Korean Scenery: Keumkang Pine Forest in SoKwang-Ri

It was 5 o`clock in the morning. A light fog sets in the SoKwang-Ri forest. Solitary trees are awakening in the mist. Clear singing sounds of early birds penetrate the emptiness of the foggy valley. The solitariness of the forest is disturbed by the rustling sound of a baby Siberian mink. But there is no regret. The noise in the forest turns out a harmonious music of Mother Nature. Silence adds the beauty to the forest. You can experience here the unique experience of the Zen masters that you may listen while you are not listening and you may speak while you are not speaking.

The aboriginal fine tree forest in SoKwang-Ri, I visited there in the midst of the severe drought. The fresh air touches on my cheeks. How cool the waters running noisy around the broad flat rocks were!

Both sides of the valley were full of the aboriginal pine trees, which were imposing and high raised. Their pose betrayed our presupposition that an aboriginal kind is usually something small and meager. One can imagines an aboriginal pine tree that hangs on the cliff rock and has grown twisted along the cracked rocks for thousands years. Your imagine falls wide of the mark in SoKwan-Ri. You won`t find a single twisted pine tree there. Every pine is glamour, a robust build, and an imposing `Kingka.` These are Keumkang pine trees that represent Korean aboriginals. Korea Forest Service designated it as the tree to preserve its genes to transfer to the descendents. It seems to be taken for granted that the trees were chosen for the pillars of the Kyongbok Palace, which is on the re-construction. The travelers, who are walking through the high rising aboriginal pine trees, won`t get tired in the forest of SoKwang-Ri.

On the way to the remote valley of the Keumkang pine trees, you will meet at first Bulyoung Valley, which is the Korean scenic spot #1. Route 36 runs along the hillside, from which the water carved out the valley is seen rushing down. Drive on the direction to BongHwa and pass by the Bulyoung Temple, then you will see a street sign for the local route 917. It is the entrance of the country road to the preserved forest of SoKwang-Ri. You can drive along the 13.9 km way to the open-air exhibition of Keumkang pine trees. Following Daekwangcheon, you have to cross over bridges of the valley 22 times and pass by remote village SoKwang-Ri, the street sign that read `The Preserved Forest Area of Keumkang Pine Trees` (9 km from the entrance), the village of the fire field farmers, and the office of the preserved forest.

SoKwang-Ri Pine Tree Researcher, Chun Woo-Young (Professor of the Forest Resource, Kukmin University) researches on the ecosystem of the forest here. Responding to the reporter`s question about the forest, he answered that SoKwang forest is the right place to see the appearance of the Korean pine trees. He exemplified a house made of a single pine tree, sacred pine tree (Dangsan tree), and Hanjangbongpyo (royal landmark) to explain the Keumkang pine tree. The pine tree is so big enough to build a house with only a single tree. And the tree has been respected as the protecting god of the village.

Hwangjangbongpyo is a kind of royal landmark to prevent the lumbering of the yellow pine trees (hwangjang), which was recognized by the kingdom as the best-qualified pine tree to make the royal coffins. The Hwangjangbongpyo is inscribed in the rock on the shore of the valley (1.6 km from the village) after passing over two bridges of the village, where cars are not allowed to go further. The tourist will meet there 500 year old pine trees, an information map board, and an exhibition room to show the differences of the inner texture between the common pine trees and the Keumkang pine trees.

The forest route is one of the best tracking course, passing through the Seokpo-myon, Bonghwa, to Satgat Ridge. No vehicle except for the ones of Korea Forest Service is allowed there. Climbing up the Satgat Ridge for about 10 minutes, you are in the forest of the pine trees, which stretched up to the sky from the valleys and the ridges. Moving out of the preserved area, starts the tracking route through which the travelers enjoy the scenic views of the valley. If you start your tracking early in the morning, you could enjoy the sea of clouds over the skirts of Mt. Tonggo, which stretches away as walls with the East Sea at the back.

Cho Seong-Ha summer@donga.com