In the past, I introduced you to the four major rivers of Korea: the Han River, the Nakdong River, and the Geum River. However, as the name Four Major Rivers implies, it means four rivers. Therefore, I think you might be wondering what the last remaining river is, so this time I would like to introduce you to the 'Yeongsan River', which belongs to Korea's four major rivers.
Introduction of 'Yeongsan River'
The Yeongsan River originates in Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do, flows through Gwangju Metropolitan City and various regions in Jeollanam-do, and flows from Mokpo to the West Sea. It is 138.75 km long and has a catchment area of 3,371 km 2 .
The Yeongsan River is one of the four major rivers in Korea, supplying water to the southwestern part of Korea. The name of the Yeongsan River was historically changed by Naju and Yeongsanpo located in the middle stream. Since Naju was called Geumseong (錦城) during the Unified Silla Dynasty, the Yeongsan River was called Geumcheon (錦川) or Geumgang (錦江) at that time, and the ferry (a certain place where ships arrive and depart) was called Geumgangjin (錦江津). The Yeongsan River has various tributaries and islands, and boasts beautiful scenery and cultural heritage.
Cultural Heritage of the Yeongsan River
The Yeongsan River has left various cultural heritages as an international port city since prehistoric times. In the Yeongsan River basin, dolmens and earthenware from the Bronze Age, pottery tombs from the Baekje Dynasty, and stone windows from the Goryeo Dynasty have been discovered. In addition, during the Japanese colonial period, Yeongsanpo was famous for skate samhap (one of skate dishes), and modern Japanese buildings and Jukjeon Alley (tourist name) remain to this day.
The Yeongsan River basin is evaluated as a valuable cultural heritage that shows the important exchange of human values, and in 2019, the ancient ruins of the Yeongsan River were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ancient Ruins of Yeongsan River
The ancient ruins of the Yeongsan River refer to various ruins from the prehistoric period to the Proto-Three Kingdoms period scattered along the Yeongsan River basin. These ruins show traces of ancient culture that developed through exchanges with other regions through the Yeongsan River.
Gwangju Sinchang-dong ruins:
It is a place where there are swamps, pond sites, pottery kiln sites, drainage facilities, and poison tombs (tombs) from the early Iron Age. Not only earthenware and ironware, but also various artifacts such as wooden products, stringed instruments, and agricultural implements have been unearthed here.
Bannam Ancient Tombs:
It is a group of large-scale jar coffins (coffins made by firing clay in ancient times) from the Baekje era. In addition to earthenware and ironware, gilt-bronze products, wooden products, and silk fabrics were excavated from the coffin.
Bogam-ri Ancient Tombs:
It is a place where an ongwanmyo (a coffin made by baking clay in ancient times) and a stone tomb (a tomb made of stone in ancient times) from the Baekje era are mixed. Here, wooden records called Baekje Mokgan (wooden writing in the era when paper did not exist) were discovered.
Jamisanseong and Jamaesanseong:
It is a mountain fortress of the Baekje era, facing each other with the Yeongsan River in between. Jamisanseong Fortress was a strategic point that prevented the allied forces of Silla and Tang from invading Sabi, the capital of Baekje.
As one of the four major rivers in Korea, the Yeongsan River has diverse cultural heritage and natural scenery. On the Yeongsan River, you can enjoy various experiences and tours, such as riding a Hwangpo sailboat, viewing white lotuses, looking at ancient ruins, and exploring mountain fortresses. If you go to Yeongsan River, I think you can feel the rich history and culture!
