The Marmot’s Hole

Here’s another culture/tourism/history piece, this time on Danyang’s Jeokseong Mountain Fortress via OhMyNews. Not sure if anyone actually likes reading stuff like this — they’re not exactly comment magnets for obvious reasons — but I kind of enjoy them, and I hope to run more of these kinds of translations from now on.

Looking out at the Namhan River, King Jinheung Comes to Mind

by Lee Yang-hoon in OhMyNews

Danyang Rest Stop is on the Seoul-bound lane of the Jungang Expressway, which runs through the inland areas of the Chungcheong and Gyeongsang provinces. Unlike many rest stops, it’s located rather far off the expressway, so its quiet and considered a good place to stop.

Perhaps because it was built recently, its facilities are rather clean. More than anything, however, the rest stop leaves one with a deep impression perhaps because from there, one can enjoy a half-day’s trip exploring Korea’s ancient history.

Danyang Rest Stop is located in Habang-ni, Danseong-myeon, Danyang County, North Chungcheong Province. As one can tell from the name, this was the location of the Shilla kingdom’s Jeokseong Mountain Fortress (sanseong), the site of fierce fighting during the territorial struggles of the Three Kingdoms era. It’s also an area where Shilla, having conquered what was originally Goguyeo territory, commemorated its victory, even joyfully erecting a stone monument in tribute.

Caption: Jeokseong Mountain Fortress

When you enter the rest stop, the mountain you see right before you is Seongjae-san. Wrapped around the summit of the mountain is Jeokseong Fortress, one of Korea’s representative “mountain top-style” fortresses. Visible from afar, you can feel how solidly it was constructed. The fortress was constructed both inside and out with natural, even stone. It’s about 920 meters in total length.

Caption: Wall of Jeokseong Fortress. It was built of densely packed, flat natural rocks.

To the north is the Namhan River, while to the east, Juknyeong Stream, and the west, Danyang Stream, both of which flow into the Namhan River. A peak surrounded by waterways on three sides, it’s a natural defensive fortress. It’s also a strategic transportation point, with boats traveling upstream along the Namhan River and the overland route continuing up toward Juknyeong ridge (actually a pass, and an important one — see here for its significance).

Caption: Ondal Mountain Fortress, located in nearby Ha-ri, Yeongchun-myeon, Danyang County. Perhaps because it was built at around the same time as Jeokseong Fortress, there are many similarities between the two.

From Jeokseong Fortress and, a little further to the south, Ondal Fortress (also a mountain fortress), Shilla was able to take the Han River basin and make its way all the way to Hamgyeong Province, but the joy Shilla earned as a result of the fortification must have been hard to express simply in words. One can get an idea how overjoyed Shilla’s King Jinheung must have been from the Jeokseong Monument.

The monument proclaims the area as Shilla territory, and showers praise on a local by the name of Yaicha, who showed loyalty to Shilla during the course of the struggle. The monument includes Yaicha’s reward, and says that any one showing similar loyalty would be rewarded just the same.

Caption: Monument pavilion inside the fortress

It’s as if you can still hear the proud bellowing of that great conquered and sovereign King Jinheung, who closed the book on the Seorabeol (the old name for Gyeongju) era - when Shilla was confined to a small piece of the peninsula - and through incredible energy endlessly expanded the kingdom’s border almost effortlessly.

The monument also confirms the names of a number of figures familiar to us from history like Gen. Lee Sa-bu, who subjugated Ulleung Island, and Gen. Kim Yu-shin’s grandfather, Kim Mu-ryeok. An academic team from Danguk University discovered it on January 6, 1978. Prior to that, hikers used it to knock the dirt off their shoes. It’s located inside Jeokseong Fortress, which is just five minutes from the rest stop.

Caption: Jeokseong Shilla Monument, National Treasure No. 198

If you look out from atop the densely packed fortress wall upon the ripples of the meandering Namhan River, one thinks of the bellowing laughter of King Jinheung and the proclamation by Goguryeo’s Gen. Ondal, who said, “I won’t return until I’ve retaken our land to the west of Gyerip-hyeon and the Jungnyeong ridge!”

Caption: Three-story stone pagoda of Hyangsan-ri, Gagok-myeon, Danyang County. Treasure No. 405. You can see it for free, too.

Caption: Day comes to a close over the stone pagoda.

Thinking how this path, heading up to Seoul via Wonju, was once a fierce battlefield where thousands of men and horses engaged in a heated territorial war, one can really enjoy some ancient historical tourism!

Nowadays, there are few places you can visit for free. In that regard, if you want to get out of town, it’s worth paying a visit to Danyang Rest Stop. You can even throw in Ondal Fortress and the stone pagoda of Hyangsan-ri in the same trip.