Mount Wolchulsan Area Designated a National Scenic Site; History and Culture in Its Rugged Cliffs Also Recognized

Mayor Min Hyung-bae: "The Lives and Hearts of Countless People Have Accumulated at Mount Wolchulsan"
Jeonnam Gwangju to Strengthen Preservation and Management and Link the Mountain with Cultural Heritage

The area around Mount Wolchulsan, which spans Yeongam and Gangjin in Jeonnam Gwangju, has been designated a Scenic Site, a nationally designated natural heritage site. The designation recognizes the value of its cultural landscape, encompassing not only rocky peaks rising above the plains and rugged cliffs, but also centuries-old mountain worship, Buddhist culture and historical records.

Following the designation, Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City plans to work with the National Heritage Administration and the local governments concerned to strengthen the system for preserving and managing Mount Wolchulsan, and to develop ways to make use of it in connection with nearby historical and cultural resources.

A panoramic view of Wolchulsan Cloud Bridge and its unusual rock formations. Provided by Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City.

Mayor Min Hyung-bae announced the designation on Facebook on October 16 and highlighted the significance of the history and culture accumulated at Mount Wolchulsan. He said that Mount Wolchulsan, designated a national park in 1988, has now been recognized not only for its natural scenery but also for the historical and cultural value embedded in it.

"The lives and hearts of countless people have accumulated at Mount Wolchulsan," Mayor Min wrote. He added that the designation as a Scenic Site also reflects the long history of people who have lived with the mountain in view. He went on to encourage people to visit Yeongam and Gangjin in autumn and experience the mountain's value for themselves.

Mount Wolchulsan is an isolated mountain massif, separated from the surrounding mountain ranges and rising steeply from the plains. Rugged cliffs and rocks spread around Cheonhwangbong and Gujeongbong form a striking landscape. Its diverse landforms, shaped by the weathering of granite, and the way its vegetation varies with elevation also give the mountain considerable geological and ecological value.

Traces of the beliefs and culture surrounding the mountain remain throughout the area. The Samguk Sagi records it as Wollaeak, a site for state rituals, and state rites have been held there since the Unified Silla period. During the Goryeo and Joseon periods, it served as a major center of Buddhist culture in the southwest.

Mayor Min also noted on Facebook that state rites were held at Cheonhwangbong from the Unified Silla period onward. He cited the 8.6-meter-tall National Treasure, the Rock-carved Seated Buddha at Mount Wolchulsan in Yeongam, carved into a massive rock at Gujeongbong, emphasizing that Mount Wolchulsan has long been regarded as a special place.

The temples around Mount Wolchulsan bear witness to this history. Muwisa Temple is home to the National Treasure Geungnakbojeon Hall and its murals, while Dogapsa Temple is associated with the legend of its founding by State Preceptor Doseon and preserves a range of cultural heritage. Cheonhwangsa Temple, too, is a place where mountain worship and Buddhist culture come together. Legends surrounding the nine wells at Gujeongbong, as well as poems, prose and travelogues left by scholars of the past, including Jeong Yak-yong, further attest to the mountain's historical and cultural value.

The integrated special city plans to systematically preserve Mount Wolchulsan's natural scenery and cultural heritage while linking them with nearby resources to enhance the value of cultural tourism in the region.

Kang Ha-chun, director of the Religious Affairs Office of Jeonnam Gwangju Special City, said, "Mount Wolchulsan is one of the representative mountains of the Honam region, where natural scenery blends with a long history and culture." He added, "With its designation as a Scenic Site, we will pursue both preservation and public use so that people can enjoy its value."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.