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  1. Unique Ecological Tourism
  2. Apsan Jarak-gil Trail
  3. Introduction to Jarak-gil

Introduction to Jarak-gil

Mountains Embrace the Great King

  • Mountains Embrace the Great King is a book commissioned by the Daegu Namgu Government Office that contains the stories of Apsan Mountain and Taejo Wang Geon (877–943).
    • Taejo Wang Geon of Goryeo who briefly stayed in the Apsan Mountain has returned. This 235-page book tells the story of how King Taejo Wang Geon hid in Apsan after suffering a crushing defeat in a fierce battle (which took place in Palgongsan Mountain in September 927) against King Gyeon Hwon of Hubaekje, and how, by hiding, he managed to keep the spirit of Goryeo alive. The book includes photos of the real-life places featured in Taejo’s story, such as Gosan Cave, Eunjeoksa, and Anilsa Temples. It also includes introductions of tourist sites connected with King Taejo that were recently designed as part of the government’s urban restoration activities.

      To collect the information needed to write this book, Namgu government officials traveled all over Apsan Mountain. The story begins as Taejo escapes from Palgongsan Mountain and flees alone to Apsan Mountain. Taejo (who later becomes king) spends a few days hiding in a large cave at the peak of Apsan Mountain; after King Hubaekje’s soldiers give up their pursuit, Taejo then escapes through Byeokjin (Seongju, North Gyeongsan Province). Based on historical accounts, Taejo (also known as “Wang Geon”) is presumed to have lived in Apsan Mountain for two years. Novelist Cho Du-jin (age 46 years and a Maeil newspaper journalist at the time of publication) is the book’s author.

      The Namgu Government Office published 500 copies of the book and distributed them to community service centers, schools, and libraries. A promotional DVD on Apsan Mountain was also produced based on the book, and there are plans to make the book into a play and musical.

    • Mountains Embrace the Great King

Gosangol

  • In the late Shilla Dynasty, the royal family was agonizing over its lack of an heir. One night, an old man appeared to the king in a dream and told him to build a temple more than 40 km to the west of the kingdom. He went on to say that if the king built the temple and was devoted enough in his prayers, his wish for a son would come true. The king built a temple in the area now known as Gosangol and named it “Gosansa.” After the temple was completed, the queen offered prayers there for one hundred days, and finally, a prince was born. The king was overjoyed and built a three-story stone pagoda in Gosansa to celebrate. The name “Gosangol” is derived from the name Gosansa. The original Gosana, unfortunately, was destroyed during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, and Beopjangsa was constructed in its place.
    • Photographs: Gosansa Temple, three-story stone pagoda at Gosansa 고산사 3층석탑 전경모습

Gangdangol

  • The current playground site of Homyung Elementary School was originally a reservoir for the management of the land. It was filled with water from the valleys of Apsan Mountain before a school was built on the site. Near the embankment is a pavilion in the shape of the Hangeul letter “ㄴ,” where visitors can rest and enjoy the majestic landscape of Apsan Mountain. A separate building was constructed for the management of the pavilion and named “Gangdang.” This management building is also used as a performance hall and a rest spot. The area was named “Gangdangol” after the name of the pavilion and separate management building.
    • Photograph of Sotdae (wooden poles with a carved bird on top to wish peace or good fortune) in Gangdango

Eunjeoksa Temple

  • Eunjeoksa Temple was constructed in 926 AD, in the third year of the reign of King Gyeongae of the Shilla Dynasty. According to legend, its name is associated with the historical battle between Taejo Wang Geon (who later founded the Goryeo Kingdom) and King Gyeon Hwon of the Hubaekje Kingdom. At the Gongsan Battle, Taejo (Wang Geon) was defeated by Gyeon Hwon and escaped across Palgongsan Mountain to Apsan Mountain. He hid in the cave in the bamboo forest to the right of the Daewoongjeon (main building) of the temple for three days. The entrance of the cave was mysteriously covered by a huge spider’s web after Taejo entered it, helping him remain hidden from the soldiers who were pursuing him. After he became king, Taejo ordered the old monk Yeongdodaesa to build a temple and name it Eunjeoksa (“Eun” meaning “to hide,” “jeok” meaning “traces,” and “sa” meaning “temple”).
    • Photographs of Eunjeoksa. Photographs of Eunjeoksa.

Red Spider Lilies

  • Red spider lilies are also known as Pianhua, which means “nirvana.” Their leaves start to grow in September and October after their flowers fall off, and they stay flowerless throughout the cold winter, spring, and even into the summer. Once fall arrives, they blossom into red blossoms. This blossoming is likened to how a person can break away from the toils of this current life and enter into the state of nirvana. Red spider lilies are often planted at temples for this reason, but also for another, more practical reason. The stems of these flowers contain starch that can be used for binding books or mounting altar portraits of Buddha. In oriental medicine, the stems of red spider lilies are used as medicinal herbs under the name seoksan.
    • Photograph of red spider lilies

Anjirangol

  • Anjirangol, also known as Anjirangi or Anjirengi, was once a beloved spot for tourists. There are many stories as to how this name originated. According to one legend, Taejo Wang Geon (the founder of the Goryeo Kingdom) hid in this valley after suffering a crushing defeat by King Gyeon Hwon of the Hubaekje Kingdom. Taejo is known to have stayed here in comfort and peace. According to another legend, the valley was originally called “Anjwaryeong,” and was where Prince Yangnyeong of Joseon took refuge and discovered that Daegu is a good and comfortable place to live. The name is said to have changed over time, eventually turning into “Anjirangi.” Yet another legend claims that special water that could cure skin diseases flowed through the valley, and that the water was so famous that people would come from far away in their carriages to wash in it. The water was said to have been so powerful that it cured a crippled man (“anjeunbaengi” in Korean), which is how the valley got its name. According to another tale, if you look at the Anjirangi valley from the center of Daegu, the fog in the valley is like a shimmering haze (“ajirangi” in Korean), which was how the valley got its name.
    • Photographs of people exercising in Anjirang Square, and Anjiranggol 안지랑골 항공사진

Anilsa Temple

  • Anilsa was originally known as Yuseongsa. Taejo Wang Geon (the founder of the Goryeo Kingdom), who stayed at Eunjeoksa for three days, was said to have hidden in a cave before coming to Anilsa Temple, where he rested in comfort. This story is where Anilsa gets its name (“An” and “Il” are both Chinese characters meaning “comfort”). The cave in which Taeojo Wang Geon is said to have taken refuge is called “Wanggool (meaning “the King’s Cave”). According to legend, when Gyeon Hwon’s soldiers, who had been pursuing Taejo Wang Geon, came near the cave where Taejo Wang Geon was hiding, clouds suddenly appeared and a huge spider weaved a thick web over it, effectively hiding any traces of Taejo Wang Geon’s presence. This enabled Taejo Wang Geon to avoid capture and later establish the kingdom of Goryeo.
    • Photographs of Anilsa Temple and the entrance of Wanggool Cave 왕굴 입구사진

Golangol

  • Golangol was originally called “Segol,” “Ganeungol,” and “Golan,” among other things, all of which had the same basic meaning of “a narrow valley within a valley.” The valley was also known as “Mudanggol” because many mudangs (shamans) gathered there to pray after Korea won its independence from Japanese rule. At a time when there were no certified religions in Korea, entrances or exits to villages were often marked with a pile of stones. Small stones were piled up to look like a small stone pagoda. People who passed by would add a stone to the pile, join their hands or bow their heads in prayer in front of the pile. Many people would often pause for a moment at these stone piles in times of worry, misfortune, joy, or happiness and make a wish. This simple magic of wishing on a small stone pile is something that can still be experienced today.
    • Photographs of Sotdae (wooden poles with a carved bird on top to wish peace or good fortune) and a stone tumulus 돌무덤 사진

Daemyeong-dong

  • The name of Daemyeong-dong originated from Dusacheung, a general of the Ming Dynasty. When the Japanese invaded the Joseon Kingdom in 1592, Dusacheung contributed significantly to defeating the invaders and was regarded as a skilled general who made a great contribution to the Joseon Kingdom. He returned to the Joseon Kingdom when the Japanese invaded again in 1597, and later became a naturalized Korean citizen. He lived a comfortable and happy life far from home, but never forgot his wife and siblings. He moved his house to the foot of what is now known as Daedeoksan Mountain and named the neighborhood “Daemyeong-dong” in memory of his mother country (the Ming Dynasty was referred to as “Myeong” in Korean).
    • Photographs of Daemyeong-dong 대명동 대덕산 전경사진
공공누리 유형안내
자료 담당자 :
도시재생과 이경옥 664-2852
최근자료수정일 :
2019.12.02

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