The Eight Scenes of Nosan
and The Nine Windings of Byeokgye Vally
_
Seojong -Myeon Nomunri
The “Eight Scenes of Nosan” refers to the eight best
views of Nomunri.
The
first of the Eight Scenes is a moonlit view of the
'Jewoldae' yard. Jewoldae is a stone that is inscribed
with a poem written in Chinese which reads, “Never
create even the smallest cluster of clouds that may
cause harm to the moonlight; the moonlight is both
emptiness and brightness. As it is, it becomes a part
of the sunlight”.
The
second of the Eight Scenes is a breeze from Myeongokjeong.
Myeongok translated into Korean means “crying jade
beads”. According to legend, scholars would carry jade
beads in their waistbands, making a distinct sound
as they walked. In fact, “crying jade” refers to the
gathering of many in one place. In other words, Myeongok
was known as a general meeting place where people gathered
and discussed the things of world.
The
third scene of Eight, Myogobong Peak, is located to
the east of Byeokgye village, and the double appearance
of the peaks are alluded to when referring to the well-known
Yin and Yang principles. The peak would be used as
a place to teach others.
The
fourth of the Eight Scenes known as Jaraso (a snapping
turtle pond) and is located in the west part of the
local village. Its depth and location make it favorable
for swimming. It is believed that Master Whaseo visited
Jaraso during his summer vacations.
The
fifth is a rock called Bunseoldam which is located
to the right of the village. It is a fast-flowing stream
that creates snowy scenery during the winter. There
is a Chinese inscription on the rock written by Master
Whaseo
The
sixth scene of Eight is Ojajeong, located at the top
of the Dangjae mountain range, and Oja means 'Wui,
Ye, Ji, Shin” (“benevolence”, “righteousness”, “propriety,”
“wisdom,” and “sincerity”), considered the essential
element of every human being.
The
seventh of the Eight Scenes is Seokmun (”The Stone
Gate in Korea”) that is located in the northeastern
part of Myogo Peak, near the stream of Soksaet village.
It is inscribed on a steep rock that is said to resemble
a “gate to another world”.
The
last of the Eight Scenes of Nosan is Iljuam (a straight
standing rock) which is located deep inside the valley
of Nomun village. With a height of 20 meter, this rock
is referred to as 'a small diamond' or 'a standing
rock'.
The
Nine windings of Byeokgye Valley is the name of a stream
that starts from Nomunri to Mudri, Suipri, which flows
like the Chinese character "乙'. The
first winding is called Woi Suip (outer Suip), the
second is called Nae Suip (inner Suip), the third is
known as the site of Jeongji (scholar Lee, Jesin),
the fourth is called as Yongso (dragon pond), the fifth
is Jaraso, the sixth is Bunseoldam, the seventh is
Seokmun, the eighth is Soksacheon (a stream that flows
in front of Soksaet village), and finally, the ninth
winding of Byeokgye Vally is Iljuam.
The Home of
Scholar Hang-ro Yi
Tangible Cultural Asset No. 105 in Gyeonggi-do
The
Whaseo scholar Hang-ro Yi (1792~1868) was
a scholar during the end of the Chosun
Dynasty. Yi’s living quarters were built
approximately 300 years ago, while the
bi-level common room and auditorium, located
under the residence, were built more recently.
Yi’s home is particularly significant because
it is considered an accurate example of
the residential structures typical of the
Yangban class, or nobility, during the
late Chosun Dynasty. Yi’s home was surrounded
by nature, and lined with stone carvings
of Whaseo. The area around Yi’s home displays
eight stone carvings, called Nosanpalgyeong
(蘆山八景), which include Jewoldae (霽月臺), Jewoldae
Poem (詩), Myungok Jung (鳴玉亭), Nakgiam (樂志岩),
Bunseoldam (噴雪潭), Seokmun (石門), Seochwiam
(鎖翠巖), Iljuam (一柱岩). These are precious
cultural properties that allow visitors
read the thoughts of an ancient scholar
writing about nature, while experiencing
nature firsthand.
Nosansa
Monument
No. 43 in Gyeonggi-do
Nosansa
is a private school built on a hill to
the east of the home of scholar Hang-ro
Yi. The school was built to praise Yi’s
scholarly dedication and it was the first
of its kind, built during the end of the
Chosun Dynasty. Unfortunately, Nosansa
was lost during the 6.25 War and rebuilt
by Confucian scholars in 1954. Juhui (朱子)
is enshrined in the middle, Siyeol Song’s
memorial is located in the east and Hangro
Yi’s memorial is located to the west.
The
first of the Eight Scenes is a moonlit view of the
'Jewoldae' yard. Jewoldae is a stone that is inscribed
with a poem written in Chinese which reads, “Never
create even the smallest cluster of clouds that may
cause harm to the moonlight; the moonlight is both
emptiness and brightness. As it is, it becomes a part
of the sunlight”.
