Choongbuk Boeun Songnisan Mountain Hike – Beopjusa to Cheonwangbong Course

1.   Date and Time : Feb 17, 2019 10:00 ~17:00 (7 hours including one hour break).

2.   Location : Naesongni-myeon, Boeun-District, Chungcheongbuk-Province and Hwabuk-myeon, Sangju-City, Gyeongsangbuk-Province in Korea

3. Distance and Course : About 17.68km. Course is to start at Beopjusa Parking Lot => Beopjusa Junction => Sesimjeong => Birobong Junction => Boeun Songnisan Cheonwangbong Summit (1058m Altitude) and back to the Parking Lot through the same ascending course. Please see “Choongbuk Boeun Songnisan Hike Map” and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZsGsBB3b18&t=52s

4.   Overall Mountain Explanation.

      Designated as a national park on March, 1970, it is one of the 8 views in Korea. Songnisan is located at the center of Sobaek mountain range deriving from Taebaek mountain range to the southwest, and is on the border of Boeun-gun, Goesan-gun of Chungbuk, and Sangju-gun of Gyeongbuk.

Songnisan (Mt.), at 1057m above sea level, is based on granites mixed with sedimentary metamorphic rocks. The part made of granites is sharp and that of metamorphic rocks deeply bowled so that they form a scenic masterpiece, which leads to other names such as Gwangmyeongsan (Mt.), Mijisan (Mt), or Little Geumgangsan (Mt.).

Unique peaks made of granites and vast forests covering the whole mountain form a splendid scenery along with Beopjusa (Temple), the ancient shrine since thousand years ago. There are 8 peaks, including Birobong (Peak), Gilsangbong (Peak), Munsubong (Peak), along with Cheonhwangbong (Peak), the highest peak at the center, and 8 stands such as Munjangdae, Yipseokdae, Shinseondae, and 8 stone gates.

5.   Detailed Hike Course Explanation.

      I left somewhat early in the morning on Feb 17, 2019 (Sunday) and trying to reach Beopjusa Parking Lot around 9 o’clock, But I could not arrive there target time schedule since there was unexpected traffic accident on the express way which made me delayed more than half an hour and accordingly caused some more delay at Boeun area and eventually arrived there just before 10 o’clock. I tried to prepare hike for shoes and cloth as quickly as possible and headed to Beopjusa temple direction and passed Beopjusa Main Gate after about less than half an hour walking on asphalt paved road. As I passed the main gate, I could take choice either way between asphalt paved road at right or King Sejong Road at left, well treated soil road. I took the King Sejo Road and walked for few minutes and found junction mark stating as 5.7km to the Cheonwangbong Summit at Right or 200m to Beopjusa Temple at left. I chose right way and continuously walking for about 5 minutes and met wide unpaved car transportation Road and kept going along with this road. I saw temple stay halls at left which were situating at cozy location under unpolluted pine tree forest. If I may have an opportunity, I would like to try to stay at this Beopjusa Temple Stay Program. I passed these temple stay halls and reached junction branching to forest small path from car 800m to Taepyung Break at left and kept walking beautiful pine tree forest for about 10 minutes and saw so quiet, neat and beautiful winter reservoir at right and appreciated this so fantastic landscape for a while. When I walked this pine tree forest road for about 10 minutes, I met    next landmark crossing over the country road and joined again with King Sejo Road and walking snowy and somewhat slippery deck road for about half an hour and reached Sesimjeong Junction where I could go to the Cheonwangbong Summit by 3km at right or to the Munjangdae Peak by 3,3km at right. There was beautiful Korea traditional house behind the landmark and learned this was a Sesimjeong House selling light food and snack to hikers. But I took a right way and kept walking steeper uphill road, harder and more inclined  which was different hike road from previous road so far. As I walked up this harder road for about 10 minutes, I reached junction between 600m to Sangwhanam Hermitage and 2.8km to the Summit at right and 1.5km to Sanggoam hermitage and 1.8km to Gyeongeopdae Rock at left. I turned right and carried on going up to the Summit. I found hike course completely changing from here and severely harsh and difficult, even scarcely breathing. When I was walking such so hard inclined path for about 20 minutes, I reached Sangwhanam Hermitage Unction stating as 2.4km to the Summit at left. I looked down downhill and around peaks and valley for a while at the junction and felt and found this opportunity was starting moment I could see and feel mature wonder beauty. I was starting to continue ascend so severely inclined uphill through rocky and slippery stone stairs or road and spent about half an hour for struggling these hard hike paths and touched next landmark stating as 2.1km to the Summit. When I saw huge and big rock at left, I found there was small and narrow path under this huge rock and passing this road and continuously walking the same hard and severe path for about 20 minutes and reached highly sloped uphill wooden stair road. As soon as I finished walking these stairs, I was smoothly connecting to ridge road, somewhat softly inclined. When I walked on this ridge road for a few minutes, I met next landmark; still 1.3km to the Summit. I was continuously walking snowy and slippery stair road for a half an hour and touched Birobong Junction; 600m to the Summit at right and 2.8km to Munjangdae Peak at left. I turned right and somewhat remotely saw Cheonwangbong Summit and carried on walking the snowy narrow path at the small bamboo bushes as see at the photo and found last steeper last wooden stairs approaching to the Summit. I spent for about half an hour more and finally touched down the 1058m Altitude Cheonwangbong Summit and started to appreciate splendid spectacular panorama of surrounding landscape and mountains at the Summit. It was one more opportunity I confirmed the reason why I spent effort and energy taking over the Summit. It is hard to express all these natures scenery in writing and beyond human expression. You could see either attached photo or linked Utube video. There were lot of hikers coming on top who were waiting for each turn taking these wonderful scenery on top. I so rushed to take a picture and video and jumping out from the so small and narrow the Summit and started to descend the Songnisan mountain and back to parking lot after seven hours hike including one hour break.

Beopjusa Parking Lot

Heading Road to Boepjusa Temple

King Sejo Road

Boepjusa Main Gate

Junction Between 5.7km to Cheonwangbong Summit at Right and 200m to Boepjusa Temple at Left

Turn Right at Boepjusa Junction

Junction; 800m to Taeryung Break at Left

Quiet, Beautiful and Neat Winter Reservoir  

Lanmark; 1.4km to the Sesimjeong

Joining Again with king Sejo Road

Snowy and Slierry Deck Road to Sesimjeong

Junction at Sesimjeong; 3km to the Cheonwangbong Summit at Right and 3.3km to Munjangdae Peak at Left

Sesimjeong behind the Junction Mark Selling Light Food and Snack

Junction Mark; 600m to Sangwhanam Hermitage at Right and 1.5km to Sanggoam Hermitage and 1.6km to Gyeongeopdae Rock at Left.  

Crossing Over Small Bridge on Rocky Stream

Junction at Sangwhanam Hermitage; 2.4km to the Summit at Left

Highly Sloped Stari Way

Very Steeper Stone Stair Road

More Inclined Uphill

Landmark at Ridge ; 2.1km to the Summit  

Small and Narrow Path under Huge Rock 

More Vertically Sloped Stair Way

Comparably Soft Ridge Road

Landamr; 1.3km to the Summit 

Deeply Sloped Uphill Stair Road 

Junction Mark at Birobong Peak; Still 600m to the Summit at Right and 2.8km to Munjangdae Peak at Left

Somewhat remotly View of Cheonwangbong Summit at Right and Junction

Last Hard  and Difficult Steeper Staris

1058m Altitude Cheonwangbong Summit 

Spectacular Surrounding Mountain Panrama

Spectacular Surrounding Mountain Panrama at Different Angle

Closer View of Myteriouse Rock Peaks Around the Summit

Closer View of Mysterious Rocks at Birobong Peak

Back to Ticket Control Point after 7 hours Hike 

Choongbuk Boeun Sokrisan Beopjusa Temple With American Mr. Robert –Tour

1.     Date and Time : Oct 26, 2018 10:30~ 12:00 (1 and half an hour without break).

2.     Location : Boeun District at Choongbook Province in Korea.

3. Distance and Course : Tour Course on foot is about 5km for one and half an hour which is to start at Beopjusa Temple Parking Lot => Iljumun (Temple Main Gate) => Palsangjeon Hall (Octagonal Hall) => Daeungbojeon (Main Hall) => Back to the Parking Lot through Ieljumun (Temple Main Gate). Please refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goVnEpryvlA

4.     Access :

There is several ways to connect “Seoul Central City Bus Terminal (”connecting at subway lines No. 3, 7 and 9) where you should get on Express bus line bound for Boeun Express  Bus Terminal, non-stop and taking two hours and forty minutes. When you get off at the Boeun Express Bus Terminal, you should walk to Boeun Intercity Bus Terminal taking 1 minute for 37m. Please get on local bus No. 5111 and get off at Sokrisan Bus Stop taking 43 minutes for 17 bus stop passing. You then should walk as soon as get off taking 4 minutes for 291m. Please refer more details to the “Transportation from Seoul Central City Bus Terminal to Beopjusa Temple”. You could simply take reverse course on your way back home. I could estimate total transportation is about 3 hour plus 30 minutes (waiting interval time) for one way which comes total 7 hours for round trip. But you would reduce this transportation time to 5 hours for round trip in case you use private car or rent car which you could save two hours for the transportation.

5.  Overall Remarks.

It is said that Beopjusa was founded by the Spiritual Patriarch Euisin and was rebuilt by the Master Jinpyo who stayed at the temple for 7 years. However, it is recorded in Volume 4 of 'Samgukyusa' (Reminiscences about the Three Kingdoms) that after leaving Geumsansa Temple, Master Jinpyo visited Mt. Songni and marked a place where a kuśa grass grew, and then went directly to Mt. Keumgangsan to establish Balyeonsu Temple where he stayed for 7 years. Afterwards, while Master Jinpyo stayed at Geumsansa Temple and Busa-euibang, men named Youngsim, Yungjong, Bulta, etc., who used to live in Mt. Songni, visited Master Jinpyo and learned about Dharma. At that time, Master Jinpyo told them, "There is a place in Mt. Songni where kuśa grass grows. I left a mark on the location. You go there, build a temple and save the world according to this doctrinal teaching and promulgate the teachings to posterity." So the company of Youngsim went to Mt. Songni and found the place where kuśa grass grew. They built a temple there, named it Gilsangsa Temple (Temple of kuśa grass) and held the first ceremony. As the Venerable Jinpyo, who rebuilt Geumsansa Temple, cultivated belief in Mireuk (Maitreya), it was assumed that the company of Venerable Youngsim would also cultivate Mireuk after establishing a temple on the place where kuśa grass grew, because they learned about Dharma from Venerable Jinpyo.
On the basis of such literature, it may be thought that the current Beopjusa was established by the Venerable Youngsim. Meanwhile, the temple was called Songni Temple until the reign of King Injo of the Goryeo Dynasty, and there is a poem titled Songni Temple contained in Dongmunseon (collections of poetry published during the Goryeo Dynasty in 1478). So it can be inferred that the name of the temple changed from Gilsangsa Temple to Songni Temple, and again to Beopjusa Temple. But it is not quite certain.

6.  Detailed Course Information

I originally made a preliminary plan hiking Sokrisan (1058m altitude)today but had to change a plan alternatively visiting Beopjusa temple at the foot of Sokrisan Mountain. I was staying at Suanbo Saipan Hot Spring Hotel for tree night and four day and came down at the lobby for breakfast and tried to take a breakfast with somewhat flexible or relax able time. There was someone asking me to question about operation of hot water producing machine in English. I tried to check the operation procedure in Korean and tried to follow the instruction. But it did not work without any reason. I proposed him to make water with electric hot pot instead and he eventually got hot water and joined the dining table. We naturally talked about the plan today which I explained my original plan and planning alternative. I learned he was traveling by bike some countries like Russia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan He came over from Russia last week via Pusan port and planning to bike to somewhere at middle of Korea and going to Jeju Island and transferring to Japan some time coming week. I questioned what you were planning doing today. He replied nothing and provably killing a time at room or hot spring. I was suggesting you could join my alternative plan, if you interested in. He was concerning some burden to me. I told “ it is quite O.K. since I drive alone and not different taking one more person inside or not”, He accepted my suggestion going together at 08:00 hours. We moved for about 2 hours and exchanged a lot of opinion about individual interest. We walked to Beopjusa Temple as soon as arrived at Beopjusa Parking Lot and found it was light rain which we could easily accommodate with umbrella or rain court. When we walked on paved road for about 15 minutes and found NFA information office at right and saw colorful trees lined up left and right on the road and could imagine how fantastic and beautiful scenery on the way. We were walking for about 2 to 3 minutes and reached ticket booth and entrance check point and entering into Beopjusa Temple area and soon made junction taking either walking through paved road or walking through Sejo Unpaved Soil Road. We took a Sejo Unpaved Road and found extraordinary colorful and beautiful forest view on the road and walked for about 10 minutes from the ticket Booth and arrived at Beopjusa Temple Main Gate. I selected one best view point and proposed Mr. Robert to interview on my Blogger. He was most welcome my proposal and successfully left video record at my Utube linked hereto. We was continuously walking on the way and reached junction either taking Beopjusa Temple at left or going to Sokrisan Hiking course at right where we could also see arrangement of temple hall arrangement and some explanation of Beopjusa Story. We turned left at the junction and kept walking for 2 to 3 minutes and met Geumgang Gate and saw big bronze Buddha, total 160 bronze at left from the Gate which was standing on the base as gold color bronze Buddha, 25m tall and 25m granite base or foundation. This Buddha is the biggest in Korea so far. You could see small hall containing big stone jar before the Bronze Buddha which was built at year 720 by Seonduk Woman King and was registered as National Treasure No.64.   We just few steps ahead and found gorgeous Palsang Jeon (Octagonal Hall) in front not only which is unique wooden pagoda presently remaining in Korea and but also which was registered as National Treasure No. 55. We moved some more and encountered Daeungbojeon (Main Temple Hall) which biggest indoor Buddha was inside the hall in Korea and registered as National Treasure No. 912. There was Ssangsaja Seokdeung (Two Lion Supporting Stone Lamp) right after Palsangjeon (Octagonal Wooden Pagoda) which was built by Seondeok Woman King in year 720 and registered as National Treasure No. 5. There is one more stone lamp, calling as Sacheonwang Seokdeung (All Mighty King Stone Lamp) which was just in front of Daeungbojeon (Main Temple Hall) and built by Seondeok King in year 720 and registered as National Treasure No. 15. There is a Samseonggak Hall at the corner and at left from the main temple hall which where they arranged three different gods, traditional Korean religious god (Sanshin), Chines religious god (Chilseong) and Nabanjonja god originating from Buddha’s Student. There were many other halls around Beopjusa Main Temple Hall which we could spend all most one for this temple. We decided to skip these other halls because I felt these might be not so important or useful. We so turned back to the Parking Lot through main temple gate as we came over this morning.