The Joy of Walking
 |
Description
Book Introduction
A free traveler met on the road of luxury goods in Korea.
35 soulful essays and photo essays on paths, people, nature, and existence.
― Park Seong-gi's travel essay, "The Joy of the Walker"
“Walk alone or with others, piece together the pieces of life of the people who lived there and have conversations.”
“There are stories on the road, and when you meet a storyteller, it becomes a novel, like a guest house, like the Taebaek Mountains, like the land.”
The road essay written by independent traveler Park Seong-gi begins with the unbearable joy of existence when he first opened his eyes to the road.
The author fell under the spell of walking, a way to find true happiness and freedom, through a fateful walk along the Namhan River some 20 years ago.
Since then, I have been writing down with a pencil the true nature of the mountain paths, sea paths, island paths, forest paths, river paths, and mountain passes of this land that I have walked on foot twenty times through spring, summer, fall, and winter.
These 35 beautiful paths, where we walked, felt, and were deeply moved, are filled with the author's inner voice and the unparalleled beauty of natural scenery, and are filled with sincere stories about the freedom and hope of the walker, irreplaceable by anything in the world.
This book is a record of that journey and a trace of his thoughts through travel.
35 soulful essays and photo essays on paths, people, nature, and existence.
― Park Seong-gi's travel essay, "The Joy of the Walker"
“Walk alone or with others, piece together the pieces of life of the people who lived there and have conversations.”
“There are stories on the road, and when you meet a storyteller, it becomes a novel, like a guest house, like the Taebaek Mountains, like the land.”
The road essay written by independent traveler Park Seong-gi begins with the unbearable joy of existence when he first opened his eyes to the road.
The author fell under the spell of walking, a way to find true happiness and freedom, through a fateful walk along the Namhan River some 20 years ago.
Since then, I have been writing down with a pencil the true nature of the mountain paths, sea paths, island paths, forest paths, river paths, and mountain passes of this land that I have walked on foot twenty times through spring, summer, fall, and winter.
These 35 beautiful paths, where we walked, felt, and were deeply moved, are filled with the author's inner voice and the unparalleled beauty of natural scenery, and are filled with sincere stories about the freedom and hope of the walker, irreplaceable by anything in the world.
This book is a record of that journey and a trace of his thoughts through travel.
index
Recommendation 006
A Path-Opening Essay: What Does the Path Mean to Me? 008
Spring day, between Sobaek and Taebaek
014 'Forty Li': The Length of Spring Sunlight at Every Step - Dalmagodo, Haenam, Jeollanam-do
022 Where the Moon Stayed - Woryu Peak Trail in Sangju, Gyeongbuk
032 The Time of Scholars, Continued for 600 Years - Yangdong Village, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
040 Intoxicated by the Camellia at Seonunsa Temple - Seonunsa Temple, Gochang, Jeollabuk-do
050 Traces of a Lonely Port Between the Land and the Island - Daemyeong Port, Gimpo, Gyeonggi-do ~ South Gate of Munsusanseong Fortress
060 In search of the breathtaking beauty of spring along the river - Yangsan 8-scenic trail in Yeongdong, Chungcheongbuk-do
068 Ulleungdo, a natural wonder that stands tall with its resilient life - Ulleungdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do
080 The sorrowful Arirang Pass, filled with the legend of Arang - Arirang Pass in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do
Summer is lost
092 Into the endlessly beautiful Deoksan-gi Valley - Deoksan-gi Valley, Jeongseon, Gangwon-do
104 Following the forest path of a peddler who took a break from his difficult life - Gangwon Inje ~ Goseong Majangteo Forest Path
114. A Path to Reflect on Toegye's Learning - Nyeodongil, Andong, Gyeongbuk
126 "Wanderings of the Heart": The Time I Longed for the Sea - Jangsa Port, Sokcho, Gangwon-do - Sampo Port, Goseong
136 Twelve Hidden Passes Filled with the Breath of Peddlers - Sipilyeong-gil, Uljin, Gyeongbuk
146 A poignant story of life flows through every path of Jeongeupsa Temple - Jeongeupsa Temple Forest Path, Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do
156 The Inland Route of Honam: Gochang-eupseong Fortress and Jeonbulgil - Jeonbuk Gochang-eupseong Fortress and Jeonbulgil
164 Modern Cultural Heritage Sites with Painful History - Time Travel to Gunsan, North Jeolla Province
Fall is out now
174 In Search of Korea's Chamagodo - The Road to Saebijae Pass in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province
184 Naeyeonsan, a masterpiece of true landscape painting that captures the "life of the seasons" - Naeyeonsan, Pohang, Gyeongbuk
194 A heavenly garden in full autumnal glory - Gombae Ridge, Jeombongsan Mountain, Inje, Gangwon Province
202 Now, a great echo on a small road - Eunbi Ridge, Inje, Gangwon Province
210 Dawn, the forest opens, revealing a diverse path - Sogeumgang Valley, Odaesan Mountain, Gangwon Province
220 Look at the colorful Baekyangsa Temple with its five maple leaves - Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong, Jeollanam-do
230 The Legend of the Wind, Remaining in Beautiful Patterns - Sinduri Coastal Sand Dunes, Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province
242 Gayasan, I Become a Maple Leaf - Gayasan Sound Trail, Hapcheon, Gyeongnam
I'm afraid winter will become a city
256 Wind Patterns Engraved on the Snow Flower Road - Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road, Gangneung, Gangwon Province
270 We Are All Birch Trees - Birch Forest in Won-dae-ri, Inje, Gangwon Province
284 Embracing the Ice Flower World - Taekisan Mountain, Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province
298 A place to forget the worries of the world and rest for a day - Eorayeon, Donggang, Yeongwol, Gangwon-do
Walking the Taean Wind Path, Reborn as a Scenic Spot - Taean Wind Path, South Chungcheong Province
322 Walking the Sorrow of King Danjong - Seogang, Yeongwol, Gangwon
334 Snow-covered Hambeaksan Mountain, Experience a Thousand Years of Time - Hambeaksan Mountain, Taebaek, Gangwon Province
346 Pure White Fantasy Road, Walking the Ice River - Hantangang River, Cheorwon, Gangwon Province
Memories of the Winter Sea at Island 356 - Yeongheungdo and Seonjaedo, Ongjin County, Incheon
A Colorless Journey to the "Great Rapids" That Flowed for 366 Eternities - Hantangang River in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province
378 Narrow-gauge Train and Sorae-gil - Incheon Sorae-gil - Ganghwa Interchange
A Path-Opening Essay: What Does the Path Mean to Me? 008
Spring day, between Sobaek and Taebaek
014 'Forty Li': The Length of Spring Sunlight at Every Step - Dalmagodo, Haenam, Jeollanam-do
022 Where the Moon Stayed - Woryu Peak Trail in Sangju, Gyeongbuk
032 The Time of Scholars, Continued for 600 Years - Yangdong Village, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
040 Intoxicated by the Camellia at Seonunsa Temple - Seonunsa Temple, Gochang, Jeollabuk-do
050 Traces of a Lonely Port Between the Land and the Island - Daemyeong Port, Gimpo, Gyeonggi-do ~ South Gate of Munsusanseong Fortress
060 In search of the breathtaking beauty of spring along the river - Yangsan 8-scenic trail in Yeongdong, Chungcheongbuk-do
068 Ulleungdo, a natural wonder that stands tall with its resilient life - Ulleungdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do
080 The sorrowful Arirang Pass, filled with the legend of Arang - Arirang Pass in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do
Summer is lost
092 Into the endlessly beautiful Deoksan-gi Valley - Deoksan-gi Valley, Jeongseon, Gangwon-do
104 Following the forest path of a peddler who took a break from his difficult life - Gangwon Inje ~ Goseong Majangteo Forest Path
114. A Path to Reflect on Toegye's Learning - Nyeodongil, Andong, Gyeongbuk
126 "Wanderings of the Heart": The Time I Longed for the Sea - Jangsa Port, Sokcho, Gangwon-do - Sampo Port, Goseong
136 Twelve Hidden Passes Filled with the Breath of Peddlers - Sipilyeong-gil, Uljin, Gyeongbuk
146 A poignant story of life flows through every path of Jeongeupsa Temple - Jeongeupsa Temple Forest Path, Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do
156 The Inland Route of Honam: Gochang-eupseong Fortress and Jeonbulgil - Jeonbuk Gochang-eupseong Fortress and Jeonbulgil
164 Modern Cultural Heritage Sites with Painful History - Time Travel to Gunsan, North Jeolla Province
Fall is out now
174 In Search of Korea's Chamagodo - The Road to Saebijae Pass in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province
184 Naeyeonsan, a masterpiece of true landscape painting that captures the "life of the seasons" - Naeyeonsan, Pohang, Gyeongbuk
194 A heavenly garden in full autumnal glory - Gombae Ridge, Jeombongsan Mountain, Inje, Gangwon Province
202 Now, a great echo on a small road - Eunbi Ridge, Inje, Gangwon Province
210 Dawn, the forest opens, revealing a diverse path - Sogeumgang Valley, Odaesan Mountain, Gangwon Province
220 Look at the colorful Baekyangsa Temple with its five maple leaves - Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong, Jeollanam-do
230 The Legend of the Wind, Remaining in Beautiful Patterns - Sinduri Coastal Sand Dunes, Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province
242 Gayasan, I Become a Maple Leaf - Gayasan Sound Trail, Hapcheon, Gyeongnam
I'm afraid winter will become a city
256 Wind Patterns Engraved on the Snow Flower Road - Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road, Gangneung, Gangwon Province
270 We Are All Birch Trees - Birch Forest in Won-dae-ri, Inje, Gangwon Province
284 Embracing the Ice Flower World - Taekisan Mountain, Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province
298 A place to forget the worries of the world and rest for a day - Eorayeon, Donggang, Yeongwol, Gangwon-do
Walking the Taean Wind Path, Reborn as a Scenic Spot - Taean Wind Path, South Chungcheong Province
322 Walking the Sorrow of King Danjong - Seogang, Yeongwol, Gangwon
334 Snow-covered Hambeaksan Mountain, Experience a Thousand Years of Time - Hambeaksan Mountain, Taebaek, Gangwon Province
346 Pure White Fantasy Road, Walking the Ice River - Hantangang River, Cheorwon, Gangwon Province
Memories of the Winter Sea at Island 356 - Yeongheungdo and Seonjaedo, Ongjin County, Incheon
A Colorless Journey to the "Great Rapids" That Flowed for 366 Eternities - Hantangang River in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province
378 Narrow-gauge Train and Sorae-gil - Incheon Sorae-gil - Ganghwa Interchange
Into the book
The camellia of Mihwangsa Temple scattered deep, red petals.
It is said that Mihwangsa Temple was founded by Monk Uijo of King Gyeongdeok of Silla as a branch temple of Daeheungsa Temple on Mt. Durun.
The towering rock peaks of Mt. Dalma, stretching beyond the roof of Daeungjeon, look like the incarnation of Buddha.
Mihwangsa Temple is located in Tomali, the southernmost village of the land.
The end of the road is the end, but it is also a new beginning.
At the end of the road, a new road is promised.
---From "The length of the spring sunshine at every step of 'Forty Li'"
A poet once said that when he saw the camellia flowers falling, Baekje suddenly fell like a fallen tree.
The red flower buds that fell one by one landed on my chest.
It was very dark and red.
The camellia tree, which had sent out flowers in all directions, is still deep green and full of flowers.
This is a camellia that blooms for nearly a month.
---From "Intoxicated by the Camellia of Seonunsa Temple"
The origin of the name Deoksan-gi is said to be that a Taoist priest named Deoksan built a foundation here in the past, and that it was originally called Deoksan-teo because there were many large mountains, but it was later changed to Deoksan-gi.
Jump into the water.
Immerse yourself in the water of the valley that reaches up to your neck, and your whole body feels thrilled.
The people around them also jump into the water one after another.
The fun of summer valley trekking is walking in the water and playing in it like this.
I splashed around in the water, sprayed water, and enjoyed the clear sky and the layers of bamboo, forgetting about the passage of time.
---From "Into the endlessly unfolding beauty of Deoksan-gi"
As soon as you pass Saeiryeong, you will reach the horse market.
Majangteo is a marketplace where people from Goseong, Yangyang, present-day Sokcho, and Inje exchanged goods.
People from Goseong and Yangyang carried salt, mackerel, squid, and seaweed on their backs.
It is a seafood that is loved by people from Inje, an inland region.
On the contrary, people now carried grains such as potatoes, beans, and red beans.
The market was a road where seafood and agricultural products were traded.
---From "Following the forest path of a peddler who took a break from his difficult life"
Rolling waves, countless people, lovers walking hand in hand along the beach… Bongpo is a beautiful beach.
The water at Cheonjin Beach was clear.
Looking out over the windy sea from atop a sand dune.
Rough waves push and crush the waves ahead.
The waves that were chased away scatter and throw up a lot of sand on the beach.
---From "The Times I Longed for the Sea, the Gift of 'Wandering Heart'"
Nowadays, it is also called “Geumgang Pine Tree Road,” but “Sipilyeong Road,” where the breath of the old peddlers still remains, is even more poignant.
This is the route where you fill your sacks with salt, fish, and seaweed from Uljin, Jukbyeon, and Heungbujang, cross the Sipiryeong Pass, unload the seafood at Naeseongjang Bonghwa, Chunyangjang, and Socheonjang, and then return with your sacks full of grain, lumber, and other necessary items.
---From "Twelve Hidden Passes Filled with the Breath of Peddlers"
There are two consecutive markers, one indicating the start of construction and the other indicating the end of construction.
The names of each county are shown.
Judging from the inscriptions carved on the castle walls, 19 counties including nearby Gobu, Gimje, Yeonggwang, Jeongeup, and Jeju were mobilized to build the castle.
This is a passage that gives a glimpse into the hardships of the people.
It is heartwarming to see that it has survived many wars as a strategic point protecting the inland of Honam and has been preserved in its perfect form.
---From "The Inland Route of Honam, Gochang Fortress and Jeonbulgil"
As you walk along the road, you will find traces of miners who lived a hard life here and there.
It was a difficult path of suffering and life that those who were someone's father and older brother had to walk.
It was also the Arirang Pass road where a fully loaded coal train passed precariously next to a thousand-foot cliff that was over 1200 meters high.
---From "In Search of Korea's Chamagodo"
The massive cliffs and gushing waterfalls that overwhelm the eyes seem to jump out of the picture.
When climbing to Yeonsan Falls, the highest of the three-tiered waterfalls in the painting, many visitors were so impressed by the majesty of the waterfall that they carved their names and poems into the surrounding rocks.
The inscription 'Gapinchu Jeongseon 甲寅秋鄭敾' is engraved on the rock face, allowing us to still feel the traces of Jeongseon.
---From "Naeyeonsan, the masterpiece of true landscape painting that captures the 'life of the seasons'"
The precious dragon lifts its head high through the bushes and whispers, "I'm here," with its mouth wide open, "You came from far away."
The wild flowers of Gombae-ryeong, which had previously appeared to be overgrown with bushes, are gradually coming into view.
Here and there, dragon's mantle, wind-root grass, and yellow matari are also noticeable.
I raise my head and look around Gombae-ryeong.
To the east, Seoraksan's Daecheongbong Peak and Jungcheong Socheong Peak stand side by side.
Looking north, Jeombongsan Mountain and Small Jeombongsan Mountain are right before your eyes, almost within reach.
---From "A Heavenly Garden in the Peak of Autumn Colors"
Since time immemorial, the wind has carried sand like this.
As the world passed through the Ice Age, the wind began to carry sand.
Over countless hours, they created huge sand dunes between the sea and the land.
The Sinduri coastal sand dunes were created over a long period of time, a time that cannot be measured by human time, which can only last a hundred years.
---From "The Legend of the Sea, Remained as a Beautiful Moon"
It is Nakhwadam.
How beautiful must it have been for the flower to fall from the pond.
This is the most scenic part of the trail I walked today.
It is the best scenery created by the water of Gayacheon and the valley.
Even a drop of water falling one by one can wear away a rock.
Over the long years, the water flowing down there must have created deep valleys and ponds.
The maple leaves that fell on the nail are colorful.
---From "Gayasan, I Become a Maple Leaf"
The sight of dozens of windmills spinning in the wind blowing over the mountain created a spectacular sight against the blue sky.
The bitter cold of Daegwallyeong created sharp, angry icicles.
It was trampled underfoot all along the ridge path and shattered into pieces.
---From "The Wind's Patterns Engraved on the Snow Path"
The birch trees scattered along the road welcome guests with their white bodies exposed in the sunlight.
It's not yet a full-blown birch forest, but my body is already running ahead.
There's no need to rush, but my heart is already racing towards the birch forest, and my steps are quickening for no reason.
It's a continuous uphill climb, so my clothes are already soaked with sweat.
As I take off my upper clothes one by one, like taking off a shell, my body becomes more streamlined.
A few small observation decks and wooden benches attract visitors' attention.
---From "We Are All Birch Trees"
After listening to the melody of the well-composed Jeongseon Arirang sung by the beautiful and witty hostess Jeon San-ok, the group of raft enthusiasts would have let go of all their hard work and gotten up to row the raft again.
For the weary raft-ridden men who supported their families, the Jeongseon Arirang of Jeonsanok must have been a source of comfort in life itself.
---From "A place to forget the worries of the world and rest for half a day"
The red tree, which is said to live for a thousand years and die for a thousand years, is abundant from the moment you cross Mt. Hambak.
The juniper tree, which showed its majesty while alive, welcomes us with its sturdy, thousand-year-old appearance even as an old tree.
Even though it has become an old tree, twisted and hollow, the sight of it having stood together for a thousand years fills my heart with awe.
What might have been on the minds of the sages, long ago, as they gazed upon the same tree with the same emotions? I pay tribute to the juniper tree, which has endured the passage of time in its various forms.
It is said that Mihwangsa Temple was founded by Monk Uijo of King Gyeongdeok of Silla as a branch temple of Daeheungsa Temple on Mt. Durun.
The towering rock peaks of Mt. Dalma, stretching beyond the roof of Daeungjeon, look like the incarnation of Buddha.
Mihwangsa Temple is located in Tomali, the southernmost village of the land.
The end of the road is the end, but it is also a new beginning.
At the end of the road, a new road is promised.
---From "The length of the spring sunshine at every step of 'Forty Li'"
A poet once said that when he saw the camellia flowers falling, Baekje suddenly fell like a fallen tree.
The red flower buds that fell one by one landed on my chest.
It was very dark and red.
The camellia tree, which had sent out flowers in all directions, is still deep green and full of flowers.
This is a camellia that blooms for nearly a month.
---From "Intoxicated by the Camellia of Seonunsa Temple"
The origin of the name Deoksan-gi is said to be that a Taoist priest named Deoksan built a foundation here in the past, and that it was originally called Deoksan-teo because there were many large mountains, but it was later changed to Deoksan-gi.
Jump into the water.
Immerse yourself in the water of the valley that reaches up to your neck, and your whole body feels thrilled.
The people around them also jump into the water one after another.
The fun of summer valley trekking is walking in the water and playing in it like this.
I splashed around in the water, sprayed water, and enjoyed the clear sky and the layers of bamboo, forgetting about the passage of time.
---From "Into the endlessly unfolding beauty of Deoksan-gi"
As soon as you pass Saeiryeong, you will reach the horse market.
Majangteo is a marketplace where people from Goseong, Yangyang, present-day Sokcho, and Inje exchanged goods.
People from Goseong and Yangyang carried salt, mackerel, squid, and seaweed on their backs.
It is a seafood that is loved by people from Inje, an inland region.
On the contrary, people now carried grains such as potatoes, beans, and red beans.
The market was a road where seafood and agricultural products were traded.
---From "Following the forest path of a peddler who took a break from his difficult life"
Rolling waves, countless people, lovers walking hand in hand along the beach… Bongpo is a beautiful beach.
The water at Cheonjin Beach was clear.
Looking out over the windy sea from atop a sand dune.
Rough waves push and crush the waves ahead.
The waves that were chased away scatter and throw up a lot of sand on the beach.
---From "The Times I Longed for the Sea, the Gift of 'Wandering Heart'"
Nowadays, it is also called “Geumgang Pine Tree Road,” but “Sipilyeong Road,” where the breath of the old peddlers still remains, is even more poignant.
This is the route where you fill your sacks with salt, fish, and seaweed from Uljin, Jukbyeon, and Heungbujang, cross the Sipiryeong Pass, unload the seafood at Naeseongjang Bonghwa, Chunyangjang, and Socheonjang, and then return with your sacks full of grain, lumber, and other necessary items.
---From "Twelve Hidden Passes Filled with the Breath of Peddlers"
There are two consecutive markers, one indicating the start of construction and the other indicating the end of construction.
The names of each county are shown.
Judging from the inscriptions carved on the castle walls, 19 counties including nearby Gobu, Gimje, Yeonggwang, Jeongeup, and Jeju were mobilized to build the castle.
This is a passage that gives a glimpse into the hardships of the people.
It is heartwarming to see that it has survived many wars as a strategic point protecting the inland of Honam and has been preserved in its perfect form.
---From "The Inland Route of Honam, Gochang Fortress and Jeonbulgil"
As you walk along the road, you will find traces of miners who lived a hard life here and there.
It was a difficult path of suffering and life that those who were someone's father and older brother had to walk.
It was also the Arirang Pass road where a fully loaded coal train passed precariously next to a thousand-foot cliff that was over 1200 meters high.
---From "In Search of Korea's Chamagodo"
The massive cliffs and gushing waterfalls that overwhelm the eyes seem to jump out of the picture.
When climbing to Yeonsan Falls, the highest of the three-tiered waterfalls in the painting, many visitors were so impressed by the majesty of the waterfall that they carved their names and poems into the surrounding rocks.
The inscription 'Gapinchu Jeongseon 甲寅秋鄭敾' is engraved on the rock face, allowing us to still feel the traces of Jeongseon.
---From "Naeyeonsan, the masterpiece of true landscape painting that captures the 'life of the seasons'"
The precious dragon lifts its head high through the bushes and whispers, "I'm here," with its mouth wide open, "You came from far away."
The wild flowers of Gombae-ryeong, which had previously appeared to be overgrown with bushes, are gradually coming into view.
Here and there, dragon's mantle, wind-root grass, and yellow matari are also noticeable.
I raise my head and look around Gombae-ryeong.
To the east, Seoraksan's Daecheongbong Peak and Jungcheong Socheong Peak stand side by side.
Looking north, Jeombongsan Mountain and Small Jeombongsan Mountain are right before your eyes, almost within reach.
---From "A Heavenly Garden in the Peak of Autumn Colors"
Since time immemorial, the wind has carried sand like this.
As the world passed through the Ice Age, the wind began to carry sand.
Over countless hours, they created huge sand dunes between the sea and the land.
The Sinduri coastal sand dunes were created over a long period of time, a time that cannot be measured by human time, which can only last a hundred years.
---From "The Legend of the Sea, Remained as a Beautiful Moon"
It is Nakhwadam.
How beautiful must it have been for the flower to fall from the pond.
This is the most scenic part of the trail I walked today.
It is the best scenery created by the water of Gayacheon and the valley.
Even a drop of water falling one by one can wear away a rock.
Over the long years, the water flowing down there must have created deep valleys and ponds.
The maple leaves that fell on the nail are colorful.
---From "Gayasan, I Become a Maple Leaf"
The sight of dozens of windmills spinning in the wind blowing over the mountain created a spectacular sight against the blue sky.
The bitter cold of Daegwallyeong created sharp, angry icicles.
It was trampled underfoot all along the ridge path and shattered into pieces.
---From "The Wind's Patterns Engraved on the Snow Path"
The birch trees scattered along the road welcome guests with their white bodies exposed in the sunlight.
It's not yet a full-blown birch forest, but my body is already running ahead.
There's no need to rush, but my heart is already racing towards the birch forest, and my steps are quickening for no reason.
It's a continuous uphill climb, so my clothes are already soaked with sweat.
As I take off my upper clothes one by one, like taking off a shell, my body becomes more streamlined.
A few small observation decks and wooden benches attract visitors' attention.
---From "We Are All Birch Trees"
After listening to the melody of the well-composed Jeongseon Arirang sung by the beautiful and witty hostess Jeon San-ok, the group of raft enthusiasts would have let go of all their hard work and gotten up to row the raft again.
For the weary raft-ridden men who supported their families, the Jeongseon Arirang of Jeonsanok must have been a source of comfort in life itself.
---From "A place to forget the worries of the world and rest for half a day"
The red tree, which is said to live for a thousand years and die for a thousand years, is abundant from the moment you cross Mt. Hambak.
The juniper tree, which showed its majesty while alive, welcomes us with its sturdy, thousand-year-old appearance even as an old tree.
Even though it has become an old tree, twisted and hollow, the sight of it having stood together for a thousand years fills my heart with awe.
What might have been on the minds of the sages, long ago, as they gazed upon the same tree with the same emotions? I pay tribute to the juniper tree, which has endured the passage of time in its various forms.
---From "Hambaeksan Mountain with Snow Flowers, Encountering a Thousand Years of Time"
Publisher's Review
A free traveler met on the road of luxury goods in Korea.
35 soulful essays and photo essays on paths, people, nature, and existence.
― Park Seong-gi's travel essay, "The Joy of the Walker"
“Walk alone or with others, piece together the pieces of life of the people who lived there and have conversations.”
“There are stories on the road, and when you meet a storyteller, it becomes a novel, like a guest house, like the Taebaek Mountains, like the land.”
The road essay written by independent traveler Park Seong-gi begins with the unbearable joy of existence when he first opened his eyes to the road.
The author fell under the spell of walking, a way to find true happiness and freedom, through a fateful walk along the Namhan River some 20 years ago.
Since then, I have been writing down with a pencil the true nature of the mountain paths, sea paths, island paths, forest paths, river paths, and mountain passes of this land that I have walked on foot twenty times through spring, summer, fall, and winter.
These 35 beautiful paths, where we walked, felt, and were deeply moved, are filled with the author's inner voice and the unparalleled beauty of natural scenery, and are filled with sincere stories about the freedom and hope of the walker, irreplaceable by anything in the world.
This book is a record of that journey and a trace of his thoughts through travel.
The allure of the road reached at the peak of spring, summer, fall, and winter
The fascinating scenery of the road that the author has long walked is a journey of luxury roads that can be selected as the best of the season after walking and walking for over twenty years.
The author visited and felt countless times the camellia forests of Gochang, the spectacle of spring, and Baekyangsa Temple, a place of autumn foliage in Jangseong, and looked back on them with different emotions.
The journey also included Haenam Dalmago Island, Pohang Naeyeonsan Island, and Wondaeri Birch Forest.
Among the paths I searched and searched for in all four seasons, I have carefully included in this book the most beautiful paths that will make you remember them.
That is why, in spring, Haenam Dalmagodo, Gochang Seonunsa, Gyeongbuk Ulleungdo, and Yangdong Yangsan Eight Scenic Views are spectacular, and in summer, Jeongseon Deoksan Gigyegok, Uljin Sipilyeonggil, and Andong Nyeodeungil are the best.
Likewise, the autumn foliage and reeds of Jeongseon Saebijae-gil, Inje Gombae-ryeong, Jangseong Baekyangsa Temple, and Sinduri coastal sand dunes are the best, and in winter, the birch forests of Wondae-ri, Taebaek Hambaeksan Mountain, and Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road properly show the hidden, pure, and unspoiled beauty of nature that can only be felt in that season.
This land, a land of hidden gems that the author has walked at least three times, is filled with the unique freedom and scenery that only those who walk can experience, and the unparalleled beauty of the people they meet along the way.
The history of roads, shaped by the lives, elegance, and arduous labor of our ancestors.
The road is thoroughly steeped in human history and stories.
The author is deeply immersed in the bittersweet lives of the ancestors he encounters along the way and becomes absorbed in his own story.
So, I pay attention to the lonely lives and elegance of the scholars I encounter in Yangdong Village, Gyeongju and Nyeodongil, Andong.
Also, in the Uljin Sipilyeong-gil, Gochang-eupseong, Yeongwol Donggang, and Goseong Majangteo-gil, the painful moments of history are recalled, commemorating the harsh lives of peddlers, shippers, fort workers, and raftmen who worked hard.
The author's sorrowful gaze, which traces and traces the footsteps of the ancient ancestors of labor and art, sometimes soothes his sorrows with a sad poem by a poet or scholar, and recites the masterpieces of Kim So-wol, Jeong Ji-yong, and Seo Jeong-ju. Each of the ten stories of the road by ten people, each with their own story, ponders the 'way of thinking on the road'.
Traces of such worries create various questions and play their part in refining our reflections on life in a deeper, broader, and more profound way.
The author has tried to move towards an intuitive, philosophical, and emotional orientation toward the path as much as possible.
So, I experience the road and release the pain, happiness, and leisure with my body, and unfold the various thoughts and pieces of emotion I felt on the road.
The majority have imbued their unique way of life with the unique lifestyle of the road essay, while a minority have expressed their own philosophical life in a rough and passionate manner.
Still, each person communicates in their own way in their writing, 'Why is this path meaningful to me?'
Photos of Korea's famous roads, nature, and people, salvaged from the thoughts of walkers.
If writing is an expression of the inner world, photography is an effective tool for expressing the landscape of intuition.
In that sense, the road photos taken there are what express the 'reason for walking' with a deeper and more profound resonance.
The author's 470 photographs, which resonate deeply with the author's thoughts on nature and humanity, convey the author's experience of pain, suffering, joy, and life as he walked, felt, and thought, breathing life into existence, delivering a warm emotion that wells up from the depths of his heart.
The author's colorful journey, which can be said to be a landscape of the soul built with sweat, expands the depth of thought by one inch from the travel book you read to the travel book you see.
In particular, the representative photos of 35 famous roads, the heart-wrenching famous photos of Naeyeonsan Mountain, Eunbi-ryeong Pass, and coastal sand dunes in the fall, the birch trees in Wondae-ri and the white snowy landscape of Taebaek Hambaksan Mountain, and the clear winter scenery of Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road are enough to move readers and make them want to run along those roads.
The language of emotion and reflection felt only by travelers on the road
The road is thoroughly conveyed in the heart-pounding language of the scene, captured through the eyes and heart of a thorough hiker.
So, the sweat that comes out with a deep sense of sincerity and the directness of the exciting road scene are sometimes spoken in a rough and sometimes smooth tone, and are thrown out as the voice of a road traveler.
So, as I walk, the dazzlingly beautiful snow flowers of Mt. Hambak, the sadly disappearing sunset of Yeongheungdo, and the refreshing flight of the birch forest seep into the readers' lungs, and I pour out the scenery of the road in the language of a traveler.
There is a framework unique to the author, and the author's literary background, having studied Korean literature, also plays a part in it.
The poems of poets and scholars who truly allow us to feel the lyricism and charm of the journey, as well as the poetic words of Jeong Ji-yong, Kim So-wol, Seo Jeong-ju, and Baek Seok, leave a charming space that can be remembered as a beautiful pattern of nature while encapsulating the journey.
Here, in the Hambak Mountain grove, on the Taean Baramgil, and on the Jeombong Mountain Gombae Ridge, the traveler's language, felt in the hot and cold seasons, while being hit by snow and rain, often comes across as the voice of the field that feels and thinks about nature most closely and deeply.
Author's Note
As I walk down the street, an inner voice tells me to recall precious memories, like a silent prayer.
People we meet on the street each have their own stories and are moving on to somewhere.
“Where are they going?”
I remember the paths I walked, sometimes alone, sometimes with companions.
The spring when life that had been crouching sprouts green, the summer with its scorching hot sun, the splendid autumn embroidered with colorful leaves, and the refreshing winter road rising with white snow and icicles flash before my eyes like a kaleidoscope.
When was the most beautiful and happiest moment in my life?
A long time ago, I asked an acquaintance I was walking with why he walked.
In fact, I called others and asked myself the question.
While walking along the Namhan River, I read Shin Kyeong-rim's poem 'Mokgye Market' at Mokgye Ferry and found the answer.
From then on, the road became my companion and a dazzling flower of the year.
Walking alone or with others, we piece together the pieces of life of the people who lived there and have conversations.
Then, before you know it, you become a fairy tale with the sage who lived before.
So, there are stories on the road, and when you meet a storyteller, it becomes a novel, like a guest house, like the Taebaek Mountains, like the land.
My path was paved with beautiful camellias and azaleas that filled the entire mountain.
Sometimes I walked shivering as torrential rain poured down on me, and sometimes I walked while almost drowning in the mudflats.
It was also filled with precious, unforgettable memories, one by one, such as the spectacular sight of waves crashing into the land, beaten by the wind, and the memories of walking along the Jeongseon Untan-gil Road at night while looking at the stars.
The road is filled with human life, much like our own lives.
There are good roads, rough roads, winding roads, straight roads, uphill roads, downhill roads, and countless other roads that make sense if you just add them together.
Which of the paths we meet on is the best one to take?
Author Interview
When you walk down the street, do you feel like you exist or are happy?
;I'm actually in a state of emptiness while walking down the street.
When I walk, my mind wanders and I sometimes find myself singing happily to myself without even realizing it.
So, it's a happiness that I fall into without even realizing it.
In short, walking makes it simple.
When you walk down the street, the facts themselves disappear.
There's a saying that we are without thoughts or feelings, and that's the feeling.
I don't have any distracting thoughts and I just talk to myself.
Then it becomes so comfortable because the complicated things are forgotten.
After finishing the walk, I get the energy to live my daily life for the week.
When did you first realize that you needed to find your own fulfillment and value through walking?
;There was a program at a publishing company where we walked along the Namhan River with Mr. Shin Jeong-il.
I happened to get involved there by chance and fell in love with the charm of the road.
It's so nice to walk along a snowy road.
At that time, I felt like I was at peace with my mind, without any thoughts or thoughts.
So, from that moment on, I started walking alone and I was hooked from then on.
As I continued walking down the road.
I didn't follow any group, but I personally searched for the path for nearly twenty years.
As I walked along, completely immersed in the charm of the road, I ended up visiting many places in our country, although it wasn't perfect.
Teacher, you may have been to a place not just once, but three or four times, and you may have felt something different each season.
Do you find considerable joy in seeing the charm of the road change with each season?
: Even if you take the same road, the route you take is different depending on the season.
For example, when you go to Seonunsa Temple in Gochang, you will see camellias in the spring, azaleas around Chuseok, and autumn leaves right after that.
Not only flowers, but also trees and plants are completely different depending on the season.
It's not the same length.
As a result, you end up finding and walking the same path many times.
So I always tell people that.
Rather than going once and not going at all, go every season.
Then you see other things.
It seems like you've traveled almost all of our country's beautiful roads, but I imagine the mountain terrain and scenery differ from region to region. Could you give us some comparisons?
: Gangwon-do is deep.
My favorite place is Gangwon-do. It's deep and the mountains are rugged, so there are some difficult parts, but the mountains are deep and I love them.
So I tend to go to Gangwon-do a lot, and if you go to the southern part of Jeolla-do, it's warm.
It's like being in a mother's embrace, and if you go to Chungcheong-do, it's also like being in a mother's embrace.
If you go to Gyeongsang-do, it's diverse.
It seems like there is a mixture of very majestic scenery and comfort.
Of course, this is just my own feeling.
For example, it's not that Gangwon-do doesn't have warmth or anything, but I think it has a slightly different feel.
Do you get that kind of dynamic feeling when you walk down the street and the seasons change?
;Human life is the same, and if you melt the seasons into human life, spring is like a young infancy.
Young side.
That's why I really like the early spring green.
So, in spring, I find paths of such feelings in my books as well.
In the summer, it becomes more and more mature, so it may be hot, but you go there to experience the taste of summer.
When autumn comes, it is the peak of life, the time of maturity.
I feel that way.
When the leaves are fully ripe and the maple leaves are so red, it is beautiful, almost desperately beautiful.
And I think it reaches its peak as we go into winter.
To the climax.
And then there are white snow-covered mountains and frozen rivers.
In fact, it might seem bleak when the river freezes and it's cold all around, but there's another kind of beauty there.
So I really like winter.
I love walking on ice rivers or snow-covered mountains.
So, spring, summer, fall, and winter are like life, and if you have those feelings and enjoy them, it becomes a microcosm of life.
I'm thinking about that.
When I read your writing, I often felt that the book reached its peak in winter.
;For example, when I walk on an ice river, I like to take a path that not many people take.
So, when I went to Hambak Mountain, I met a lot of people, but when I went to the Ice River, for example, I didn't meet anyone.
Except us.
In the case of Taekisan, many people come because the ancient temples are so famous, but there are also places that are not like that.
In the case of Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village, it was so much fun even though it was extremely cold, almost down to -20 degrees Celsius, and the ice was freezing and it felt like it was going to rain.
The scenery was incredibly beautiful and I was happy the whole time I was walking.
Actually, it's not because it's difficult, but because if you look for it and go around such places, you'll come across a great path.
So, you can see that the joy of walking is not only going to places with too many people, but also going to places that are not so crowded.
Teacher, in the course of your journey, I came across many things, such as the attitudes of the ancients toward learning and the pain of hard labor.
There are many of them in places like Donggang, Yeodeungil, and Gochang, Jeollabuk-do.
What preparations should I make to set out on a journey with a story?
; If you just follow along without any preparation when someone tells you they're going somewhere, you'll only see the scenery.
Before that, if you say you are going somewhere, for example, if you say you are going to the Uljin Sipilyeong Pass, it would be good to study in advance about the routes of the peddlers involved in the Sipilyeong Pass.
If you study beforehand, you'll feel a connection to the place and become immersed in it. As you walk, you might even find yourself conversing with ancestors, reflecting on how things used to be. But if you just follow the scenery without thinking, what fun is there in it? Beyond just seeing, it gets boring after a while.
In fact, another attraction of the road is the encounter with history.
It is a meeting between those who lived before, the ancestors, and those who are living now.
It is a relationship that transcends time and space, but it is melted into there.
So, as I walk, I get lost in it.
When I studied.
But if I don't study, I'll just end up being a sight to see, so before I go on a trip, I study about the place I want to go, even if it's not necessarily the road.
Whether you're hiking or going somewhere, if you do some research beforehand, it'll be much more enjoyable and enriching, and you'll feel incredibly fulfilled afterward.
I think that's the attitude one should have toward the road.
How can we enjoy the road and find our own way to walk?
; As I said before, before you go on a road, study the road first.
Then, when you go, the gap between the time spent on the road and the time spent on the road naturally disappears.
With the time of the past.
As I walk, I become lost in thought and contemplate, and I really begin to think about my own existence.
Originally, if you walk the road with many people, you will end up alone.
Even though we talk together, we end up walking alone, feeling lonely.
And while doing that, you imagine various things in your head.
If I do that, won't I feel satisfied later?
That's how it is.
I put it into words, but that's how it came to me.
Have you ever had a difficult or painful time walking down the street?
; When I went to Bonghwa, it wasn't expressed in the book, but I got lost halfway through and it was summer, so I was so tired that I just lay down on the road and cooled down.
When I went to Taean, I shouldn't have gone there, but I thought it was a sandy beach and went in, but I fell into the mudflats and the water came in and it was a very dangerous situation.
So you always have to be careful when walking on the street.
Everything is like that.
I have to walk or do things keeping in mind that there are dangers close to me.
What are your plans for the future?
; I'm still walking around various paths around the country, but I've personally walked the Jeju Olle Trail twice, climbed many mountain peaks, and walked around Hallasan Mountain. I want to walk around Jeju Island systematically by theme.
For example, I want to walk along some of the most representative Olle trails, and also along trails that have a sad history for us, called dark tourism.
I also want to try the geological trail that is only available on Jeju Island.
In this way, we plan to divide Jeju Island into different parts and take the time to walk around and introduce them.
35 soulful essays and photo essays on paths, people, nature, and existence.
― Park Seong-gi's travel essay, "The Joy of the Walker"
“Walk alone or with others, piece together the pieces of life of the people who lived there and have conversations.”
“There are stories on the road, and when you meet a storyteller, it becomes a novel, like a guest house, like the Taebaek Mountains, like the land.”
The road essay written by independent traveler Park Seong-gi begins with the unbearable joy of existence when he first opened his eyes to the road.
The author fell under the spell of walking, a way to find true happiness and freedom, through a fateful walk along the Namhan River some 20 years ago.
Since then, I have been writing down with a pencil the true nature of the mountain paths, sea paths, island paths, forest paths, river paths, and mountain passes of this land that I have walked on foot twenty times through spring, summer, fall, and winter.
These 35 beautiful paths, where we walked, felt, and were deeply moved, are filled with the author's inner voice and the unparalleled beauty of natural scenery, and are filled with sincere stories about the freedom and hope of the walker, irreplaceable by anything in the world.
This book is a record of that journey and a trace of his thoughts through travel.
The allure of the road reached at the peak of spring, summer, fall, and winter
The fascinating scenery of the road that the author has long walked is a journey of luxury roads that can be selected as the best of the season after walking and walking for over twenty years.
The author visited and felt countless times the camellia forests of Gochang, the spectacle of spring, and Baekyangsa Temple, a place of autumn foliage in Jangseong, and looked back on them with different emotions.
The journey also included Haenam Dalmago Island, Pohang Naeyeonsan Island, and Wondaeri Birch Forest.
Among the paths I searched and searched for in all four seasons, I have carefully included in this book the most beautiful paths that will make you remember them.
That is why, in spring, Haenam Dalmagodo, Gochang Seonunsa, Gyeongbuk Ulleungdo, and Yangdong Yangsan Eight Scenic Views are spectacular, and in summer, Jeongseon Deoksan Gigyegok, Uljin Sipilyeonggil, and Andong Nyeodeungil are the best.
Likewise, the autumn foliage and reeds of Jeongseon Saebijae-gil, Inje Gombae-ryeong, Jangseong Baekyangsa Temple, and Sinduri coastal sand dunes are the best, and in winter, the birch forests of Wondae-ri, Taebaek Hambaeksan Mountain, and Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road properly show the hidden, pure, and unspoiled beauty of nature that can only be felt in that season.
This land, a land of hidden gems that the author has walked at least three times, is filled with the unique freedom and scenery that only those who walk can experience, and the unparalleled beauty of the people they meet along the way.
The history of roads, shaped by the lives, elegance, and arduous labor of our ancestors.
The road is thoroughly steeped in human history and stories.
The author is deeply immersed in the bittersweet lives of the ancestors he encounters along the way and becomes absorbed in his own story.
So, I pay attention to the lonely lives and elegance of the scholars I encounter in Yangdong Village, Gyeongju and Nyeodongil, Andong.
Also, in the Uljin Sipilyeong-gil, Gochang-eupseong, Yeongwol Donggang, and Goseong Majangteo-gil, the painful moments of history are recalled, commemorating the harsh lives of peddlers, shippers, fort workers, and raftmen who worked hard.
The author's sorrowful gaze, which traces and traces the footsteps of the ancient ancestors of labor and art, sometimes soothes his sorrows with a sad poem by a poet or scholar, and recites the masterpieces of Kim So-wol, Jeong Ji-yong, and Seo Jeong-ju. Each of the ten stories of the road by ten people, each with their own story, ponders the 'way of thinking on the road'.
Traces of such worries create various questions and play their part in refining our reflections on life in a deeper, broader, and more profound way.
The author has tried to move towards an intuitive, philosophical, and emotional orientation toward the path as much as possible.
So, I experience the road and release the pain, happiness, and leisure with my body, and unfold the various thoughts and pieces of emotion I felt on the road.
The majority have imbued their unique way of life with the unique lifestyle of the road essay, while a minority have expressed their own philosophical life in a rough and passionate manner.
Still, each person communicates in their own way in their writing, 'Why is this path meaningful to me?'
Photos of Korea's famous roads, nature, and people, salvaged from the thoughts of walkers.
If writing is an expression of the inner world, photography is an effective tool for expressing the landscape of intuition.
In that sense, the road photos taken there are what express the 'reason for walking' with a deeper and more profound resonance.
The author's 470 photographs, which resonate deeply with the author's thoughts on nature and humanity, convey the author's experience of pain, suffering, joy, and life as he walked, felt, and thought, breathing life into existence, delivering a warm emotion that wells up from the depths of his heart.
The author's colorful journey, which can be said to be a landscape of the soul built with sweat, expands the depth of thought by one inch from the travel book you read to the travel book you see.
In particular, the representative photos of 35 famous roads, the heart-wrenching famous photos of Naeyeonsan Mountain, Eunbi-ryeong Pass, and coastal sand dunes in the fall, the birch trees in Wondae-ri and the white snowy landscape of Taebaek Hambaksan Mountain, and the clear winter scenery of Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road are enough to move readers and make them want to run along those roads.
The language of emotion and reflection felt only by travelers on the road
The road is thoroughly conveyed in the heart-pounding language of the scene, captured through the eyes and heart of a thorough hiker.
So, the sweat that comes out with a deep sense of sincerity and the directness of the exciting road scene are sometimes spoken in a rough and sometimes smooth tone, and are thrown out as the voice of a road traveler.
So, as I walk, the dazzlingly beautiful snow flowers of Mt. Hambak, the sadly disappearing sunset of Yeongheungdo, and the refreshing flight of the birch forest seep into the readers' lungs, and I pour out the scenery of the road in the language of a traveler.
There is a framework unique to the author, and the author's literary background, having studied Korean literature, also plays a part in it.
The poems of poets and scholars who truly allow us to feel the lyricism and charm of the journey, as well as the poetic words of Jeong Ji-yong, Kim So-wol, Seo Jeong-ju, and Baek Seok, leave a charming space that can be remembered as a beautiful pattern of nature while encapsulating the journey.
Here, in the Hambak Mountain grove, on the Taean Baramgil, and on the Jeombong Mountain Gombae Ridge, the traveler's language, felt in the hot and cold seasons, while being hit by snow and rain, often comes across as the voice of the field that feels and thinks about nature most closely and deeply.
Author's Note
As I walk down the street, an inner voice tells me to recall precious memories, like a silent prayer.
People we meet on the street each have their own stories and are moving on to somewhere.
“Where are they going?”
I remember the paths I walked, sometimes alone, sometimes with companions.
The spring when life that had been crouching sprouts green, the summer with its scorching hot sun, the splendid autumn embroidered with colorful leaves, and the refreshing winter road rising with white snow and icicles flash before my eyes like a kaleidoscope.
When was the most beautiful and happiest moment in my life?
A long time ago, I asked an acquaintance I was walking with why he walked.
In fact, I called others and asked myself the question.
While walking along the Namhan River, I read Shin Kyeong-rim's poem 'Mokgye Market' at Mokgye Ferry and found the answer.
From then on, the road became my companion and a dazzling flower of the year.
Walking alone or with others, we piece together the pieces of life of the people who lived there and have conversations.
Then, before you know it, you become a fairy tale with the sage who lived before.
So, there are stories on the road, and when you meet a storyteller, it becomes a novel, like a guest house, like the Taebaek Mountains, like the land.
My path was paved with beautiful camellias and azaleas that filled the entire mountain.
Sometimes I walked shivering as torrential rain poured down on me, and sometimes I walked while almost drowning in the mudflats.
It was also filled with precious, unforgettable memories, one by one, such as the spectacular sight of waves crashing into the land, beaten by the wind, and the memories of walking along the Jeongseon Untan-gil Road at night while looking at the stars.
The road is filled with human life, much like our own lives.
There are good roads, rough roads, winding roads, straight roads, uphill roads, downhill roads, and countless other roads that make sense if you just add them together.
Which of the paths we meet on is the best one to take?
Author Interview
When you walk down the street, do you feel like you exist or are happy?
;I'm actually in a state of emptiness while walking down the street.
When I walk, my mind wanders and I sometimes find myself singing happily to myself without even realizing it.
So, it's a happiness that I fall into without even realizing it.
In short, walking makes it simple.
When you walk down the street, the facts themselves disappear.
There's a saying that we are without thoughts or feelings, and that's the feeling.
I don't have any distracting thoughts and I just talk to myself.
Then it becomes so comfortable because the complicated things are forgotten.
After finishing the walk, I get the energy to live my daily life for the week.
When did you first realize that you needed to find your own fulfillment and value through walking?
;There was a program at a publishing company where we walked along the Namhan River with Mr. Shin Jeong-il.
I happened to get involved there by chance and fell in love with the charm of the road.
It's so nice to walk along a snowy road.
At that time, I felt like I was at peace with my mind, without any thoughts or thoughts.
So, from that moment on, I started walking alone and I was hooked from then on.
As I continued walking down the road.
I didn't follow any group, but I personally searched for the path for nearly twenty years.
As I walked along, completely immersed in the charm of the road, I ended up visiting many places in our country, although it wasn't perfect.
Teacher, you may have been to a place not just once, but three or four times, and you may have felt something different each season.
Do you find considerable joy in seeing the charm of the road change with each season?
: Even if you take the same road, the route you take is different depending on the season.
For example, when you go to Seonunsa Temple in Gochang, you will see camellias in the spring, azaleas around Chuseok, and autumn leaves right after that.
Not only flowers, but also trees and plants are completely different depending on the season.
It's not the same length.
As a result, you end up finding and walking the same path many times.
So I always tell people that.
Rather than going once and not going at all, go every season.
Then you see other things.
It seems like you've traveled almost all of our country's beautiful roads, but I imagine the mountain terrain and scenery differ from region to region. Could you give us some comparisons?
: Gangwon-do is deep.
My favorite place is Gangwon-do. It's deep and the mountains are rugged, so there are some difficult parts, but the mountains are deep and I love them.
So I tend to go to Gangwon-do a lot, and if you go to the southern part of Jeolla-do, it's warm.
It's like being in a mother's embrace, and if you go to Chungcheong-do, it's also like being in a mother's embrace.
If you go to Gyeongsang-do, it's diverse.
It seems like there is a mixture of very majestic scenery and comfort.
Of course, this is just my own feeling.
For example, it's not that Gangwon-do doesn't have warmth or anything, but I think it has a slightly different feel.
Do you get that kind of dynamic feeling when you walk down the street and the seasons change?
;Human life is the same, and if you melt the seasons into human life, spring is like a young infancy.
Young side.
That's why I really like the early spring green.
So, in spring, I find paths of such feelings in my books as well.
In the summer, it becomes more and more mature, so it may be hot, but you go there to experience the taste of summer.
When autumn comes, it is the peak of life, the time of maturity.
I feel that way.
When the leaves are fully ripe and the maple leaves are so red, it is beautiful, almost desperately beautiful.
And I think it reaches its peak as we go into winter.
To the climax.
And then there are white snow-covered mountains and frozen rivers.
In fact, it might seem bleak when the river freezes and it's cold all around, but there's another kind of beauty there.
So I really like winter.
I love walking on ice rivers or snow-covered mountains.
So, spring, summer, fall, and winter are like life, and if you have those feelings and enjoy them, it becomes a microcosm of life.
I'm thinking about that.
When I read your writing, I often felt that the book reached its peak in winter.
;For example, when I walk on an ice river, I like to take a path that not many people take.
So, when I went to Hambak Mountain, I met a lot of people, but when I went to the Ice River, for example, I didn't meet anyone.
Except us.
In the case of Taekisan, many people come because the ancient temples are so famous, but there are also places that are not like that.
In the case of Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village, it was so much fun even though it was extremely cold, almost down to -20 degrees Celsius, and the ice was freezing and it felt like it was going to rain.
The scenery was incredibly beautiful and I was happy the whole time I was walking.
Actually, it's not because it's difficult, but because if you look for it and go around such places, you'll come across a great path.
So, you can see that the joy of walking is not only going to places with too many people, but also going to places that are not so crowded.
Teacher, in the course of your journey, I came across many things, such as the attitudes of the ancients toward learning and the pain of hard labor.
There are many of them in places like Donggang, Yeodeungil, and Gochang, Jeollabuk-do.
What preparations should I make to set out on a journey with a story?
; If you just follow along without any preparation when someone tells you they're going somewhere, you'll only see the scenery.
Before that, if you say you are going somewhere, for example, if you say you are going to the Uljin Sipilyeong Pass, it would be good to study in advance about the routes of the peddlers involved in the Sipilyeong Pass.
If you study beforehand, you'll feel a connection to the place and become immersed in it. As you walk, you might even find yourself conversing with ancestors, reflecting on how things used to be. But if you just follow the scenery without thinking, what fun is there in it? Beyond just seeing, it gets boring after a while.
In fact, another attraction of the road is the encounter with history.
It is a meeting between those who lived before, the ancestors, and those who are living now.
It is a relationship that transcends time and space, but it is melted into there.
So, as I walk, I get lost in it.
When I studied.
But if I don't study, I'll just end up being a sight to see, so before I go on a trip, I study about the place I want to go, even if it's not necessarily the road.
Whether you're hiking or going somewhere, if you do some research beforehand, it'll be much more enjoyable and enriching, and you'll feel incredibly fulfilled afterward.
I think that's the attitude one should have toward the road.
How can we enjoy the road and find our own way to walk?
; As I said before, before you go on a road, study the road first.
Then, when you go, the gap between the time spent on the road and the time spent on the road naturally disappears.
With the time of the past.
As I walk, I become lost in thought and contemplate, and I really begin to think about my own existence.
Originally, if you walk the road with many people, you will end up alone.
Even though we talk together, we end up walking alone, feeling lonely.
And while doing that, you imagine various things in your head.
If I do that, won't I feel satisfied later?
That's how it is.
I put it into words, but that's how it came to me.
Have you ever had a difficult or painful time walking down the street?
; When I went to Bonghwa, it wasn't expressed in the book, but I got lost halfway through and it was summer, so I was so tired that I just lay down on the road and cooled down.
When I went to Taean, I shouldn't have gone there, but I thought it was a sandy beach and went in, but I fell into the mudflats and the water came in and it was a very dangerous situation.
So you always have to be careful when walking on the street.
Everything is like that.
I have to walk or do things keeping in mind that there are dangers close to me.
What are your plans for the future?
; I'm still walking around various paths around the country, but I've personally walked the Jeju Olle Trail twice, climbed many mountain peaks, and walked around Hallasan Mountain. I want to walk around Jeju Island systematically by theme.
For example, I want to walk along some of the most representative Olle trails, and also along trails that have a sad history for us, called dark tourism.
I also want to try the geological trail that is only available on Jeju Island.
In this way, we plan to divide Jeju Island into different parts and take the time to walk around and introduce them.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: May 14, 2020
- Page count, weight, size: 388 pages | 658g | 142*210*30mm
- ISBN13: 9791188434299
- ISBN10: 1188434292
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