| Cultural Geography of Jiri-san the Exquisite-Wisdom Mountain |
Jiri-san is one of the most famous, and probably the most-sacred, group of mountains in all
of Korea. It is highly worth a visit in itself during any season, and a rewarding hiking
destination for pilgrims and explorers. It is the terminus of the Baekdu-daegan Mountain
system, and for most trekkers the great trail begins here at the eastern slopes. The Jiri
Mountains are a great national treasure, holding a vast natural, cultural and spiritual wealth.
Most of this sprawling alpine region is a National Park -- Korea's oldest and still the largest
mountain-based one, covering just a little over 470 square kilometers. It was designated at
the end of December 1967 by President Park Chung-hee, inaugurating South Korea's bold
and innovative National Parks program. It was chosen for this honor due to its outstanding
natural features and cultural sites, its prominent role in national history, its continuing high
reputation among all Koreans and in order to relieve the poverty of its rural residents.
The ridgelines extend outside the Park boundaries into various districts of Gurye County
of South Jeolla Province, Namwon City of North Jeolla Province, and Hadong County,
Samcheong County and Hamyang County of South Gyeongsang Province. This is the
only mountain in Korea included in five different counties and cities.
These gigantic and prominent mountains dominate the entire southern quarter of the Korean
Peninsula and divide it into separate provinces. It has served as both the military and
spiritual "guardian" mountain of the entire south-coast region between Jinju City and
Gwangju City, with several sites of former military fortresses on its slopes. It creates both
the scenic Seomjin-gang River that flows to the south coast, and the Imcheon-gang River to
its north. It holds a primary position in what we might call the "sacred geography of Korea".
The Jiri Mountains feature three main summits, named Cheonwang-bong, Banya-bong
and Nogo-dan, all considered highly sacred – and a total of more than three dozen peaks
over their own distinct cultural character and reputation, with associated myths or legends.
People talk about Jiri-san as if it's just one mountain, but it's really a massive cluster of
mountains under one name, with seven distinct sets of ridgelines and peaks:
• the Eastern Main Ridge with Cheonwang-bong (1915m) as its summit, and many
lesser but still substantial and mighty peaks along it, beginning the Baekdu-daegan;
• the Central Main Ridge with Banya-bong as its summit (1751m) and Nogo-dan
Peak (1507m) forming its western end, with Samdo-bong (1530m) connecting it to the
Eastern Main Ridge and continuing the Baekdu-daegan;
• the Northwestern Main Ridge starting at Nogo-dan Peak and running north through
Manbok-dae Peak (1433m) and then bringing the Baekdu-daegan out of Jiri-san and on
to the north through Namwon City territories;
• the Southeastern Spur starting from the center of the Eastern Main Ridge, led by
Samshin-bong (1284m) and then starting the Naknam-jeongmaek Range, and defining
the topography of Hadong County;
• three parallel Southwestern Spurs originating from the Central Main Ridge from
Samdo-bong to Nogo-dan, creating the deep distinctive valleys of Gurye County;
• two small Northeastern Spurs starting near Cheonwang-bong and running
through high but little-visited wilderness peaks down to the Imcheon-gang River,
creating beautiful gorges in southern Hamyang County;
• the Northern Central Spur starting from the west part of the Eastern Main Ridge,
climaxing at Samjeong-bong (1225m) and then ending at Mansu-cheon Stream.
These clusters of ridges and peaks form dozens of valleys, gorges and slopes, each with
their own distinctive character, containing over a hundred temples, shrines and historic sites.
These form 12 Major Sectors of valleys, gorges, ridges, slopes, temples & shrines (below).
of Korea. It is highly worth a visit in itself during any season, and a rewarding hiking
destination for pilgrims and explorers. It is the terminus of the Baekdu-daegan Mountain
system, and for most trekkers the great trail begins here at the eastern slopes. The Jiri
Mountains are a great national treasure, holding a vast natural, cultural and spiritual wealth.
Most of this sprawling alpine region is a National Park -- Korea's oldest and still the largest
mountain-based one, covering just a little over 470 square kilometers. It was designated at
the end of December 1967 by President Park Chung-hee, inaugurating South Korea's bold
and innovative National Parks program. It was chosen for this honor due to its outstanding
natural features and cultural sites, its prominent role in national history, its continuing high
reputation among all Koreans and in order to relieve the poverty of its rural residents.
The ridgelines extend outside the Park boundaries into various districts of Gurye County
of South Jeolla Province, Namwon City of North Jeolla Province, and Hadong County,
Samcheong County and Hamyang County of South Gyeongsang Province. This is the
only mountain in Korea included in five different counties and cities.
These gigantic and prominent mountains dominate the entire southern quarter of the Korean
Peninsula and divide it into separate provinces. It has served as both the military and
spiritual "guardian" mountain of the entire south-coast region between Jinju City and
Gwangju City, with several sites of former military fortresses on its slopes. It creates both
the scenic Seomjin-gang River that flows to the south coast, and the Imcheon-gang River to
its north. It holds a primary position in what we might call the "sacred geography of Korea".
The Jiri Mountains feature three main summits, named Cheonwang-bong, Banya-bong
and Nogo-dan, all considered highly sacred – and a total of more than three dozen peaks
over their own distinct cultural character and reputation, with associated myths or legends.
People talk about Jiri-san as if it's just one mountain, but it's really a massive cluster of
mountains under one name, with seven distinct sets of ridgelines and peaks:
• the Eastern Main Ridge with Cheonwang-bong (1915m) as its summit, and many
lesser but still substantial and mighty peaks along it, beginning the Baekdu-daegan;
• the Central Main Ridge with Banya-bong as its summit (1751m) and Nogo-dan
Peak (1507m) forming its western end, with Samdo-bong (1530m) connecting it to the
Eastern Main Ridge and continuing the Baekdu-daegan;
• the Northwestern Main Ridge starting at Nogo-dan Peak and running north through
Manbok-dae Peak (1433m) and then bringing the Baekdu-daegan out of Jiri-san and on
to the north through Namwon City territories;
• the Southeastern Spur starting from the center of the Eastern Main Ridge, led by
Samshin-bong (1284m) and then starting the Naknam-jeongmaek Range, and defining
the topography of Hadong County;
• three parallel Southwestern Spurs originating from the Central Main Ridge from
Samdo-bong to Nogo-dan, creating the deep distinctive valleys of Gurye County;
• two small Northeastern Spurs starting near Cheonwang-bong and running
through high but little-visited wilderness peaks down to the Imcheon-gang River,
creating beautiful gorges in southern Hamyang County;
• the Northern Central Spur starting from the west part of the Eastern Main Ridge,
climaxing at Samjeong-bong (1225m) and then ending at Mansu-cheon Stream.
These clusters of ridges and peaks form dozens of valleys, gorges and slopes, each with
their own distinctive character, containing over a hundred temples, shrines and historic sites.
These form 12 Major Sectors of valleys, gorges, ridges, slopes, temples & shrines (below).
| Jiri-san's location at the bottom of the Korean peninsula, on a satellite photo -- its lofty peaks are the brown spots clearly visible in the upper center of this picture. The white areas indicate civilization, not snow... |
| The 3 Greatest Ancient Buddhist Temples of Jiri-san (within all South Korea's "Top-20 Monasteries", each with a cluster of Hermitages): Nogo-dan Hwaeom-sa Samshin-bong Ssanggye-sa Samjeong-bong Shilsang-sa |
Jiri-san Intro / Index Page
San-shin Site Contents Page
most-sacred mountains index
San-shin Site Contents Page
most-sacred mountains index
| Dongri-san Taean-sa Gurye O-san Saseong-am Nogo-dan Cheoneun-sa Cheoneun-sa's Sudo-am Cheoneun-sa's Sangseon-am Hwaeom-sa's Namak-sa Shrine Hwaeom-sa's Jijang-am Hwaeom-sa's Geumjeong-am Samdo-bong Yeongok-sa Toggi-bong Chilbul-sa Ssanggye-sa's Guksa-am Ssanggye-sa's Bulil-am Cheonghak-dong Samseong-gung |
| 20 Major "new" Temples, Shrines or around Jiri-san: Cheoneun-sa's Dogye-am Cheoneun-sa's Samil-am Hwaeom-sa's Yeongi-am Gurye's South Munsu-sa Yeongok-sa's Bullak-sa Yeongok-sa's Hansan-sa Yeongok-sa's Cheonwang-sa Cheonghak-dong Jinju-am Naedae-gol Sanshin-halmae-dang Naedae-gol Gilsang-am Naedae-gol Seokcheon-sa Beobgye-sa's Cheonwang-sa Ju-san Jeonggak-sa Byeoksong-sa's Seo-am South Beobhwa-sa Hamyang's North Munsu-sa Hamyang-gun Gyeonbul-sa Hamyang-gun Sambul-sa Hamyang-gun Muju-am Banya-bong's Myohyang-am |
See the Sector listings below, or the Map, for links to these places, if I
have pages about them up yet. What are called "Ancient" in these
listings means temples that were founded before 1900 CE, according to
information contained in The Dictionary of Korean Buddhist Temples,
published by Bulgyo-shidaesa, Seoul, in 1991 (ISBN# 89-8002-024-4-01220).
If it's not listed in that book, I list it here as "new".
have pages about them up yet. What are called "Ancient" in these
listings means temples that were founded before 1900 CE, according to
information contained in The Dictionary of Korean Buddhist Temples,
published by Bulgyo-shidaesa, Seoul, in 1991 (ISBN# 89-8002-024-4-01220).
If it's not listed in that book, I list it here as "new".
Cheonhwang-bong Beopgye-sa Cheonhwang-bong Naewon-sa Cheonhwang-bong Daewon-sa Cheonhwang-bong Byeoksong-sa Beophwa-san North Beophwa-sa Samjeong-bong Yeongwon-sa Yeongwon-sa's Godam-sa Yeongwon-sa's Sangmuju-am Yeongwon-sa's Dosol-am Shilsang-sa's Yaksu-am Shilsang-sa's Seojin-am Shilsang-sa's Baekjang-am Namwon City Yongdam-sa |
| The 26 other Great Ancient Temples and Hermitages encircling the Jiri Mountains (listed counter-clockwise, starting from the SW): |
Twelve great Buddhist temples and around 40 smaller ones are found around the slopes,
with several Neo-Confucian and Shamanic shrines.
with several Neo-Confucian and Shamanic shrines.
| From Google Earth: |
<---Cheonwang-bong
| Banya-bong--> |
| Naknam-Jeongmaek --> |
Directly south of Jiri-san's central peaks and the Southeastern Spur, across the Seomjin River
and therefore disconnected, but otherwise seeming to be an extension, is another mighty and
sacred mountain-complex -- Baegun-san [White Clouds Mtn, a.k.a. Baegunsan] of Gwangyang City.
and therefore disconnected, but otherwise seeming to be an extension, is another mighty and
sacred mountain-complex -- Baegun-san [White Clouds Mtn, a.k.a. Baegunsan] of Gwangyang City.
West: Surak-pokpo South: Bulil-pokpo Northeast: Guryong-pokpo |