Transcript Daejeon KFS Cultural Assets Baekdu

Evaluation and Promotion
of the Baekdu-daegan
and Its Cultural Assets
Lecture to the Korea Forest Service
in Daejeon City, Korea
Professor
2011 / 01 / 03
David A. Mason
Cultural Tourism Department, College of Tourism
Kyung Hee University, Seoul
The Baekdu-daegan
“White-Head Great-Ridge”
• Ancient concept as the “Spine of Korea”
• Mountain-System running down the entire
Peninsula, with a mildly-sacred character
The Baekdu-daegan
“White-Head Great-Ridge”
• Now a 735-km-Long Hiking Trail is being
created as within South Korea, by the Korea
Forest Service, hikers and local governments
• This has potential development as a fresh
and unique multi-religious Pilgrimage-Route
Baekdu-daegan
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Craggy Peaks
Magnificent Scenery
Spring-waters, Herbs
Buddhist Temples
Neo-Confucian Shrines
Shamanic Shrines
Historical & Folk Sites
Passes thru 7 National
Parks, 4 Local Parks
Doseon-guksa
Great 9th-Century Buddhist Master of Geomancy
Creator of Korean Pungsu-jiri-seol [Feng-Shui]
and the concept of the Baekdu-daegan
1000-year Evolution of the
Baekdu-daegan Concept
• Dominant divider of the Korean Peninsula
into its distinct cultural regions & Kingdoms
• Origin of all Korea’s major Rivers
• Noted by Goryeo / Joseon Dynasty scholars
• Shown on Joseon Dynasty maps since 1402
• Sungho-saseol and Taengni-ji
• San-gyeong-pyo Mountain Genealogy Chart
Cultural Stakeholders in the
Preservation and Development
of the Baekdu-daegan Areas
• Buddhist Temples
• Shaman Shrines
• Neo-Confucians, Daoists and other Traditionalists
• Traditional Artisans and Artists, Writers
2007 Baekdu-daegan
Research Expedition
“A walk from the Past, to the Future”
Korean Religious History
• 4000 years ago ~ Today: NE Asian Shamanism
• 1700 years ago ~ Today: Mahayana Buddhism
• 1300 years ago ~ Today: Chinese Daoism
• 600 years ago ~ Today: Neo-Confucianism
• 300 years ago ~ Today: Catholic Christianity
• 120 years ago ~ Today: Protestant Christianity
Most of the Baekdu-daegan’s’s Tourism
Sites are held sacred by three great
Oriental Religious Traditions:
• Mahayana Buddhism
• Shamanism mixed with Daoism
(including Korean spiritual-nationalism)
• Neo-Confucianism
Granting Rich Potential for
Multi-Religious Pilgrimage Tourism
Strong Sacred-Mountain Traditions
www.san-shin.org
Table 1: The Most Sacred or Otherwise Famous
Mountains along the Baekdu-daegan Range
(listed from north to south along the line)
Name
Park
Status
High Peak
on BDDG
Notable Features
Baekdu-san
National
2850 m
Highly sacred to Korean Shamanism and popular
Nationalism, associated with Korea's foundationmythology. Source of the Yalu and Tumen Rivers.
Geumgangsan
National
1638 m
Highly sacred to Korean Buddhism (esp. Munsu-bosal),
with several important temple sites. Known as the most
beautiful mountain-areas on the entire Korean
Peninsula. Source of the North Han River.
Seorak-san
National
1708m
Highly sacred to Korean Buddhism, with several
important temples. Popularly said to be the most
beautiful mountains in South Korea; major tourism
destination. A source of the North Han River.
Odae-san
National
1434 m
Highly Sacred to Buddhism, with several important
temples; considered to be the Korean “residence” of
Munsu-bosal (Bodhisattva of Wisdom).
Duta-san
County
1353 m
Famous for lovely scenery in valleys.
Cheong-ok-san
County
1404 m
One ancient temple on east slopes.
Highly sacred to Korean Shamanism and Popular Nationalism, with
several important shrines, because associated with Korea's
foundation-mythology. Its Sanshin spirits are famous, believed to be
very powerful. Primary source of the Nakdong River and a source of
the South Han River. (“Mother of Munsu-bosal” found by Jajang).
Taebaek-san
Provincial
1567
m
Sobaek-san
National
1440
m
Worak-san
National
1115 m
Remote mountain area, with main peaks and temples off but near
the BDDG trail. Renown for scenery but only minor religious sites.
Songni-san
National
1058
m
Sacred to Korean Buddhism, with one important temple and several
others. Popularly said to be one of the most beautiful mountains.
Hwangaksan
County
1111 m
Deogyu-san
National
1507
m
Jiri-san
National
1915m
Sacred to Korean Buddhism, with several important temples;
considered to be the primary Korean “residence” of Biro-bul
(Buddha of Cosmic Light).
One very famous Buddhist temple Jikji-sa on east slope, many
smaller temples.
Remote mountain area, 1614-m peak off the BDDG. Renown for
scenery but with only a few religious sites. Source of Geum River.
Highly sacred to Korean Shamanism, Buddhism (esp. Munsubosal), and Nationalism, with many important temples and shrines.
Its Sanshin Spirit is famous for its powers. Outstanding natural
features and very popular with hikers. Source of the Seomjin River.
Jiri-san Cheonhwang-bong Seongmo-halmae Sanshin
[Exquisite-Wisdom Mountain Heavenly-King Peak
Holy-Mother Grandma Mountain-spirit]
Shamanic
Shrines
Buddhist Monasteries
Special Holy Sites:
Jeokmyeol-bogung
(Hambaek-san Jeongam-sa)
Master Jajang’s 7th-Century
Jeokmyeol-bogung
(Seorak-san)
Taoist
Shrines
Neo-Confucian Shrines
National-Shamanic Shrines
Historical and Folk-tale Sites
Baekun-san Sangyeon-dae
상연대 上蓮臺
이 사찰은 대한불교조계종 제12교구인
해인사(海印寺)의 말사(末寺)로서 신라말 경애왕
1년(924) 고운 최치원(孤雲 崔致遠)선생이 어머니의
기도처로 건립하여 관음기도를 하던중 관세음보살이
나타나 상연(上蓮)이라는 이름을 하여 상연대로
부르게 되었다고 전하며, 창건한 이래 신라말에는
구산선문(九山禪門)의 하나인 실상선문(實相禪門)을
이곳에 옮겨와 선문의 마지막 보루가 되었다고
전하고 있다. 그 후 역대의 고승, 대덕스님들이 수도
정진해 오던 곳으로 천여 년의 영험(靈驗)어리고
신령한 수도 도량이었으나.
This Buddhist temple was constructed by
Go-un Choe Chi-won in 924, Shilla King
Gyeongae’s 1st year . They say that Choe
constructed this temple upon his mother's
praying-for-conception place. While praying
to Gwanse-eum the Bodhisattva of Compassion,
he appeared here.
Since then, this temple was called Sangyeon-dae, and in the last period of Silla, they moved to here Silsangseonmun, one of the Gusan-seonmun Temples, so this temple became the last stronghold of Seon-mun.
Since then, high priests of successive generations and priests of high virtue have practiced spiritual discipline
and religious purification at this temple. It was a miraculous and a divine spirit place for spiritual discipline.
Jiri-san Ssanggye-sa Biseok
Jiri-san Daeseong-gyegok
Daeseong-gyegok
Se-i-am
Baekdu-daegan
Shinseon
Traditions
Along the Baekdu-daegan Range within South Korea,
within 5 km of the hiking trail along its crest on either side,
this research has found:
• More than 100 religious sites, including:
• dozens of significant shamanic shrines, some with buildings
and some consisting only of stone altars, most of which are
dedicated to Daoist-flavored veneration of the Sanshin
spirits of the mountains they are on.
• three major Neo-Confucian Shrines, and several minor
• two major Daoist-Nationalist shrines, and several minor
• a few Christian churches
• many other nationally-significant historical sites.
• Ten of the most famous and religiouslyimportant Buddhist temples in the nation, and
dozens of smaller temples or hermitages.
• Some of these monasteries offer travelers South
Korea's increasingly-popular “Temple-Stay”
tourism program, in which hikers of the Baekdudaegan can stay over at the temple for up to 24
hours for a low fee, experiencing monastic life
and viewing the local treasures.
• these are spaced apart so that in most sectors it
is possible to stay overnight at one major temple
and then hike 2-5 days on to the next one.
Successful Korean Religious-Pilgrimage
Tourism Program:
Temple-Stay
• Started in Spring 2002, as a “Visit Korea
Year” project before the World Cup Finals
• Fully functioning nationwide in 2004
• Now operated by the national Jogye Order
of Korean Buddhism, as missionary work
• More than 70 temples involved, most with
individualized characteristic programs
Temple-Stay
the first Temple-Stay Event
April 2002
Ambassadors to
Korea as Guests
Conclusions 1:
Effective leadership is needed for an integrated national
strategy of managing Preservation and Development of
the Cultural Assets of the Baekdu-daegan Areas as our
new paradigm of sustainable ecotourism.
Due to the
• nation-spanning size of the Baekdu-daegan region, and the sacred
sites, including those involved in the Temple-Stay program;
• and the deep historical and cultural significance it holds for all
Korean citizens, and the Global Heritage;
• and the strong potential it represents for boosting the national
tourism reputation, and the amount of potential tourist visitors;
the numbers & proportion of the residents of, authorities of and visitors
to the peninsula who must be considered to be stakeholders
involved are remarkably large in scale.
Conclusions 2:
• Only the national government operating from its highest levels of
power will be able to set policies and insure their long-term
implementation in such a way that all these stakeholder’s interests
and concerns are recognized and managed in proper harmony.
• Korea Forest Service should take the lead, gaining cooperation of
the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization,
National Parks, other relevant Ministries and etc, in order to properly
recognize the Cultural assets of the Baekdu-daegan as a religiouspilgrimage tourism attraction, as well as zones of natural preservation.
• This has high potential to boost both Korea's domestic and
international tourism industries, as well as general national reputation
as a beautiful and fascinating place to visit.
Policy Proposal #1
Recognize the roles of Doseon-guksa, the
Pungsu-jiri theories, the association with
Choi Chi-won, Jajang-yulsa, Uisang-josa
and other “cultural heroes”, and the
value of the hundreds of sacred and
historical cultural sites as an integral part
of the identity of the Baekdu-Daegan.
Appropriately Designate their Sites.
Policy Proposal #2
Recognize the Sacred Mountains of the
Baekdu-Daegan as also fundamental to
its identity. Designate the greatest of
them with consistent labels and logos.
Strive to have them recognized as official
Sacred Mountains by the UNESCO World
Heritage Sites system, while waiting for
the entire Range to become eligible.
Policy Proposal #3
Work together with National Parks Authority
in order to create a consistent network of
Baekdu-Daegan trails, including the jongju
crest trail as far as possible. When crest
trails must be closed for preservation,
alternative Baekdu-Daegan trails should be
created and designated, especially those
going past sacred and cultural sites.
Policy Proposal #4
Recognize the value and traditional roles
of Korea’s Sanshin Mountain-Spirits, not
as shamanic deities but rather as symbols
of traditional Korean culture, evocative
guardians of the forest and its sacred and
historical cultural sites. Employ colorful
Sanshin images / rituals to boost public
consciousness of natural and cultural
preservation along the Baekdu-Daegan.
Policy Proposal #5-1
Institute a national “Baekdu-Daegan Day” to
celebrate all its valuable aspects and assets.
Hold commemorations at a different locality
along it every year, hosted by the local
governments. Inclusively invite related
officials, celebrities, religious and cultural
VIPs, international resident VIPs, mountainhiking associations, NGOs and local residents.
Policy Proposal #5-2
Hold the national “Baekdu-Daegan Day”
on the Last Saturday of every April.
This can be seen as the “launch of hiking
season” and could involve a Sanshin-je.
Alternative date: Third Saturday of October
New Slogan
Baekdu-daegan San-wang Dae-shin
Kingly spirits of the White-head Main-line Mountains are great spirits!
The White-head Great-ridge Mountain-Kings are truly great spirits!