reflected on water. I am just feeling sad that the photos cannot show how I felt there. Over the calm lake, the birds were singing and the branches were waving on the water from cool breeze. What a pleasant walk.
Along the trail by the lake, 200-300 year-old pine trees and willow trees were densely standing. I felt appreciated to our ancestors for keeping these great trees on the trail for hundreds of years, not destroying them.
Worth the best scenery in Jecheon, isn't it? We had to hurry to get to our next destination but the time flew while we were enjoying the view.
By the trail, we saw a pavilion called Yeonghojeong which was built by Lee Jib-gyeong in 1807(7th year of the King Sunjo era), destroyed during the Korean War and reconstructed by his descendent Lee Beom-woo. When you look at it built on a firm stone pillar, you could feel the spirit of army raised in the cause of justice in Jecheon who had concern for national matters resisting the Japanese colonisation of Korea.
It hadn't been rain so the water level was low but the water is still clean and clear. Wherever you turn your head to, it's amazing. It's just beautiful.
Inside the lake, I could see diverse fish from small ones to big ones as my arm. Fishing is allowed here so you could bring your fishing gear if you want. Most of fish that's caught here is bass so if you like the feeling, I strongly suggest you to try here. Oh, and in winter the lake gets frozen everywhere so you could dig a hole and enjoy ice fishing(smelt).
Whether you put it right or upside down, the view is amazing just the way it is. How dreary it would be if Jecheon didn't have this lake?
When you get to the road, there's a stone stuck on the ground written 'Unified Control Point' next to the uniquely wide rock. This is a datum point for fundamental surveying marked by National Geographic Information Institution of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Based on this point, latitudes, longitudes, and altitudes of Korea are indicated. It's also reference point of coordinates for maps on smartphones or navigations in car. Isn't it something?
I saw couples having a rest on a mat and families having a good time around the lake. There are different kinds of fish in the lake so you could spend a good time having chat wit your kids.
An apricot tree planted by the road. Jecheon had cherry trees on the streets but it also had lots of apricot trees and Japanese apricot trees. Apricots turn into yellowish red color in the end of June until July so they were all ripen at the time.
The apricots fell off from the breeze so I had one. It tasted really good and sweet. You cannot eat apricots fell from small trees because they are exposed liquids sprayed to prevent diseases on trees but tall trees are okay. BUT just in case, I used my water to wash it. It just fell off so the taste was amazing!!
It was a refreshing walk that we could blow spores of dandelion on the street anywhere. As soon as you arrive, you'll see why Uirimji was selected as the best scenery in Jecheon. If you're planning to travel Jecheon, you simply HAVE TO see here.
Address : 241, Mosan-dong, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do (충청북도 제천시 모산동 241)
Telephone : 043-651-7101
'Bakdaljae' Crying Over 박달재
The 453m high Bakdaljae, the most famous hill in Chungcheongbuk-do, has a legend of a man named Bakdal and a girl named Geumbong which was also sung titled 'Bakdaljae crying over'. This hill used to be the only path connecting Chungju and Jecheon crowded with cars and people but it became quiet since the opening of Bakdaljae Tunnel in 1997 so it's good for a drive.
On both sides of the uphill, beehives stacked up. I was just passing by but the bees were buzzing in my ears.
I took a closer look and they really had bees inside. I guess it's because of the flowers around and probably they could find honey in forest as well.
We walked up a little more and there was a shrine to the village deity on the right. This is where Geumbong used to pray for Bakdal to pass the examination and if any of you pass by this, put a stone here. It's known for a long time that you'll get lucky if you throw two to three stones at the shrine to the village deity.
The forest was too dense to notice anything without the help of signboards. At the entrance, jangseungs(Korean traditional totem pole) of Geumbong and Bakdal were standing gauntly.
We got to the top and saw a small shrine to the village deity and a stone tower to the right. Well, there's nothing to lose so I put there stones and prayed…
then prayed again inside the shrine. If you come visit to Bakdaljae, don't forget to pray here. Who knows? Your prayers might be answered.
On both sides of the street, daisy fleabanes were bloomed here and there but the kids call it egg flower. I think we could easily find pretty wild flowers in Korea. Daisy fleabane means 'reconciliation'.
We finally got to the top of mountain, Bakdaljae, the path connecting Jecheon and Chungju. There's a free parking lot so you shouldn't worry.
Since the opening of tunnel, the number of people using this road has rapidly decreased so it's been transformed into a tourist attraction based on a theme of love. There's a sculpture park and wooden sculpture park to the left and right respectively.
What would Geumbong praying for so sincerely?
Unfulfilled love
Long, long time ago, a young man named Bakdal was climbing this hill on his way to Hanyang(capital city) to take civil service examinations and arrived at a village at downtown in Pyeongdong, Baekun-dong. In this village, Bakdal met Geumbong, made love to her, and made a wedding vow that he would be coming back after he passed the examination. Geumbong made acorn jello on his waist for him to starve off his hunger with it.
After he was gone, she kept waiting for him. Time passed but he didn't come back and Bakdal on the other hand couldn't go back to her because he failed. He later looked for her in grief but heard that Geumbong died after waiting for him there three days earlier. Bakdal stopped eating and drinking and all he did was crying.Then he suddenly looked at the hill of the mountain and saw Geumbong that he'd dreamed of was dancing and walking to the hill. Bakdal tried his best to catch her but failed, he tried to hug her but instead he fell off the cliff in the air. So this Bakdaljae is named after the man named Bakdal.
In the park, there were small animals that kids would love. These bunnies look soooo cute. The vegetables were laid on the floor and if you give them, every bunny comes around and eats them. How adorable are they…
Look at it putting its cute foot on barbed-wire fence asking for food. ^^*
Here are chickens and chicks. They look very healthy and it's allowed to feed them, which is fun. Kids would love this, I'm sure.
Over the hill, I could see Chungju-si. If I go down this road, I'll get to Baekun-myeon, Chungju-si, where the girl Geumbong used to live.
The bee from the beehive I saw earlier was sitting on hydrangea macrophylla on the street. The wide outer leaves are fake leaves and the small leaves in the middle are the real ones. Bees never miss the small of flowers and stuck in there. Only one of them would make a great bouquet, wouldn't it?
The love was so sad such that there are sculptures in the park with a theme of their love. It's good place to take pictures.
It must be the shape of Bakdal when he tried to run after Geumbong's ghost and hug her. If this is a true story it is sad. Pain from losing first love hurts even when she or he is not dead and I can't even imagine the pain.
Across the street, there's another park. Okay, let's go there.
Bakdaljae Wooden Sculpture Park. Must be made of woods.
If you walk along a small path in the forest, you will see wooden sculptures along the way.
In order to resolve their sorrows, a wooden sculpture road is made with sculptures on both sides. Sculptures expressed waiting and missing in a humorous way. It's not actually for sightseeing, instead it's more of getting to know a regional legend and enjoying the art pieces.
So on the hill, the park we just walked through looks like this. It always looks beautiful when you climb up and look down. Same with life!
If you expected something spectacular or special, you could be disappointed. It's somewhere you could get to know the legend in a song we know and feel sympathy for their love watching the sculptures of their love. Or you could look back the han(恨; sorrow) embodied in emotions of Koreans.
Address : 8, 1-gil, Uiam-ro, Bongyang-eup, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do (충청북도 제천시 봉양읍 의암로 1길 8)
Telephone : 043-642-9398
