Hallasan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hallasan | |
|---|---|
 Crater Lakes on Hallasan |
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| Korean Name | |
| Hangul | 한라산 (DPRK: 한나산) |
| Hanja | 漢拏山 |
| Revised Romanization | Hallasan |
| McCune-Reischauer | Hallasan |
| Elevation: | 1,950 metres (6,397 feet) |
| Coordinates: | |
| Location: | Jeju (South Korea) |
| Type: | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption: | 1007[1] |
| Easiest route: | hike, helicopter |
Hallasan (한라산) is a dormant volcano on Jeju Island of South Korea. Hallasan is the highest mountain of South Korea.
The area around the mountain is a designated national park, the Hallasan National Park (Hallasan Gungnip Gongwon/한라산국립공원/漢拏山國立公園). Hallasan is commonly considered to be one of the three main mountains of South Korea, with Jirisan and Seoraksan being the other two.
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[edit] Names
Alternate names for the mountain include Halla Mountain or Mount Halla and older English sources refer to the peak as Mount Auckland.[2][3]
Hallasan is written in North Korea in Hangul as if it were Hannasan (한나산); however, it is still pronounced as Hallasan.
In the past, Hallasan has been known by numerous other names in Korean including Buag (부악/釜岳), Weonsan (원산/圓山), Jinsan (진산/鎭山), Seonsan (선산/仙山), Dumuag (두무악/頭無岳), Burasan (부라산/浮羅山), Yeongjusan 영주산(瀛州山), and Hyeolmangbong (혈망봉/穴望峯).[4]
[edit] Geography
The mountain dominates the centre of Jeju Island and is often taken as representing the island itself. There is a local saying stating that "Jeju Island is Hallasan; and Hallasan is Jeju." The mountain can indeed be seen from all places on the island, but its peak is often covered in clouds. The mountain has been designated Korea's Natural Monument no. 182.
There is a crater lake on Hallasan called Baengnokdam (백록담/白鹿潭), literally "white deer lake." There is a legend attributing the name of the lake to otherworldly men who descend from heaven to play with white deer. Depending on the season, the circumference of the lake is up to 2 kilometres with a depth up to about 100 metres.
[edit] Sights
The mountain is home to Gwaneumsa, the oldest Buddhist temple on the island. The temple was originally built during the Goryeo Dynasty. Like many other temples in Korea, Gwaneumsa was destroyed and rebuilt in the 20th century. There is a memorial site outside the temple, remembering the victims of the Jeju uprising that took place between 1948 and 1950. It is one of the most visited places of the island.
[edit] Trails
There are four hiking trails to the top of Hallasan:
- Kwanumsa Trail - 8.3 km
- Orimok Trail - 7.8 km
- Songp'anak Trail - 9.6 km
- Yongshil Trail - 6.5 km
[edit] Notes
- ^ Kim Jae-han (김재한). 한라산. Kodia Encyclopedia. Retrieved on April 27, 2006.(Korean)
- ^ Simon Winchester. Korea: a walk through the land of miracles (London, Penguin, 2004). Page 39.
- ^ Simon Winchester (21 February 1988). "Social Climbing on Mount Halla". New York Times. Retrieved on January 20, 2007.
- ^ Hallasan National Park 한라산국립공원. Retrieved on January 20, 2007.(Korean)
