| Chiljang-san |
| the "Seven Guardians Mountain" 492m in Anseong City, southern Gyeonggi Province including Chilhyeon-san 516m, Deokseong-san 520m, Hwangsaek-san 351m, Dodeok-san 366m, Mu-i-san 463m and Gwanhae-bong 453m |
"chil" means seven which is an auspicious number in traditional Korean culture, most
prominently in Buddhism -- there are the "Chilbo" [Seven Treasures of Enlightenment]
(a stone-stairway-bridge of Bulguk-sa was made with his theme), and "Chilbul" [Seven Great
Buddhas] (considered as a set, who sortta supervise the universe) (refer also to Chilbul-sa, one
of Korea's most revered meditation-temples, Chilbo-san and Chilgap-san).
"jang", derived from the Chinese character for an Army General, means a spiritual
guardian, of the military sort, much supplicated in traditional religions for protection
from "bad fortune". So, this name Chil-jang-san is a very auspicious one, implying
that the spirits of the seven peaks of these mountains are strong protectors for
those who live beneath them.
Chiljang-san is the center of these seven, and forms the important mountain-system
intersection where the Hannam-jeongmaek heads NW and the Geumbuk-jeongmaek
heads SW, forming minor fertile watersheds between them on Korea's west coast.
The "Hannam-Geumbuk-jeongmaek" Range runs from the Baekdu-daegan mountain-
system at Sogni-san past Cheongju City to Chiljang-san, where it splits in that way.
It is the apex of a triangle that forms Jincheon-gun County and its sites.
prominently in Buddhism -- there are the "Chilbo" [Seven Treasures of Enlightenment]
(a stone-stairway-bridge of Bulguk-sa was made with his theme), and "Chilbul" [Seven Great
Buddhas] (considered as a set, who sortta supervise the universe) (refer also to Chilbul-sa, one
of Korea's most revered meditation-temples, Chilbo-san and Chilgap-san).
"jang", derived from the Chinese character for an Army General, means a spiritual
guardian, of the military sort, much supplicated in traditional religions for protection
from "bad fortune". So, this name Chil-jang-san is a very auspicious one, implying
that the spirits of the seven peaks of these mountains are strong protectors for
those who live beneath them.
Chiljang-san is the center of these seven, and forms the important mountain-system
intersection where the Hannam-jeongmaek heads NW and the Geumbuk-jeongmaek
heads SW, forming minor fertile watersheds between them on Korea's west coast.
The "Hannam-Geumbuk-jeongmaek" Range runs from the Baekdu-daegan mountain-
system at Sogni-san past Cheongju City to Chiljang-san, where it splits in that way.
It is the apex of a triangle that forms Jincheon-gun County and its sites.
| Chiljang-sa [Seven Guardians Temple] on the eastern slope: |
His square-shaped eyebrows and upper-cheeks-whiskers make this painting distinctive, and
his hair being youthful-black instead of white (or grey) is very unusual. But the unique feature
of this icon is that the mountain-king wears a kind of necklace with seven small golden disks,
shining like jewels. Never seen this before! It echoes the popular "Seven Stars" deity / motif
of Korean Shamanism, and reinforces the "Seven Guardians" name-motif of this mountain.
his hair being youthful-black instead of white (or grey) is very unusual. But the unique feature
of this icon is that the mountain-king wears a kind of necklace with seven small golden disks,
shining like jewels. Never seen this before! It echoes the popular "Seven Stars" deity / motif
of Korean Shamanism, and reinforces the "Seven Guardians" name-motif of this mountain.