Inwangsan, a Mystical Mountain

Seoul is geographically located in a basin and is surrounded by four mountains: Bukhansan, the highest peak to the north Namsan to the south Naksan to the east and Mt. Inwangsan to the west. This 338 meters-high mountain was known during the Joseon period as the “white tiger mountain” due to the great number of tigers that inhabited the area. However, today, tigers have become exist in this mountain, instead there are a swarm of small Buddhist temples, a shamanist shrine and a uncanny atmosphere like nowhere else in Seoul. The stairs located at the bottom of Mt. Inwangsan will lead you to a Buddhist temple called Bongwonsa, easy to spot thanks to the big bronze bell located at the entrance. What is shamanism? Shamanism consists of magical and ritual practices during which a shaman, the chief person who performs a ceremony, invokes spirits to cure diseases, to attract good fortune, to foretell the future or to pray for the spirits of the deceased. Shamanist rites have been held since the dawn of times, long before any established religion made its first appearance. Korean shamanism, introduced in Korea from Siberia, is unique in the sense that ceremonies are mainly carried out by female shamans called mudangs. Mudangs act as intermediaries between the spirit and human worlds. ★ Guksadang Very near Bongwonsa is Guksadang, a shamanist shrine. Guksadang houses the spirits of Joseon Dynasty’s (1392-1910) founder King Taejo and of various generals. The shrine was originally built on Namsan mountain in 1395, but was destroyed by the Japanese in 1925. However, it was subsequently rebuilt again on Mt. Inwangsan. Did you know? Korean shamanism has 12 deities: the mountain spirit, the dragon king, the seven stars, and the three monk-spirits. ★ Seonbawi Rock Seonbawi Rock Seonbawi in Korean means "Zen Rock". This rock is said to resemble a robed Buddhist monk (you just need stretch your imagination a little). In any case, the rock certainly is spectacular and original. You’ll see a lot of women praying there; the rock is said to have the power to give sons to pregnant women. Once in Seonbawi, don’t go back down, rather take the small exit to the right and climb up for a few meters. You will reach a kind of natural plateau where you can see some amazing views of the city. From here onwards, you’ll be able to discover the real part of Mt. Inwangsan. A word of caution though, some sections can be a little bit tricky and it would be wise not to go there if you are accompanied by children. Go around the big boulder located on the plateau and proceed upwards. You have now various paths to chose from, each offering amazing views. Take some time to stop, and look back as the beauty of Mt. Inwangsan often lies in the small details like the offerings left in a rock depression, the incense sticks burning in a rock cavity, the distant beating of drums from a shamanist ceremony, the piles of stones left here and there as prayers.

★ Mt. Inwangsan in Pictures The lunar landscapes of Mt. Inwangsan play a big part in the mystical atmosphere of the place. What were the wishes and hopes of the people who left these stones here? And these candles? With no tigers left, pigeons are the new found rulers of Mt. Inwangsan. It’s hard to believe we are in the heart of Seoul. Still…

★ How to get there?

Dongnimmun subway station, line 3 (orange), exit 2.
Access to the site is a little bit more difficult than usual due to nearby road construction so here’s a little more detailed explanation on how to get there.

1. Go out of Dongnimmun subway station, exit 2		2. Take the first street to your left right after the exit.		3. At the end of the street you’ll see a building with the number 52 on it, take the alley to the left right before the building.
4. Walk past the building and keep on the right-hand side. Once you are at the top take a left.				5. Finally, you’ll see the entrance to Mt. Inwangsan (free admission)