CNN Selecting 33 Beautiful Temple and Cheonchuksa Temple in Seoul

 

1. Preface

CNN, one of typical America news media has appointed 33 temples in Korea as a beautiful one which are spreaded in nationwide except Jeju Province  There are total 33 temples on the list as one temple in Seoul City, one in Kyeonggi Province three in Kangwondo Province, three in Chungcheong Province sixteen in Jeolra Province and nine in Kyeongsang Province. Please see more details at the attached table herein. 

2. Cheonchuksa Temple

I took a decision to start to visit nearest temples in Seoul City as Cheonchuksa Temple. This temple is an annexe and small temple belongs to the Jeokyesa Temple, one of major Buddhisam Parish in Korea which was built by Uisang Monk at northeast at Manjangbong Peak in the Koryeo Dynasty and in year 673 who was cultivating himself morally and religiously and called as Buddhist Hermitage of Okcheonam Temple at that time. Thereafter the King Myeongjong in Koryeo Dynasty was built Yeongkuksa Temple and announced the Okcheonam Temple was a annex to the Yeongkuksa Temple.   

The King Taejo in Choseon Dynasty was dropping by this temple on the way back from the trip to Hamheung Province and reminded he was prayed at this temple before and ordered heavily rebuited and changed temple name as Cheonchuksa Temple since landscape around the Manjanbong Peak looks like Yeong Chuk Mountain in Cheonchuk Country, presently in China.

3. Visit to the Cheonchuksa Temple 

Dobongsan Mountain, located in the northeastern section of Bukhansan National Park, is known for the magnificent rock formations of the main peak, Jaunbong Peak (740.2 m), as well as Manjangbong Peak, Seoninbong Peak, Jubong Peak, Obong Peaks and Uiam Rock. Seoninbong Peak in particular has 37 hiking courses, including the famous Bakjwi (Bat) Course.4. Visit to the Cheonchuksa Temple

4-1) Date and Time : March 28, 2025. 11:00 ~ 16:00 (5 hours for round hike) including several times break and lunch on the way. I am well senior who took longer hiking time than young personna who takes normally 3 hours for round trip. 

4-2) Course Introduction

It is to strat to hike from the Dobongsan Subway Station and dropped by the Dobong Information Center as see at photo and visiting route map attached hereto. Distance is 6.4 km for round trip 

4-3 Visiting Story

I took a decision to use public trnasportation, subway which looks more convinient. I arrived at Dobongsan Station in Subway Line No. 1 at 11:00 hours in the morning and moved to the first reference point, Dobongsan Information Center which took about 20 minutes from the station. Please refer to relevant photo attached herein.

It would take about 3 minuts to the fist road sign from the Information Center. You could find at the road sign as 2 km to the Cheonchuka Temple and Gangnunsa Temple at 200m from this road sign. 

I vigorously started to hike and soon find beautiful yellow cornus flowers just starting blossoming at the short break area on the way  up. This flower is in Korea usually classified as a messanger for spring starting. When I hiked up about 3 minuts more, I found an other spring messanger on the road as yellow forsythia and white magnolia as see at attached photo herein.  

I continously walked up and found crystal pransparent vally water steaming down from higher Dongsan Mountain. You could see this scenery more realistically at phto and video attached.  

I walked up about one hour through somewhat easy walking road and met threeway junction between stone paved road at left and somewhat easy walking and stair road at right, shortcut but really hard course. I choosed the shortcut course bearing in mind hard to hike to the Cheonchuksa Tample about 1 km form the junction. I remembered so many sharp inclined stone stairs and many times break for recovery, I could see daring landscape in front, Seoninbong Peak. You could find nice view at attached photos after about one hour struggling with these hard stairs. I took a longer break at this place.

When I continusly walked up about half an hour more, I found Dobong Mountain Cabin, break place and road sign there to the Cheonchuksa Temple, 300m. I went up about 20 minuts furthe from the road sign and finally touched the main gate of the Cheonchuksa Temple. Please refer to the attached photo. I carried on about 5 minuts more and hardly met the Cheonchuksa Temple Sing Board where many small Buddha standing behind as you refer to the relevant photo attached. 

I eventually faced there a marvelouse Seonin Bong Peak and Cheonchuksa Main Hall which has a so cloreful and beautiful painting. This scenery is a highlight and main reason why I decided to hike this temple. i returned to the Dobongsa Station thrugh the same route as way up and which took about one and half an hour.    

 

Gyeongin Ara Waterway Walking (GAWW) Course 3 from the Cheongna International City Station in the Incheon International Airport Railway and Back to the Same Station via Jeongseojin and Cheongna Lake Park, Gyeonggi Province in Korea

 1.     Preface

Consistent effort how to efficiently and safely forward the cargo between Hangang River and West Sea had been made from the generation to the generation. First trial was made in the King Gojeong in Joseon Dynasty about 800 years ago which they were transporting most nationwide taxed goods from various places to the Gyeongchang Warehouse in Mapo, Seoul via Sondeulmok in Ganghwa Island and Yeomha. But these two areas were always raging tied area and troubled area, the one is hardest sailing route and the other normally too shallow river to sail under normal tied condtions so that only possible to sail the vessel under high tied. The Korea Government decided to directly connect between Wontungui Hyun Village in Incheon City and Gulpocheon Creek in Gimpo City in order to avoid these two troubled areas. But they failed to complete the canal since they could not make a canal at hardest rock area for about 400m. Thereafter they were randomly trying to construct the canal but continuously failed due to insufficient technology or infeasible project or strong resist from the environmental movement group. The Government eventually took a determination to perform this canal project under political nation project which could directly start to move under the Government project in 2009 and complete the project in 2011.   

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2.     The Guide Information for Course 3

The Gyeongin Ara Waterway Walking Course 3 is starting from the Cheongna Int’l City Station in the Airport Railroad Line and back to the same station via Jeongseojin (The Sign of Stone) and Cheongna Lake Park as about 16 km distance walking for about 4 hours including 1 hour break during the Course. You could start to walk the GAWW Course 3 as soon as walking out the Gate 1 at the Cheongna Int’l City (CIC) Station in the Airport Railroad Line. Please turn right and turn right again and continuously pass under the Station Building Bridge and join the GAWW Course 3 as see at the Photo 01 through 05. Thereafter keep walking following the GAWW Course 3 up to the Jeongseojin (Sign of Stone) via the Jeongseojin Three Way Junction where you should turn right and walk toward the Jeongseojin for 1 Km as see at the Photo 06 through 11, 18 and 25. After you look around the Jeongseojin area well, you could now move toward the Cheongna Lake Park for 5.4 Km via the Jeongseojin Three Way Junction, the Three Way Junction at the Incheon Physical Education High School, Traffic Four Way Junction to the Metropolitan 2^nd Ring Express Highway and finally the Gukje Bridge as see at the Photo 29 through 47, 51, 54 through 58, 62. As you finish satisfactorily looking around the Cheongna Lake Park, you could now go back to the CIC Station for about 1 hour walking via the Gukje Bridge and two times Traffic Four Way Junction as see at the Photo 62 through 75. You could also refer to the GAWW Course 3 Map attached and linked to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS02njruUCU 

3.     Historic and Background Information

There are several places or spot where some cultural and historic background and which you may feel interest or useful for your better understanding. Please refer followings to brief explanation.

3-1) Cheongna International City

Cheongna International City has been at the Cheongna Dong Town and Beobjeong Dong Town in Seogu District in the Incheon City which is at the 7.27 Km2 out of total 17.77 Km2 (Seogu District Area) and presently residing about 110,000 people and belong to IFEZ (Incheon Free Economic Zone) along with neighboring region, Songdo and Youngjongdo. Please refer more details to https://www.ifez.go.kr/index. This city has been continuously developing as one of core global business and leisure center where globally connecting with the Incehon International Airport and nationwide connection with the Airport Railroad, the Incheon International Airport Highway, Gyeongin Expressway in South to North connection and Metropolitan 2^nd Ring Expressway in West to East connection. They could connect West Business Core in Seoul like Yeouido and Mapo area within half an hour transportation time.          

3-2) Jeongseojin (The Sign of Stone)

Jeongseojin is the Sign of Stone locating at the Seogu District in Incehon City  which indicate correct West point from the Center of Seoul (Gwanghwamun area) where Kyeongbokgung Palace is. There is another Jeongdongjin which is completely opposite indication and correct East point from the Center of Seoul. The Jeongdongjin means the Sunrise with New Hope while Jeongseojin the Sunset with Romance, Regret and Reminisce. The ceremony for the Year End and New Year has been held at this location at end of December every year. There is some additional sculpture and monuments around the Jeongseojin area as follow.

l  Noeuljong (Sunset Bell)

Gorgeous sunset scenery at the Jeongseojin had been well-known to everybody from long time ago which show fantastic sunset emitting through and between small islands around. In order to keep this scenery to the people for long time, The Noeuljong, 21.1 m wide and 13.5 m high was installed at this location which inspires pebbles at the West Sea and Restart for Future where you could appreciate this fantastic scenery.      

l  Bada Piano (Sea Piano)  

Bada Piano is near to the Noeuljong which give you tow sounds, the one is the sound of sea and the other the sound of piano scale.    

l  Wish Wall

                This Wall is for encouraging all visitors with brave and hope in their hard life. There are five                 symbolic bells at the Wall which means love, wish, friendship, romance and regret which are                 linked and communicated again with missing people like lovers, friends, families and                               neighbors.   

l  Worldwide Sunset Scenes.     

l  Sunset Observation Point

This point is at the middle of the Worldwide Sunset Scenes.