September in Mureung Valley & Samhwasa Temple [Day 5]

4.  Mureung Valley (무릉계곡)

Mystical and Magnificent Mureung Valley

about 10 minutes walk from the parking lot / ticket office to Mureung Valley

Entrance to Mureung Valley

 Admission Fees: Adults 2,000 won, Children 700 won

and you'll pass by this giant rock with beautiful calligraphy carved on it

So sorry that I don't know how to read Chinese.

Please let me know if you can read this... Thank you ^^

and also this neatly carved Hanja...

Pavilion sitting beside Mureung Valley (무릉계곡).



Mureung Valley stretches 4 kilometers, unfolding a colorful spectrum

of river topography, from Hoam Pond to Yongchu Falls

against the backdrop of Dutasan Mountain and Cheongoksan Mountain.

It offers spectacular scenery consisting of unusual wide flat

rocks formations, green valleys, and clear water.

Kim Hyo-Won (김효원), Neo-Confucian scholar in Joseon Dynasty named it Mureung, 

because its scenery resembled Mureungdowon, a Chinese landscape

where you can see a waterfall flowing down a rock wall.

This valley creates mystical and serene atmosphere.

In fact, Mureung means “Paradise” in Korean.

Yang Sa Eon (양사언), one of the four greatest calligraphers from the early

Joseon Dynasty carved more than 10 names of governors or mayors of Samcheok

on this 5,000 square meter bedrock 'canvas'.

My son, Hao Zhi (昊志) found his name 志 is on the rock ^^

Absolutely awesome and insanely beautiful calligraphy that made me almost cried! How can the carved them so neat and artistic. It's like printed out calligraphy fonts from computer!  So embarrassing that I don't even know how to write that neat on the paper ㅠㅠ

 Countless of ancient poets, monks and travellers that visited this place

carved their names, family name and poetries in Hanja (한자), which many of them

are considered masterpieces of calligraphy.

 

It is said “All poets and painters in the country have been there at least once,”

Edited one of the photos to water-painting pictorialisation on canvas,

as I don't know how to draw or paint!

Great escape place from bustling city!

I did scan around the area to see whether someone craving or painting. But not a lot of people visiting on that day. Only spotted few people walking on the rock, some sitting and enjoying the view or fresher themselves by tapping cold water on their faces.

The scenes of Cheon Gi painting Haram's portrait is set at this beautiful valley.

They enjoyed the time until Prince Yangmyeong arrived to arrest Haram...

(Lovers of the Red Sky #홍천기 ep. 10)

The Princess' Man Episode 7

"What is love, to the world I ask... And hers is my answer:

It means you and I becoming one, without hesitation, until death do us part"

That is what “Love” is.

It's one of the filming location for "Hwang Jin-Yi" and "Painter of the Wind". I'm wondering whether The Princess' Man was filming there as it's quite near to Seongyojang and the scenery and flat rock quite similar. But, I searched view blogs said it was filmed in Jeollanam-do, Wolchulsan mountain.  I'm adding Wolchulsan to places to visit for my next trip :P

You should go to Ssang (Twin Waterfalls) and Yongchu waterfalls if you have time about 3-4 hour roundtrip hike from Samhwasa temple. Again, we didn't have time as we need to be in Seongyojang before 6 pm...

5. Samhwasa Temple (삼화사)

Samhwasa is also called Mureung Dowon (Arcadia in Peach Tree Garden). This one-thousand year old, small but historical temple falls under the supervision of Woljeongsa Temple

头陀山三和, entrance to Samhwasa Temple

about 10 minutes from Mureung Valley, the temple is just over this bridge...

Beautiful and tranquil temple near Mureung Valley.

This temple is home to...

Three story stone Pagoda (National treasures No. 1277)

and Steel sitting Buddha statue (National treasures No. 1292)

  

 Bell Pavilion storing Dharma Percusions (Drum, Bell, Gong, Wooden Fish).

Samhwasa also houses the main shrine called Yaksajeon, Jeokkwangjeon, Beomjonggak pavilion, Geukrakjeon shrine, Birojeon shrine, Chilseongdan shrine, and Muhyanggak pavilion.

  

Renovation in progress...

therefore, we couldn't go to the main hall and Buddha statue

Donated money for renovation and wrote our names on this roof tile

Surrounding walls of Samhwasa Temple

  

Turtle Pedestal outside the temple (click the link for the photos)

and somehow when I edited my photos I saw these "Turtle" Pedestals in:

1. Ojukheon - 율곡선생 유적정화기념비

2. Samhwasa Temple - 비직사사화삼

3. Bonguensa Temple.

I'm really curious on these, please enlighten me if you know:

1. What is the name of this pedestal / sculpture (in Hangul too if possible)?

2. Is it just to support memorial tablet? or any other functions?

3. Does it have special / mystical "power" (something like Haechi / Dolharubang / Jangseung)?

4. Is it only for people with special rank or contribution can use it?

    I saw a lot of normal (without turtle) memorial tablets outside Bonguensa Temple.

4. Other interesting information about this "Turtle"

Thank you ^^

  

🙏 Peace from Mureung Valley and Samhwasa Temple 🙏

Related Posts:

~ Hanok Stay at 300 years Seongyojang Hanok House.

~ Traditional Cultural Experience at Seongyojang.

~ Ojukheon House and Museum

~ [Gangneung] Jumunjin & Gyeongpodae Pavilion

~ Chuam - Chotdaebawi Rock