[Seoul travels] Forest bathing through Seoul Guided Walking Tours

Posted on : 2021-08-29 08:57 KST Modified on : 2021-08-29 08:59 KST
Go for a walking tour of the tranquil forests of Seoul
Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)

The second summer of the pandemic is drawing to an end.

This summer, social distancing restrictions have kept many of us at home. But that irrepressible itch to travel remains somewhere in the back of our minds.

Several times a day, I’m filled with the urge to go somewhere, anywhere. But there are few decent places to go.

At times like these, I like to go traveling in the middle of the city. I recommend going for a walking tour of the tranquil forests of Seoul.

My destinations on Aug. 15 are Gyeomjae Jeongseon in Yangcheon-ro and Seonjeongneung Royal Tombs, two of the Seoul guided tours provided by the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO).

Both tours feature leisurely walks along a forest path, with commentary provided by a tour guide. It turns out that the forest is closer than we think!

Soak Pavilion (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
Soak Pavilion (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
Picturing the cityscape of Seoul three centuries ago

The walking course Gyeomjae Jeongseon in Yangcheon-ro runs through the Gayang neighborhood of Seoul’s Gangseo District. The trail follows the footsteps of Jeongseon (1676-1759, pen name Gyeomjae), a master of “true-view” landscape painting in the Joseon Dynasty.

Jeongseon had a fairly close connection with Yangcheon, as the Gayang neighborhood was once known. While serving as the mayor of Yangcheon (present-day Gangseo District) for five years, between 1740 and 1745, Jeongseon produced important artwork including “Gyeong Gyo Myeong Seung Cheop” and “Yang Cheon Pal Gyeong Cheop.”

This walking course begins in front of Exit 1 of Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station, on Line 9 of the Seoul subway. This is where I meet Bae Jeong-hui, the tour guide I was assigned when I signed up for the walk through the STO. Bae directs my attention to an easily overlooked stone marker called “hamabi,” meaning “get off your horse and walk,” near the subway exit.

A view of the Han River from Soak Pavilion (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
A view of the Han River from Soak Pavilion (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)

The hamabi were initially set up in front of Jongmyo Shrine and the royal palaces in the 13th year of King Taejong (1413). Later, they were added in front of hyanggyo, or Confucian academies, as a sign of reverence for sages. Everyone, regardless of their status, was expected to descend from their horses and show respect.

About 300 meters from the hamabi, we reach Yangcheon Hyanggyo. It’s the only Confucian academy left in Seoul today. It was at hyanggyo such as this one that education became ingrained in Korean culture. Today, Yangcheon Hyanggyo offers various programs, including tea ceremonies and courses in etiquette.

After leaving the hyanggyo, we spot the Gyeomjae Jeongseon Memorial Museum, which opened in April 2009. The museum holds 23 of Jeongseon’s original paintings, including “Cheong Seok Jeong,” “Cheong Pung Gye Do,” “San Su Do,” and “Cheong Ha Seong Eup Do.”

The Gungsan (Gung Hill) Tunnel (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
The Gungsan (Gung Hill) Tunnel (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)

If you’re interested in checking out Jeongseon’s artwork, be sure to stop here.

Across from Gyeomjae Jeongseon Memorial Museum is the Gungsan (Gung Hill) Tunnel Museum. Built during the Japanese colonial period, the tunnel measures 2.7 meters high, 2.2 meters wide, and 68 meters long. Falling rocks make it too dangerous to go inside, but it’s possible to see the entrance.

“Gungsan Tunnel was brought to the attention of the public by area locals in 2008. The tunnel was used to store military supplies, including weapons and ammunition, during the Japanese colonial period, as well as to monitor Gimpo Air Base. It also served as headquarters for the military unit during air raids,” Bae tells me.

While there’s quite a lot to see on this walking course, the highlight is the trail through the woods. This pleasant trail leads into the Gungsan Neighborhood Park, near the Gyeomjae Jeongseon Memorial Museum and the Gungsan Tunnel, and circles around Gung Hill, which is only 76 meters high.

This quiet park is typically only visited by locals, which makes it a perfect place for a hike. Despite its small size, the park offers a number of lovely lookouts on the Han River, the best of which is Soak Pavilion, on the west. The pavilion offers a splendid view not only of the river, but also of Bukhan Mountain and Inwang Mountain.

Soak Pavilion is where Jeongseon is said to have painted pictures of Seoul — then known as Hanyang — and the Han River 300 years ago. Placards in the pavilion provide information about “An Hyeon Seok Bong” and “So Ak Hu Wol,” which Jeongseon painted while he was mayor of Yangcheon.

Viewing Jeongseon’s paintings, I imagine what Seoul must have looked like back then, long before all the apartment complexes and skyscrapers. Returning to the present, I meditate on the waters of the Han River, which takes my mind off my worldly woes, if only for a moment.

People walk toward one of the royal tombs at Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
People walk toward one of the royal tombs at Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
Gyeomjae Jeongseon in Yangcheon-ro: Tour Itinerary

Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station, Exit 1 → Hamabi (Stone Monument) → Yangcheon Mayor’s Office → Yangcheon Hyanggyo → Gyeomjae Jeongseon Memorial Museum → Gungsan Underground Tunnel Museum → Gungsan Trail → Yangcheon Fortress Site → Seonghwang Shrine → Soak Pavilion → Gyeomjae Jeongseon Art Museum

Stroll amid royal tombs and trees in the heart of Gangnam

There’s a wood in the middle of Gangnam, the beating heart of Seoul. I’m talking about the Seonjeongneung Royal Tomb walking course.

Coming out of Seolleung Station, on Line 2 of the Seoul subway, I walk past the tall buildings until I come to a pristine park.

People stroll through Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
People stroll through Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)

This course is divided into two royal tomb sites known as Seolleung and Jeongneung. On the west is Seolleung, the site of the tombs of King Seongjong, the ninth king of the Joseon Dynasty, and his wife, Queen Jeonghyeon. On the east is Jeongneung, the tomb of King Jungjong, the 11th king of the Joseon Dynasty and the son of Seongjong and Jeonghyeon.

Together, Seolleung and Jeongneung are known as Seonjeongneung. Since there are three burial mounds here, the area is also called Samreung (“three-tomb”) Park.

Entering Seonjeongneung, I’m greeted by a pine aroma that clears the dust of the city out of my nostrils. Indeed, pine trees are a common sight around the royal tombs. No wonder that Seonjeongneung is regarded as an excellent spot for some “forest bathing” in downtown Seoul.

My tour guide on the Seonjeongneung course is Ahn Gyeong-sil. “Seonjeongneung is a green space that functions as the ‘lungs’ of downtown Gangnam. It’s also a place where you can learn about the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, which were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009,” Ahn says.

This walking course offers a detailed look at the layout and characteristics of the royal tombs.

The royal tomb of King Seongjong of Joseon Dynasty at Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
The royal tomb of King Seongjong of Joseon Dynasty at Seonjeongneung (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)

At the entrance to the royal tombs is a jaesil, a building used to prepare for the ancestral rites, and a hongsalmun, or red spiked gate, erected at sacred sites. The hongsalmun marks the beginning of a stone path known as a chamdo, divided into two halves, one used by the living king and the other by the spirit of deceased kings.

The chamdo leads to the jeongjagak, the building where incense was offered and ancestral rites were held. The royal burial mound rises behind the jeongjagak. Stone carvings of animals surround the mound, where the king lies at rest, and a large stone called honyuseok stands in front.

“Since Confucianism was the ruling ideology of the Joseon Dynasty, the royal tombs were built and maintained with great care, filial piety, and proper decorum. Another characteristic of the tombs is that they were built in propitious locations, according to geomantic principles, and designed to be in harmony with their natural surroundings,” Ahn says.

Climbing the peak of Queen Jeonghyeon’s burial mound, the tallest of the three mounds, I get a glimpse of the skyscrapers of Seoul.

Seonjeongneung is a striking time capsule inside a city that has continued to develop over the centuries. For Seoulites, these verdant royal tombs offer a much-needed respite from their dreary urban life.

Naksan Fortress wall in Seoul (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)
Naksan Fortress wall in Seoul (Her Yun-hee/The Hankyoreh)

The Seonjeongneung walking course offers a view not only of the tombs themselves but also a variety of plants along the way. The woods are preserved in their natural luxuriance.

Walk a little to the right from the entrance to Seonjeongneung, and you’ll come upon a ginkgo tree in front of the building where the rites are prepared. The tree is 500 years old, which means that it’s stood alongside the tombs throughout their history.

Plants that can be encountered on a walk through these woods include the Amur maple, Korean mint, bleeding hearts, snowbells, plantain lilies, Hosta longipes, Cornellian cherry, and willowleaf spirea. There are signs in front of the plants providing their names and characteristics, which are helpful for those hoping to brush up on their botany.

Those interested in going through a peaceful stroll through Seoul such as the one at Seonjeongneung are recommended to visit dobo.visitseoul.net, the website of the STO’s guided tours. You can sign up here for tours with cultural guides at various sites, including Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Cheonggye Stream, Namsan City Wall, Mongchon Earthen Fortress, and Sungkyunkwan. They’re all free.

Tours can be reserved for groups ranging from one to three people.

Seonjeongneung: Tour Itinerary

Seonjeongneung Ticket Booth → Jaesil → Seolleung History and Culture Center → Hongsalmun → Jeongjagak → Stone Carvings → Tomb of King Seongjong → Tomb of Queen Jeonghyeon → Tomb of King Jungjong

By Her Yun-hee, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]

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