Mt. Mudeung is a symbol of Gwangju and is situated next to downtown. It is proud of its beautiful nature, long history, and glorious culture. It has inspired a lot of artists. Visitors exclaim not only at its beautiful temples and cultural relics but also the mountain different seasonal features.
Mother Mountain of the Artistic City, Mt. Mudeung
Spirit of Gwangju, Symbol of the southern region of Korea
Mt. Mudeung ranges from the east side of Gwangju to three other districts of Nam-myeon, Hwasun-gun, and Iseo-myeon, and it is one of the highest mountains in the Jeollanamdo province with the altitude of 1187m. Mt. Mudeung is covered with azalea blossoms in spring, colorful leaves and eulalias in autumn, and snow in winter. Also, there are a number of temples with interesting legends and cultural properties at the foot of the mountain. On the other side, Mt. Mudeung is surrounded with ancestor's artistic senses and patriotism. It was served as a secret training ground of the patriotic volunteer soldiers (armies), an open art studio of Uijae, Baekryeon Heo and the home of Sarim scholarsgroup of the Joseon Dynasty.
Splendid scenery formed of stones and rocks
You can appreciate a masterpiece of Mother Nature at Mt. Mudeung. The three spots Ipseokdae, Seoseokdae, and Gyubong summit are known as the best view of the mountain. They are surrounded by 20~30m high cliffs and look like works of an excellent stonecutter. Ipseokdae has about 40 stone pillars in the shapes of squares, hexagonals, and cylinders reminding one of a sacred temple in Greece, and Seoseokdae is a gigantic rock cliff around the highest peak of the mountain. Gyubong is noted for its scenic beauty with stone pillars towering over the green forest.
The steep slope towards Jungmeorijae pass leads to Iljumun gate and a historic site with many stone pagodas and tombstones. If you go up the stairs next to the historic site, you will see the main building of Jeungsimsa. The temple was first constructed by Cheolgamseonsa, Yun Do (798~868) of the Silla dynasty and renovated by Hyejoguksa in the Goryeo dynasty and by Bang Kim in the Joseon dynasty yet again. However, it was burned out during the second Japanese invasion in 1597 and then reconstructed by three monks; Seokgyeong, Sujang and Dogwang in 1609. During the Korean war, all buildings except Obaekjeon and Saseongjeon and its most precious cultural properties were destroyed. The reconstruction of the main building, Daeungjeon was completed in 1970 and other attached buildings had been restored by 1989. TEL 062-226-0108
Seated iron Birosana Buddha sculpture
The seated iron Birosana Buddha sculpture is a rare iron Buddha figure of Korea luckily not destroyed during the Korean War. It is the host Buddha of the Birojeon building, which is behind Daeungjeon and Obaekjeon on its left. The Buddha attracts visitorsattention in exquisite contrast to the reddish wall painting of many Buddhist saints. It shows a friendly and balanced image through a tender smile at oval face, the uncovered breast and the vestment sliding down from the shoulders, as well as the posture of sitting with its leg folded.
Standing stone Bodhisattva sculpture
Both the exotic and simple Bodhisattva statue and the slender seven-story stone pagoda stand left in front of Obaekjeon. The stone Bodhisattva is 205 ㎝ (about 7 feet) tall, wearing a big cylinder-shaped coronet and standing on a lotus stand. The seven-story pagoda next to the statue has stories decorated with embossed lotuses except for the first one.
Jeungsimsa three-story stone pagoda
A three-story stone pagoda of the late Silla dynasty stands in the front yard of Obaekjeon. It is 3.2m (about 11 feet) tall and has a high double stand and gorgeous eaves curved up like the lines of Korean dresses. It is not so big but shows the balanced structure and elegant lines.
Obaekjeon building
Obaekjeon building possesses the sculptures of five hundred Buddhist monks and ten Buddhist saints. Each figure has a characteristic face. You can appreciate this beauty of unity and diversity. Obaekjeon is the oldest building on Mt. Mudeung built in the early Joseon dynasty because other buildings in Jeungsimsa were reconstructed after the Korean War. The construction of the Buddhist sculptures made of clay was initiated by Bang Kim in 1443 (25th year in the reign of Sejong the Great).
Yaksasa standing shoulder to shoulder with Saeinbong summit
Yaksasa is a gorgeous temple standing shoulder to shoulder with Saeinbong and commanding extensive views. You can drop in Yaksasa at the way from Jeungsimsa to Saeinbong. It was called Inwangsa and was constructed by a buddhist monk, Cheolgam-seonsa, who also built Jeungsimsa after then. You can breathe in fresh forest air climbing down the mountain. TEL 062-222-9844
Seated stone Buddha sculpture
This sculpture is the host of the main building of Yaksasa. It looks generous as the world-renowned Buddha image in Seokgulam, Kyeongju city does and has a round face, big ears, full lips, a mysterious smile, and majestic shoulders. There is a wooden portrait of Buddha behind the sculpture. The portrait was made in the Silla dynasty and is considered the most beautiful and best preserved painting in the southwestern area of Korea.
A 7~8-minute walk up to the right slope of Mt. Mudeung Cottage leads to Wonhyosa. You feel like going up to the sky when you climb the steep stairs towards the main building of the temple. Wonhyosa is located at northern border of the mountain and built by Wonhyo-daesa who was national monk of Silla. Wonhyo-am, previous name of Wonhyosa was named after its founder. Some 100 Buddhist relics including a standing bronze Buddha sculpture were discovered under the construction of new buildings in 1980, and they are exhibited at Gwangju Museum. TEL 062-266-0326
Tall building revealing a secret view
This building is a good place for self-discipline because there people can refresh and reflect themselves by exposing themselves to the cool wind of Mt. Mudeung. Seated at the edge, you can feel the spirit of the mountain and appreciate a panoramic view of Uisangbong, Yunpilbong, and Cheonwangbong. It is obviously one of the most beautiful sites of Mt. Mudeung.
You can refresh yourself looking around the light green fields cultivating green tea. Uijae, Baekryeon Heo(1891~1977) said we could feel the national spirit when drinking Korean tea. He lived at the house of Chunseolheon at the ridge of Mt. Mudeung and devoted himself to spreading the tea culture. He also established an agricultural school and has been respected as the mainstay of the southern culture of Korea. He was not only a great artist but also a devoted patriot. TEL 062-222-2034~5
House of Jiho Oh, Frontier of Western Fine Art
Jiho Oh(1905~1982) introduced impressionist painting to Gwangju art circles. He lived at this house from 1954 to 1982 until he died. It is a typical straw-thatched house of the southern region. It was built more than 100 years ago (around 1880) and renovated in 1988.
Studio of Jegil Uh, Artist of Light
There is a building, looking like a warehouse, next to Baegopeun Dari (hungry bridge). This is the studio and gallery of Jegil Uh, abstractionist. You can appreciate his works without illumination, thanks to full of natural light flooding in from the glass ceiling and the wide windows of the gallery at first floor. He was appointed the most popular artist of the first Gwangju Biennale and devotes himself to describing the fantastic world of light. TEL 062-224-6601
Cheongpung Swimteo Park for Wandering Minstrels If you drive to cross Cheongamgyo bridge towards Seokgok Suwonji, the 4th catchment basin in Cheongok-dong, you reach Cheongpung rest area where the watery breezes change into fresh forest air. It is a great place for a picnic with lawns, sports facilities and playing grounds. Large family groups always have dinner here in summer. There is a memorial monument of Satgat Kim, wandering minstrel of the Joseon dynasty, who was famous for his satiric poems. The left road of this park leads to the Siga Cultural Zone, and the right to Chungminsa shrine, Chungjangsa shrine, and Mt. Mudeung Cottage.
Chunghyo-dong Pottery and Buncheongsagi China of Mt. Mudeung
You can reach Chunghyo-dong Pottery going about 1km (about 0.6 mi.) from Chungjangsa to Lake Gwangju. This was the greatest pottery producing Buncheongsagi, a Chinaware with white slip and greyish-green glaze, in quantity and quality. Buncheongsagi mainly appeared between the era of blue China and that of white china. The exhibition hall in the west of the pottery area shows excavated relics including Buncheongsagi, white China, and tea cup saucers. It is interesting that many potters carved their names in their work, which makes us assume those potteries to be supplies to the government. This tradition intends to improve the quality of the work. TEL 062-266-4693
If you go 2 km (about 1.2 mi) far at left road of Cheongpung Swimteo and pass the Cheon gok-dong last bus stop, you can see the landmark of Geongyeolsa shrine at left side of the road. The sunshine of high noon beats down at tomb and the ancestral shrine of Gyeongyeol-gong, Ji Jeong (1347~1391) who was a famous general of the late Goryeo dynasty. TEL 062-266-7032
Chungminsa Shrine and the General Sangui Jeon
On the way from Cheongpung Swimteo to Chungminsa, you can find the newly-constructed building of Unamseowon where the ancestral shrine of Haegwang, Jemin Song is located. He was a famous general of the loyal army in the mid Joseon dynasty and successfully lead troops in the fierce battle called Hwangsanbeol. Chungminsa is very close to Unamseowon and the ancestral shrine of Sangui Jeon who was the general who bravely fought against the Chinese army in the Jeongmyohoran war and died in the battle of Anjuseong. TEL 062-266-0718
Chungjangsa Shrine of General Deokryeong Kim
Chungjangsa is the ancestral shrine of Chungjang-gong. There is an exhibition hall displaying the general coffin and grave clothes (folk property No.111), a pond and the management office on about a 5-acre lot. Deokryeong Kim who bravely and successfully led the loyal army in the war against the Japanese during the Joseon dynasty. After the war, he was falsely branded a traitor by villains and received a dead sentence at the age of 29. TEL 062-266-6355
Spirit of Gwangju, Symbol of the southern region of Korea
