THE SOUTH of SOUTH KOREA

SOUTH KOREA – GYEONGSANG, BUSAN, DAEGU, ULSAN CHANGWON.

HISTORIC VILLAGES of SOUTH KOREA: Hahoe and Yangdong. WHS. Founded in the 14th-15th centuries, Hahoe and Yangdong are seen as the two most representative historic clan villages in the Republic of Korea. Their layout and location – sheltered by forested mountains and facing out onto a river and open agricultural fields – reflect the distinctive aristocratic Confucian culture of the early part of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The villages include residences of the head families, together with substantial timber-framed houses of other clan members, pavilions, study halls, Confucian academies for learning, and clusters of one-story mud-walled, thatched-roofed houses, formerly for commoners. The landscapes of mountains, trees, and water around the village, were celebrated for their beauty by 17th and 18th century poets.
The two villages are located 90km from each other in the heartland of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). 5000W
I saw only Hahoe. What a disappointment. First, navigate a gauntlet of small restaurants to get to the ticket counter. Then take a shuttle bus to the village. Pass a lovely field area and enter the village. On a very hot humid day, I traipsed all over this village to find that 95% are private residences and couldn’t be entered. A few are knickknack or snack shops but only one residence can be seen – the residence of Ryu Seong Ryong, a very successful leader against the Japanese in 1592. You can only look in from the door. The Relics Hall next door has a great history of him and some of his personal relics including the book he wrote.
I stopped at the ticket counter and facetiously asked for my money back. They didn’t.

From Hahoe, I drove southeast and saw the corner of this province. I didn’t realize that Buseoksa was part of the Sansa WHS. 

KOREA SOUTH – GWANGIU, JEOLLA (Jeonju, Muan)|

SANSA, BUDDHIST MOUNTAIN MONASTERIES in KOREA WHS. The Sansa are Buddhist mountain monasteries located throughout the southern provinces of the Korean Peninsula. The spatial arrangement of the seven temples that comprise the property, established from the 7th to 9th centuries, present common characteristics that are specific to Korea – the ‘madang’ (open courtyard) flanked by four buildings (Buddha Hall, pavilion, lecture hall, and dormitory). They contain a large number of individually remarkable structures, objects, documents, and shrines. These mountain monasteries are sacred places, which have survived as continuous living centres of faith, spiritual practice, and daily religious practice to the present reflecting the historical development of Korean Seon Buddhism.
They demonstrate self-sufficient temple management, education of monks, and coexistence of meditative practice and doctrinal studies despite suppression during the Joseon Dynasty and damages caused by wars and conflicts over the years.
Sansa consists of seven Buddhist mountain monasteries—Tongdosa, Buseoksa, Bongjeongsa, Beopjusa, Magoksa, Seonamsa and Daeheungsa – diverse Buddhist schools.
Buseoksa is a Buddhist temple located near Mt. Bonghwang, Yeongju City. Founded by the prominent scholar-monk Uisang in 676, Buseoksa is also well known as the “Temple of the Floating Stone”.
The temple’s main hall is the Muryangsujeon located at the highest level where Amitabha is enshrined. It is the second oldest standing wooden building in South Korea, re-constructed in 1376. A few buildings from the Goryeo era (9th century to the late 14th century) remain until now, including Muryangsujeon.
Legend. According to the oldest remaining historical record of this region, there was a Chinese lady named Sunmyo who admired Uisang during his study in Tang China. Uisang was to leave Tang after finishing his study, and she ended up transforming herself into a dragon to help him go over the challenges on his way back to Shilla. It is said she expelled the evils which blocked Uisang from building the temple at the current site. She hung huge stones high up in the sky upon the heads of the evils. There is a huge “floating” stone just next to Muryangsujeon (Buseok means ‘floating stone’ in Korean).
Buseok Temple is located on a steep mountain and the architects built stone walls along the slope of the mountain and then arranged the buildings accordingly. There are nine stone walls on the temple grounds and nine sets of stairs linked to the stone walls representing the nine stairs toward Mandala or the nine staircases that one must traverse in order to reach Nirvana.
As the oldest building, the temple cherishes several assets: 5 national treasures.
Muryangsujeon Hall
Stone lantern in front of Muryangsujeon Hall
Josadang Hall of Buseoksa temple
Seated clay statue of Amitabha Buddha
Wall painting in Josadang Hall of Buseoksa temple
My experience. I parked in front of a great waterfall and pond with a fountain display. It is a steep climb up to the temple on many sets of stairs on a hot, humid day. Muryangsujeon Hall has one Buddha image, wonderful beams, rafters, eves, and columns.

SEOWON, KOREAN NEO-CONFUCIAN ACADEMIES WHS. Located in central and southern areas, there are nine seowon, representing a type of Neo-Confucian academy of the Joseon dynasty (15th -19th centuries CE). It was introduced from China adapted to Korean conditions. and became fundamental to every aspect of Korea.
The learning, veneration of scholars or sarim, the class of local intellectuals. and interaction with the environment were the essential functions of the seowons. Situated near mountains and water sources, The pavilion-style buildings were intended to facilitate connections to the landscape. The scholars studied Neo-Confucian classics and literary works and endeavored to understand the universe and become an ideal person. They venerated late contemporary Neo-Confucian figures and formed a strong academic lineage.
The components are Sosu-seowon, Namgye-seowon, Oksan-seowon, Dosan-seowon, Piram-seowon, Dodong-seowon, Byeongsan-seowon, Museong-seowon and Donam-seowon, and these are located across the central and southern parts of the Republic of Korea.
Sosu-Seowan. I visited this academy, the oldest of the seowan. It was not so interesting, several small pavilions encircled by a wall. Next to a nice stream and now a lot of red pines.
After Seowan, it was about 58 km to Daegu.
ON Empathy Guesthouse, Daegu.
I worked till about 1 am outside on a table and then tried to get back into the hostel. The code didn’t work and I thought I would spend the night outside. But someone came along….

Day 6 Tue Aug 15
I was up early, showered, and left to see Heiansa. 

DAEGOKCHEON STREAM PETROGLYPHS Tentative WHS (11/01/2010) are a work of inscribed rock art engraved on three-kilometer-long cliffs located in the Daegokcheon Stream, which include the Bangudae Petroglyphs in Daegokri (N35 36 50 E129 10 28) and the Petroglyphs in Cheonjeon-ri (N35 36 53 E129 10 25). The beautiful scenery served as a gathering place where the literati class indulged in poetry and music during the Joseon Period (1392-1910). It is presumed to date back from the late Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age.
Both the peck-and-polish technique and grinding methods were used for the engravings, and the images were made by chiseling out (1) the silhouettes of the figures, or (2) detailed line drawings, including the figures’ bones and organs.
Bangudae measures three m high and ten m long on the lower part of a 30-meter-tall cliff that faces north. The left-hand side has been exposed to severe weathering. The center is well preserved with more than 300 images – humans (14), animals (193), ships (5), tools (6), and unknown (78). Animals, both sea animals and land animals, are depicted as being pregnant. Whales are particularly numerous suggesting that they were an object of worship.
The Cheonjeon-ri Petroglyph’s most unique feature is their overlapping images, which include animal and human figures from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age, abstract patterns presumably from the middle Bronze Age, line engravings of humans and animals from the Iron Age, and inscriptions from the Three Kingdoms Period and the Unified Silla.
Influenced by Siberian culture, the Cheonjeon-ri rock carvings mostly consist of land animals, especially large-horned deer. The abstract images are many continuous overlapping lozenge patterns, concentric circles, spirals, and zigzags.
Very strong, sharp iron tools were used for the line engravings from the Iron Age in the Cheonjeonri Petroglyphs. The engraved lines are too thin to be discernible. The features include a procession of people on horseback or leading horses, people on sailboats, animals that look like dragons, concentric circles, spirals, entangled straight lines, and human figures wearing clothes that are also found on pottery from the Three Kingdoms Period. These images are presumed to date to around the 5th or 6th century, as are the nearby inscriptions, the earliest form of the Silla costume during the Three Kingdoms Period.
The inscriptions, the latest carvings on the Cheonjeon-ri rock panel, are about Hwarang, or the aristocratic youth corps of Silla, who were trained there. The records include the young members’ names, years, training programs, and stories about the king and the royal family. The royal family’s Taoistic practices and offerings to the heavens, as well as the relationship among royal family members.
There are various other petroglyphs including the engravings of human footprints, making it the most plentiful area for prehistoric rock art on the Korean Peninsula.
My experience. This was almost a total waste of time. Drive 3.5 km off the highway on a winding road that turns into a very narrow one-lane just before the trail. Walk about 500 m along the river to the site. Surprisingly, the fossils are on the other side of the river (or rather lake as there appears to be a dam that controls water levels). They are viewed through high-powered binoculars.
A man there showed me how to use the video binoculars and where to look. As the water level was high, half the panel is under water and I couldn’t recognize the cliff from the pictures. Only three images are pecked deep enough to be seen. The man said one was a tiger.

Eonyang Market, Ulsan. This is a busy street market held every 5 days on days of the month ending in 2 and 7.
When I was trying to find it on my map, the only thing that showed up was bulgogi restaurants and there were a lot of them. i thought that I would treat myself for lunch, but bulgogi is very expensive starting at 21,000 to 38,000W.

YANGSAN
Tongdosa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and one of the Three Jewels Temples and represents Gautama Buddha. (Haeinsa, represents the dharma or Buddhist teachings; and Songgwangsa represents the sangha or Buddhist community.)
Tongdosa is Korea’s largest temple and is famous because there are no statues outside of the Buddha at the temple because the “real shrines of the Buddha” (relics) are preserved at Tongdosa. Courtyards at the temple are arrayed around several pagodas that house the Buddha’s relics. Instead, a Buddhist altar spans the front with a window, in the place of a Buddha image.
Tongdosa was established in 646 AD, thrived throughout the Later Silla and Goryeo periods (918-1392), when Buddhism was the state religion, and remained strong even during Joseon.
Tongdosa is reputed to house several relics of the Buddha himself, including a robe, a begging bowl, and a bone from his skull, all relics that Jajang-yulsa brought back from his travels to Tang China.
Only one building, the Mahavira Hall (main Dharma worship hall), survived the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98). In the mid-15th century at the height of its prosperity, Tongdosa is said to have had hundreds of buildings and thousands of monks. For over 1,300 years Tongdosa’s Beopdeung (temple candle) has never gone out.
65 buildings separately house a shrine for virtually every major Buddhist deity. Many of the buildings are dispersed throughout the surrounding mountainside. There are 13 hermitages. The buildings are varied in architectural style with many left unpainted or faded.
A museum on the temple grounds displays an excellent collection of artwork. Today at this temple there are 19 local treasures and 794 local cultural properties.
The Samseongbanwol — Three Arch Bridge crosses the river to the temple.
Pass through three gates: Iljumun (One-Pillar Gate), the Gate of the Guardians of the Four Directions, Purimun (Gate of Non-Duality).
The Buddha’s relics are in the Diamond Altar, a platform for the ceremony prevailing Buddhist precepts, behind Daeungjeon (main Dharma Hall).
Walk along a lovely river for about 600 m, cross the bridge, and enter the temple
Yangsan Museum, Another mammoth building with good displays on 3 floors. The highlights were the ink stone boxes and some gorgeous gold jewelry. 17 km from Tongdosa. Free 

I then continued into Busan trying to see as many NM sites as possible before they closed.
BUSAN 
Geumjeongsanseong Fort is the largest mountain fortress in S Korea and is located on Geumjeongsan Peak. Following the Japanese invasion of 1592 and the Manchu invasion in 1627 and again in 1637, awareness of the necessity of national defense was heightened, especially against attacks from the sea so this fortress was built in 1703. The walls are about 17 km in length and from 1.5 meters to 3 meters in height enclosing 8.2 square kilometers.
This fortress fell to disuse because it was too large to maintain, was repaired in 1807, and destroyed during the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), the East, West and South gates were restored by 1974 and the north gate was rebuilt in 1989. Of the 4 existing observation towers, number 1 was destroyed by typhoon Rusa in 2002. It was a long out-of-the-way drive here, maybe not worth the effort. Free.
Bokcheon Museum. Holds the contents of 200 tombs from the 2nd to the 4th centuries. The highest tombs holding the royalty had large coffins. Over 10,000 artefacts were discovered in the tombs including some amazing iron armour. Other highlights in another great building were some very nice gold jewelry and rebuilt tombs, some of wood and others of stone. Walk along the hill (now grass and decorative hedges) from the parking area. Free.
KISWIRE Museum. Exhibitions on the significance of wire in the modern world, to show the material properties of wire, Kiswire’s many products and wires in our daily lives – musical instruments, bridges, and automobiles. Instead of pillars, wires are utilized to entirely support the massive building, demonstrating the wire’s resilience and adaptability. The Water Garden is covered with plants using wires and a model of the Gwangan Bridge is built over water using Kiswire wires. Free
Shinsegae Department Store (Centrum City). Registered in the Guinness World Records as the largest shopping complex in the world (I thought the West Edmonton Mall was the largest), with an ice rink, movie theatre, golf range, and a spa. Shops include 21 designer brands and 622 famous brands. Designed as a gold sea. The department store has emerged as a defining landmark in Busan.
Museum of Art. Has only one hall with a selection of Busan artists from about 1900 to 2000. Nothing of much interest. Free
Gibson / GoEun Museum of Photography. Showcasing the photos of Ralph Gibson on three floors, I didn’t see one photo I liked – lighting poor, composition not great (he is described as a surrealist as many of his photos concentrate on small areas of his subject, not a bad idea but still require some compositional elements), and subject matter of little interest (although some of his books had great nudes – he has good taste in breasts). I then looked through several of his books in the lobby and again could find few photos of interest. This guy obviously has a lot of money behind him. I then wrote this in the guest book – surprisingly mine were the only negative comments although I couldn’t understand the ones written in Korean. Free if >60.
Ralph Gibson (1939) is an American art photographer best known for his photographic books. His images often incorporate fragments with erotic and mysterious undertones, building narrative meaning through contextualization and surreal juxtaposition.
Gibson has maintained a lifelong fascination with books and book-making. In 1969 Gibson moved to New York, where he formed Lustrum Press in order to exert control over the reproduction of his work and he has produced over 40 monographs. His photographs are included in over one hundred and fifty museum collections around the world and have appeared in hundreds of exhibitions. He has worked exclusively with Leica for almost 50 years.
Haeundae Beach. A deep long golden sand beach in the high-end area of downtown Busan. Despite the low surf, there was one in the water and a lot of plastic “doughnuts” for rent. 
I ate at a BK near the beach. 
Namcheon Cathedral. A great design for a church – the left wall is sloped at about 60° – all are smaller square stained glass. The Ways of the Cross are black stone basreliefs. The entire church is dark red brick except for a white stone wall behind the altar. The bell tower has a great shape. There was a service on at 19:30 when I was there with a scattered congregation (10% capacity).
ON Dynamic Guesthouse. On the 34th floor of Tower 102, it was quite nice. 

Day 8 Thur Aug 11
I had a drive-about day in Busan. All sites are far apart and would take forever to walk. 
Busanjinseong Fortress. Enter the west Gate (grey stone with crenelated top and climb the stairs to the top of the treed mountain. There is a pavilion on top plus two statues of generals.
Coffee Museum. A small private museum all about coffee. 2000W
Busan Science Center. Four floors of great interactive exercises. math, steam, heat, mechanics, sound, earth, life, light, and electromagnetics. A great place for kids but all in Korean. One could spend hours here. Free
Busan Museum of Movies. 4 floors with nothing in English so not of much value. 5000W with no reduction.
Busan Lotte Town Tower. Built in 1973, has an observation deck for the best views of Busan. 120 m high on a small mountain in Yongdusan Park, one can also get good views for free from the Lotte Department Store.
Busan Modern History Museum. From the beginning of the 15th century, the Korean government designated Busan as a trading port with the Japanese and allowed their settlement. After Japan invaded Korea in 1592. After the Japan-Korean war of 1592, diplomatic relations with the new shogunate in Japan were established in 1607, and Busan was permitted to be reconstructed. During Japanese rule, Busan developed into a hub trading port with Japan. During the Korean War, Busan was one of only two cities in South Korea not captured by the North Korean army within the first three months of the war, the other being Daegu. As a result, the cities became refugee camp sites for Koreans with about 500,000 refugees in early 1951. For some time it served as a de facto capital of the Republic of Korea. UN troops established a defensive perimeter around the city. the city has been a self-governing metropolis and has built a strong urban character.
In 1963, Busan separated from Gyeongsangnam-do to become a Directly Governed City. In 1983, the provincial capital of Gyeongsangnam-do was moved from Busan to Changwon. Free
Gukje Market. A sprawling street market covering several blocks.
Jagalchi Market. A huge fish market with every possible fish and shellfish and seafood possible. Many restaurants.
Gamcheon Culture Village. On top of a mountain with great views is a large very touristic community with tons of shops, people posing in traditional clothing, and eating establishments. Full of white folks.
Seokdang Museum of Dong-A University. Basically an ethnography museum. Third floor about its origin from a 1925 Japanese government building. Free
Museum of Contemporary Art. Covered with a vertical garden, this has the usual innovative but not very interesting pieces. Free

GIMHAE
History, Culture, National and City Museums:
Gimhae: Gimhae Folk Museum. 2 stories of ethnography. Good display of musical instruments. Labels in English. Free

GAYA TUMULI Tentative WHS is a serial property consisting of seven tumuli sites located in southern Korea. It is comprised of the Gimhae Daeseong-dong Tumuli, Haman Marisan Tumuli, Hapcheon Okjeon Tumuli, Goryeong Jisan-dong Tumuli, Goseong Songhak-dong Tumuli, Changnyeong Gyo-dong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli and Namwon Yugok-ri and Durak-ri Tumuli.
Korea has roughly 780 tumuli from Gaya that coexisted loosely and never merged into a centralized state. The individual tombs number in the hundreds of thousands and date from the Common Era until the fall of Dae Gaya in 562.
The first and second centuries, when tombs started to be built in clusters, had wooden coffin tombs.
The third–fourth centuries wooden chamber tombs were placed high on hills. Human sacrifices were made and buried with artifacts obtained through international trade in auxiliary coffins.
The fifth century had stone-lined tombs topped by a high-rising mound. Tombs for a ruler are on the peak of a hill or mountain. Objects included luxurious accessories, weaponry, and human sacrifices.
The ultra-large tomb in the Jisan-dong Tumuli testifies to the emergence of Dae Gaya as a central power. But military pressure from stronger neighbors and internal disintegration so that by the mid-sixth century, the Gaya confederacy fell, putting an end to tomb construction.
Daeseong-dong Tombs. Large outer wall with a central large tumulus inside its own wall.
Gimhae National Museum. Problems with seeing this – Naver directed me to the wrong place, no parking, and finding the museum was almost impossible in the huge complex. Some iron armor and nice gold jewelry. Free
Daeseong-dong Tombs Museum
Clayarch Gimhae Museum. A complex of buildings with only one open, the Cube Gallery is up a long series of steps. What a waste of time – modern meaningless art. Free if >65.

JINJU
Jinju Fortress. Its walls were changed from dirt to stone in 1379 and made higher in 1597 in response to the 1592-99 war with Japan. 1760 m in circumference ad 5-8 m high.
Jinju National Museum. Inside the fort, and in another spectacular building, it is all about the war with Japan as the Koreans with 3,000 men defended the fort successfully against 20,000 Japanese. Many weapons, iron armor, and some nice jewelry. Free
Jinju Lake

GO TO KOREA SOUTH – GWANGIU, JEOLLA (Jeonju, Muan)|

Tentative WHS
UPO WETLAND (11/01/2011) is the largest riverine wetland in the Republic of Korea at 2.3 km2. A migratory bird habitat, the wetland is on the Ramsar List of Wetlands. It has more than 10 endangered species.
Archaeological discoveries include a 7500 years old wooden boat (amongst the world’s oldest boats such as those found in Kuwait and China (8000~7000 years) found in Bibongri Shell Mound Site confirming that there was an intrusion of sea water that flowed along the Nakdonggang River. The shell mounds, a pit for storing acorns and fishery tools, stone pestles, grinding stones, wooden goods, pottery shards, and a mesh bag proves the previous interaction with sea water which is now freshwater.

SITES OF FOSSILIZED DINOSAURS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN COAST Tentative WHS (25/01/2002) are the largest grounds of various fossilized eggs and footprints of dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era in the world. Dinosaurs’ eggs are widely distributed in perfectly well-preserved conditions; the footprints of the archaeopteryx are the biggest in the world, and the two webbed feet birds’ footprints are the oldest of their kind in the world. These sites are situated in beautiful natural surroundings with petrified wood, many tracks of extinct lives, various geographic layers, and particular river drift.
Boseong-gun is famous for its fossilized eggs (diameter 1.5m). Bibong-ri, Deungnyang-myeon, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do 34°45′ N, 127°10′ E
Hwasun-gun is famous for the footprints of carnivorous dinosaurs in 20 very long trails (longest 52m) and over 1,000 footprints. Seoyoo-ri, Buk-myeon, Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do 35°09’51” N, 127°36’31” E
The fossil site in the city of Yeosu is distributed widely in 5 islands, including Sado, Choodo, Nangdo, Jeokgeumdo, and Mokgeumdo. Besides the number of fossils, it also has world-famous trails of footprints ranging over 84m, the longest dinosaur footprints in the world. Sado-ri, Hwajeong-myeon, City of Yeosu, Jeollanam-do 34°34′-37′ N, 127°31′-34′ E
Goseong-gun is famous for the quantity and variety of fossils, more than 4,000 dinosaur footprints and about 420 walking trails. Deongmyeong-ri, Hai-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do 34°54′ N, 128°08′ E
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KOREA SOUTH – GWANGIU, JEOLLA (Jeonju, Muan)|

ON Baguni Hostel, Suncheon. A new hostel constructed specifically to be a hostel. It is quite beautiful. I booked it on Trip.com and need to be using this website more often to avoid hotels. US$23

Day 9 Fri Aug 18
A three World Heritage Site day.
SUNCHEON (pop 281,000) is a scenic agricultural and industrial city, known for tourist attractions, such as Suncheon Bay. The port city of Yeosu is around forty minutes south of Suncheon and Gwangyang twenty minutes to the east of the city.
It is currently experiencing strong development due to being included as part of the Gwangyang Bay Free Economic Zone, one of three newly created Free Economic Zones (FEZs) in South Korea.
Seonamsa. I could not find a way here on any of my maps.
Songgwangsa. Park and walk 1.4 km along a lovely stream in the trees to the temple, another Buddha temple – they get tiring after a while. i don’t think Buddha would have approved of all the OTT architecture, many images, and multiple pavilions.
Suncheon Dolmen Park. These are 140 dolmens moved here from 9 areas when the Posenggang River was flooded by the Chuam Dam. Three are monsters (one had a top stone 7.7 m x 6 m x .64 m thick weighing 41.5 tons) and the rest are large rocks on the ground. There are also excavated graves, three 5 m diameter dugouts (domed thatched huts) and three thatched pit dwellings. A lovely park-like setting. 1000W
Nagan Eupseong Folk Village Tentative WHS I didn’t go here.

STONE BUDDHAS and PAGODAS at HWASUN UNJUSA TEMPLE Tentative WHS. Unjusa temple is located in a mountainous valley on the upper area of Daecho stream near Korea’s vast and fertile Naju plain. It was traditionally the center of traffic and commerce.
There are 141 stone pagoda relics, 115 stone Buddha statues (with the exception of three bronze and clay sculptures) including those that only partially retain the complete form of a pagoda and Buddha. 22 stone pagodas and 101 Buddhist statues stand around the valley and the hills.
Unjusa temple was established at the beginning of Goryeo Dynasty, in the late 10th century or early 11th century, and prospered in the 12th century. The temple flourished until the 16th century when it was burnt down during the Japanese invasion. It remained in ruins until the 20th century when the temple underwent a series of reconstructions.
It is likely that the monuments were built one at a time during the early and mid-Goryeo dynasty by powerful local families.
Stone Buddha Statues. Have various forms – sleeping, standing, seated and back-to-back Buddha images. 62 stone Buddha statues are intact.
The Stone Buddhist Niche – is one of the very rare enshrined images of back-to-back Buddhas in the world.
Seated and standing Buddha images (Sleeping Buddha statues) – at the top of the valley, carved into the rocks.
Stone Pagodas – only 22 of 30 pagodas are left intact and have several forms – typical square, square pillar, cylindrical, and stone brick pagodas of 3, 5, 7, or 9 stories. The geometrical patterns carved on the surface of the pagodas are not found anywhere else in the world. Diamond (◇◈),  Ｘ (×,××), vertical lines (∥∥), and brackets (〈〉) are carved. Chilseong-am (Seven Rocks of the Great Bear). On the western slope of the mountain, there are stone discs that are 2~4 meters in diameter placed in the shape of the Big Dipper. The thickness of the stone discs was designed differently according to the differences of the brightness of stars constituting the Big Dipper.

GOCHANG, HWASUN and GANGHWA DOLMAN SITES WHS. These prehistoric cemeteries contain many hundreds of examples of dolmens – tombs from the 2nd and 1st millennia BC constructed of large stone slabs. They form part of the Megalithic culture, found in many parts of the world, but nowhere in such a concentrated form. The sites contain the highest density and greatest variety of dolmens in Korea, and indeed of any country.
Dolmens are megalithic funerary monuments, which figured prominently in Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures across the world. Usually consisting of two or more undressed stone slabs supporting a huge capstone, they were burial chambers, erected over the bodies or bones of deceased worthies. They are usually found in cemeteries on elevated sites and are of great archaeological value for the information that they provide about the prehistoric people who built them and their social and political systems, beliefs and rituals, and arts and ceremonies. Evidence of how stones were quarried, transported, and raised and how dolmen types changed over time in northeast Asia.
Three distinct areas.
1. The Hwasun Dolmen Site (31 ha) is situated on the slopes of a low range of hills, along the Jiseokgang River. There are more than 500 dolmens in this group. In a number of cases, the stone outcrops from which the stones make up these dolmens have been identified.
My experience. There is no office or ticket booth although at the end of the drive, I stopped at the dolmen information center – the woman spoke no English but gave me a booklet that describes the 7 clusters/quarry sites. There are 596 dolmens in several clusters seen by driving along a road for several kilometres. The first cluster has 140 and a quarry – the biggest sits right next to the road and has a framed symbol carved on the side. Signs are confusing. I saw none supported on standing rocks – they simply appear as random large rocks scattered by glacial action. Each cluster has trails to explore the cluster. Free
2. Gochang Dolmen Site (8.38 ha) features the largest and most diversified group and is centered in the village of Maesan, along the southern foot of a group of hills running east/west. Over 440 dolmens of various types have been recorded in this location.
My Experience. I toured the museum (many dioramas, few dolmens) and then missed the toy train that tours the long site. On a very hot, humid day, I walked across the bridge and walked the 1.8 km circuit to see the dolmens scattered in six clusters at the base of the mountain. The vast majority are on the ground, some on small rock supports, and very few on high supports. Free
3. The Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (12.27 ha) are on the offshore island of Ganghwa, on mountain slopes. They tend to be situated at a higher level than the dolmens of the other sites and are stylistically early, in particular those at Bugeun-ri and Gocheon-ri.
These are the far NW corner of the country north of Incheon and next to the N Korea border. I didn’t see them.

GETBOL, KOREAN TIDAL FLATS WHS. Situated in the eastern Yellow Sea on the southwestern and southern coast of the Republic of Korea, the site comprises four component parts: Seocheon Getbol, Gochang Getbol, Shinan Getbol, and Boseong-Suncheon Getbol. The site exhibits a complex combination of geological, oceanographic, and climatologic conditions that have led to the development of coastal diverse sedimentary systems. Each component represents one of four tidal flat subtypes (estuarine type, open embayed type, archipelago type, and semi-enclosed type). The site hosts high levels of biodiversity, with reports of 2,150 species of flora and fauna, including 22 globally threatened or near-threatened species. It is home to 47 endemic and five endangered marine invertebrate species besides a total of 118 migratory bird species for which the site provides critical habitats. Endemic fauna includes Mud Octopuses (Octopus minor), and deposit feeders like Japanese Mud Crabs (Macrophthalmus japonica), Fiddler Crabs (Uca lactea), and Polychaetes (bristle worms), Stimpson’s Ghost Crabs (Ocypode stimpsoni), Yellow Sea Sand Snails (Umbonium thomasi), as well as various suspension feeders like clams. The site demonstrates the link between geodiversity and biodiversity, and demonstrates the dependence of cultural diversity and human activity on the natural environment.
My Experience. Naver Maps is of no help in finding the specific mudflats. Google Maps shows the Maun Red Clay Tidal Flats. I went there stopping first at the Marine Safety Experience Center, but they were closed over lunch and I didn’t want to wait around. Their programs were vessel and beach safety – I imagine dealing with the high tidal range.
The mudflats are visible all along this area of the coast. I drove north to the Tidal Flat Offive but it too was closed. From the parking area out front walk down to the flats. There is a Malecon bordering the entire mudflat. I walked out to the mudflat on an elevated boardwalk for about 200 m. One can see a lot of small wildlife, mostly crabs (milky fiddler, bowed fiddler, and globular ghost) and mudskippers, all wading through the pools and diving down into their holes. A monument on the boardwalk celebrates the ocean and protecting288 it. Free

Here is an article from the Korea Herald newspaper. The Gochang mudflats described below are a long way north of Maun. I scoured the map but could not find any listed mudflats or the Ramsar office.
Getbol, the Korean tidal flats and sustainable seafood diningThe sun sets over the Sojukdo (left) and Daejukdo in the West Sea off the Gochang Getbol Tidal Flats, which are WHS listed as a complex combination of geological, oceanographic and climatologic coastal diverse sedimentary systems. 

Twice a day, the West Sea tides rise and drain the Korean tidal flats, called getbol, along the western coast of Korea.
The slow draining and replenishing of the getbol, as the seawater comes under the influence of the moon, breathe oxygen-rich life into the muddy and sandy West Sea coast, creating a variety of getbol wetlands rich with the aquatic and amphibious creatures that live in them.
The getbol are a complex muddy and sandy environment submerged in the water at high tide and exposed at low tide, providing life-sustaining conditions for a healthy food chain of aquatic life that is a rich source of seafood for the getbol farmers.
The Gochang getbol in North Jeolla Province, one of the four sites in Korea to have been listed is a treasure trove of geodiversity containing sandy wetlands, muddy tidal flats and an ever-changing land mass called a chenier, a wind- and water-shaped sandy delta between the shore and the sea.
When the tide goes out, tractors can go out about 5 kilometers into the (flats) to see a diversity of ecosystems in Gochang getbol. Among the hundreds of marine species is a crab named ‘beomge,’ which only exists in Gochang. It is home to some 255 kinds of marine life and 101 types of migratory birds,” explained Jeong Young-jin, director of the Ramsar Gochang Tidal Flat Center. Korea’s seafood-rich food culture is possible, in part, due to getbol along the muddy western coasts filled with mineral-rich sediment deposits from many rivers that drain into the West Sea. 

A great knot hunts for food in the mud flats at Gochang. 

The diverse seafood on Korean tables comes from the ancient getbol culture. Since ancient times, the Korean getbol harvesting practice has evolved as humans became the environment’s top predator, whose daily harvest and consumption of seafood have seen us maintain a seafood culture as part of sustainable nature.
Getbol provides a critical livelihood for people who collect clams, long-arm octopuses, locally called nakji, crabs and other edible seafood living in the coastal wetlands. A saltwater clam called bajirak jogae is enormously popular in Korea and Japan, with the lion’s share of the clams harvested in Korea exported to Japan.
Korea’s West Sea has an unusually high tidal range, where the receding water during the low tide can be more than 9 meters below the high water mark at some beaches, but averages around 6 meters.
The Ramsar Gochang Tidal Flat Center is dedicated to protecting the waterfowl habitat in the Gochang area. The UNESCO Gochang Biosphere Reserve consists of the forest ecosystem, the coastal ecosystem of the Gochang getbol and the freshwater ecosystem of Dongrim Reservoir and Ungok wetland, which is popular with migratory birds.
Migratory birds, such as bar-tailed godwits and great knots, flock in large numbers to Korea’s West Sea to feast at the getbol before continuing on their long flights north to Siberia and Alaska or to the southern Pacific Ocean coastal wetlands in New Zealand and Australia.
A record-setting migratory bird, bar-tailed godwits lose half of their body weight for each intercontinental flight of over 10,000 kilometers, going between Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and nearby Lake Laberge in Canada and the South Pacific, and stopping off in Korea on the way.

A white heron fishes for food in the mud flats at Gochang.

Some great knots, which are seen in abundance in the Gochang getbol on their way to and from Eastern Siberia, have flown more than 6,000 kilometers from Australia by the time they arrive in Korea to search for food.
Korea used to have more getbol and wetlands along its western coastline. Historically, Korean coastal communities seeking to escape poverty and food shortages turned to land reclamation of coastal wetlands to create more farmland for growing rice.
During the Mongol invasions of Korea (1231-1259) the Goryeo Kingdom government-in-exile on Ganghwado turned to land reclamation of the coastal wetlands around the island to create more rice fields to feed the population during the ongoing war.
Sotaesan (1891-1943), the founder of Won Buddhism, the fourth-largest religious denomination in Korea, helped the people of his village escape poverty by creating an economic cooperative to convert about 13.6 hectares of coastal wetlands into rice fields in front of his village in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province, in 1918.
The success of the land reclamation project was the basis for the “self-reliance” principle that later blossomed into Won Buddhism, an organized religion that now has over 500 temples in Korea and some 68 places of worship in 24 countries abroad.
For humans, land reclamation means rapid economic development, but it is a loss of habitat for migratory birds.
One of the most recent reclamation projects, the Saemangeum Seawall Project, which dammed the wetlands to create land for agriculture and a giant industrial complex, is believed to have had serious consequences for the migrating population of great knots.

Farmers work on the Gaocheang getbol, which is a treasure trove of diverse seafood-sustaining ecosystems in Gaocheang, North Jeolla Province. 

The project, conducted from 1991 to 2010, reclaimed 40,900 hectares of tidal flats, equal to about two-thirds of the area of Seoul.
According to the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, in 2006, the loss of the great knot’s most important feeding ground in Korea resulted in a loss of around one-third of the great knots’ population. 
About 1,100 great knots visit Gochang annually. In some years, there are up to 4,000 great knots visiting Gochang getbol.After seeing the Hwasun Dolmen site, I drove to the Maun tidal flats, continued to Gochang Dolmens and then continued to Baekje. 

BAEKJE HISTORIC AREAS WHS. Located in the mountainous mid-western region, the remains of three capital cities collectively represent the later period of the Baekje Kingdom dating from 475-660 CE as it reached its peak in terms of cultural development. The Baekje Kingdom (18 BCE to 660 CE) was one of the three earliest kingdoms on the Korean peninsula – during which time they were at the crossroads of considerable technological, religious (Buddhist), cultural and artistic exchanges between the ancient East Asian kingdoms in Korea, China, and Japan.
There are eight archaeological sites dating from 475 to 660 CE, including the Gongsanseong fortress and royal tombs at Songsan-ri related to the capital, Ungjin (present-day Gongju), the Busosanseong Fortress and Gwanbuk-ri administrative buildings, the Jeongnimsa Temple, the royal tombs in Neungsan-ri and the Naseong city wall related to the capital, Sabi (now Buyeo), the royal palace at Wanggung-ri and the Mireuksa Temple in Iksan related to the secondary Sabi capital.
Together these sites testify to the adoption by the Baekje of Chinese principles of city planning, construction technology, arts, and religion; their refinement by the Baekje, and subsequent distribution to Japan and East Asia.
Jeongnimsa Temple. All that is left of this temple is a 5-level stone stupa. It is forlornly standing alone in the corner of the property. The associated museum doesn’t have much of interest.
Gongsanseong Fortress. It was built on a mountain 110 m above the river during the Ungjin period (475~538). Gongju was called Ungjin and became the capital of Baekje when Hanseong (present-day Seoul) fell at the hands of Goguryeo for 64 years. The capital was moved to Buyeo in 538. The wall is 2,660m long and is primarily stone, except for the 735m-long earthen fortifications in the eastern part of the fortress. A significant part of the fortress wall was rebuilt after the Joseon Dynasty.
What is seen today are the reconstructed four gates, the presumed ruins of the Royal Palace, a pond, and some buildings of the Silla period. There are great views down to the city and Geumgang River. 3000W

It was then a long drive to Suwon (only 75 km but it took almost 2 hours). There were two big rain storms making the traffic reduced to a crawl. Then it was bumper to bumper for significant in the last 25 km.
I stopped at the MK Mall hoping to find something to eat but everything closed at 8. So I went to the nearby station and ate at the BK there. 
ON Hwaseong Guest House 20,000W. Basic place in a dorm room.

Day 10 Sat Aug 19
I was up early to see the remaining sites I missed around Seoul.

Go to Korea North – Seoul