The COVID-19 epidemic has significantly reduced the frequency of people going out and experiencing outside places. Also, people sometimes feel that they are tired and bored because they spend most of their day indoors like house or office. Therefore, CBT reporters visited Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park located in Gyeongsangbuk-do, to experience history and nature. This place was designated as a Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Park on June 4, 1981. On the way from Gateway 1 to Gateway 3, there are various experience facilities, such as an open set place, a representative filming location for historical dramas and many museums.  The term “Saejae” has many meanings, such as “Hill that even birds find hard to fly across,” “Hill overgrown with Flame Grass,” and “Hill between Haneuljae and Iuriitjae.” Also, Mungyeong Saejae has long been a gateway to Yeongnam-daero, which connects Hanyang and Yeongnam. This  pathway was inevitably taken by prospective government officials on their way to take their entrance exams in ancient times. It is also called the Paldo-Uphill Path of Joseon because people have been visiting here continuously since ancient times. Therefore, the CBT reporters visited Mungyeong Saejae directly and visited the road from Gateway 1 to Gateway 3, and other places such as museum and drama set.


Old Road Museum with history



  Before reaching the first gateway, a colorful traditional building attracted the reporters’ attention. From afar, it looked like an important building perhaps housing the local government, but upon closer examination it turned out to be the “Old Path Museum.” While museums are usually constructed in typical architecture, this building broke the prejudice against museums with its antique appearance. The entrance fee was around 1,000 won, which is inexpensive to visit. Also, inside the museum, arrow-shaped stickers guided the visitor through the museum, making it easy to use without a guide. A display on lyrics of Arirang, a traditional Korean folk song, can be seen as a first exhibit. It was very interesting to learn that the well-known folk originated at ‘Mungyeong Saejae.’ In addition, containing old books, various Arirang lyrics written in Korean, could be seen, and the reporters could sense the change of time when the old books written with brushes instead of printed in modern and neat letters were seen. The second exhibitions in this museum were a variety of hanboks of green, blue and gold, which shone brightly inside the museum. Among the exhibits displayed in the museum, the colors were so clear and harmonious that it was hard to take eyes off them. Also, there were historical traces of 400 years of the Hanbok. On the second floor, the tiles on the floor were decorated with colorful maps, allowing people to look down from above and watch various old exhibits.



Red clay road from Gateway 1 to Gateway 3



  After looking around the old road museum, the CBT reporters headed back to Gateway 3, but Gateway 1 was located deeper than it was seen. Also, Gateway 1 had two entrances, unlike other gates. One entrance was a path consisting of a cool wooden walkway, and the other entrance was a large door that can be easily seen by searching Mungyeong Saejae on the Internet. The reporters passed through the center of Gateway 1 to feel the grandeur of the big door, but it was too hot because there were no trees to provide shade in the summer sunshine. However, there were so many trees behind Gateway 1, that the reporters could enjoy the cool breeze of summer while reaching Gateway 3. While this road walked down, there was a valley with a stream on the left side. The water was so clear that people could see the floor from a distance, and the burbling of the water was felt being one with nature. Also, more people were walking barefoot because the path was made up of cool red clay which kept cool even in the hot sun.

Open Filming Site of typical historical drama



  From far away to go up, Han-ok is a traditional house that can be found which is not easy to find on the road and only appear in drama based on the Goryeo or Joseon Dynasty. Therefore, when the reporters went closer, it could be seen an open filming site where Kingdom, Man who became king, Moon embracing the sun, Namhansanseong Fortress had been shouted. Also, there was an admission fee of 1,000 won like the museum. However, when entered, it can be felt like entering the Joseon Dynasty by a time machine as forget the admission fee. In this filming site, the reporters could see not only houses where people live but also palaces. Inside and outside are so realistic that reporters could believe the present and the past coexist. Also, when looking at the old building here, reporters vividly remembered the best scenes from the historical drama that have seen before. Moreover, not only old buildings but also trees which have pink flowers and green, yellow leaves are so harmonious that made the reporters’ eyes joyful.

On the way to Gateway 3

  Out of the filming site, on the way to Gateway 3, the reporters encountered a cool waterfall. The waterfall was so cool that many people, who was tired from walking up the hill, were taking a rest. Around there, the reporters could see many stone towers which seemed like mountain peaks because many stones were piled up. The stone towers were too many to count it, and they were as tall as two people. Therefore, many people piled up stones and made their wishes.

The way down is different from the way up

  Upon arriving at Gateway 3, the reporters noticed the time and were shocked to realize that the walkway had been taken for 3 hours. Also, the way to Mungyeong Saejae was so cool that a trace of sweat couldn’t be found even though it was summer. Moreover, the way down was the same as the way up, but it was fresh to be able to discover things that the reporters couldn’t have noticed before. Especially, due to achieve reporters’ goal, on the way down, the reporters didn’t feel like walking on the same path because many tombstones, carved in the mountains, could be found. Because many tombstones couldn’t be seen when coming up it. The names and achievements of many of the ancient people who passed the old state exams were written on most of the headstones. Moreover, a sign could be found, which explained the meaning of ‘Saejae’ as ‘the head that even birds can’t fly over.’ The way to tour the Mungyeong Saejae is flat and broad now, but in the past, this way was so narrow that one person could barely walk it.



  As COVID-19 continues, people can’t often go outside, so people live a similar life routine. However, it was fresh to follow in the footsteps of the old. Also, the reporters could get out of stress because the way to Mungyeong Saejae is in the nature. Therefore, if  there is anyone who wants new experiences to get out of a boring life, the reporters recommend people visit Mungyeong Saejae and follow a trace of Korean history.

By Kang Min-ji l mj41@cbnu.ac.kr
By Kim Ji-min l jimin41@cbnu.ac.kr