Autumn Trip to Yeongju &Mungyeong

Seonbi 선비 in Korean  means virtuous scholar. Its typically denotes the joseon era young nobleman who passed up positions of wealth and power to lives of study and integrity. A seonbi was to live a modest life and learn continously without cessation not only for knowledge but also for following and learn the rightful way of life.

Yangju, one of the city in North Gyeongsang Province often called as the home of seonbi, this region known for its beautiful natural scenaries, traditional village and its temple, which provide the scholar chance to reconnect with nature and themself to live by the philosophy of confucianism.

Seonbicheon 영주선비촌

At Yeongju Seonbicheon is a village where visitors can experience the life of a Jeoseon Seonbi. This village also offers a variety of educational and traditional cultural and art program such as injeolmi making, korean traditional wedding ceremony, seonbi class, calligraphy and many more surely  worth place to visit in Yangju. We had injeolmi making experience and Traditional Wedding Ceremonies here at the Seonbicheon village.

Injeolmi usually served at the wedding table at traditional wedding in a wish for the newlywed to live happily and stay put together in any situation just like the sticky rice cake.  It was made out of glutinous rice. After soaked and steamed for 4 hours, it will be pounded by a wooden mallet (떡메치기) until it became sticky and chewy. Rice cake will be covered with soybean powder and ready to be served.  

Korean Wedding Ceremony, based on the old confucianism so every details like dress, accessories, position, food, bowing and drinking indicate something. It usually held in the bride's family house and started as soon as the the groom  enter the courtyard with the mandarin duck which symbolize the promises of love and harmony of life. This mandarin duck will place on the wedding table and he need to bow to his mother in law. 

The groom will be positioned at the east of wedding table and the bride at the west side of the table because groom represent sun and bride represent moon. After placement bride and groom need to wash their hands and bow each other. 

Bride will need to bow 2 times and groom bows back once. Rice wine will be pour two times to the ground, but the remaining liquor will be exchanged and drunk by the groom and bride.  The ceremony concludes with the groom giving his bride a piggyback ride around the stage as a gesture of promise of his everlasting devotion and love for her throughout their life. 

Jonggajib 종가집 

This is a restaurant inside the seonbicheon, we order bibimbab (8000), fermented soybean soup (8000), seafood pancake (10000) , and steamed beef (15000) suprisingly all of them taste good! honestly i dont expect much from that small restaurant in the middle of the village but two thumbs up for jonggajib, i personally love the steamed beef, its so tender like melted soon as you eat them and the sauce also add the perfect blend to it  yumyumm!

Transportation
Take bus number 27 or 55 from Buseoksa Station and stop at Seonbicheon Bus Station.


Buseoksa 부선사

The temple founded in 676 by silla dynasty monk uisang, this temple truly represent Korean architecture. You need to hike and climb 108 steps to reach the temple but it is worthwhile to climb and pass the 4 gates to reach the main courtyard a nirvana "paradise" representation.  The view from the courtyard over the landscape is amazing! if you only want to search for one Buddhist temple that represent all temple this the one that you should consider to visit. 

we also eat at buseoksa restaurant near the temple, its refillable for fish and meat but its quite expensive though~

Ps, don't forget to try dried apple chips (10000 krw) that sells by grannies around the temple too. Its super yum!

Buseoksa 

345, Buseoksa-ro, Buseok-myeon, Yeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

경상북도 양주시 부석면 부섯사로 345 

Inquiries : +82-54-633-3464

Admission fees: 

[Individual] Adult 1200 krw/ Teenagers 1000 krw / Children 800 krw 

[Group] Adult 1000 krw/ Teenagers 800 krw / Children 500 krw

Transportation
From Central City Terminal (Honam Line) or Dong Seoul Bus Terminal take bus to Yeongju Intercity Bus Station. From Bus station terminal take bus number 22-28 stop at Yeongju Passanger Terminal 영주여객터미널 transfer to bus number 55 walk to Buseoksa.  

Mungyeong Sajae Provincial Park 문경사재도립공원

Mungyeong another province in Northgyeongsang Province, Mungyeong is known for its beautiful mountain pass. Unfortunatelly we come lil bit too early for fall foliage can't imagine how pretty its as the color of the leaf turns into red and yellow. This mountain pass have a lot of course that you can choose, more  information of mungyeong sajae park click here

You can take the shuttle bus to go to KBS Drama Studio which is located in the middle of this provincial park. Compared to the one at Andong this one is super HUGE! almost all historical drama that have old Gwanghwamun gate, Gyeongbokgung, Donggung, Seongwan, and all official building were taken at here. I can imagine the historical drama scene that shoot here. You can also take picture with Korean Royal costume and hair accessories here too.

Inside the KBS studio they also have the tea ceremony for free, but its until 5pm if you intend to attend tea ceremony here, come earlier!

Mungyeongsajae Provincial park
932, Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
경상북도 문경시 문경읍 새재로 932
Homepage : saejae.gbmg.go.kr

Transportation:
Take bus from Dong Seoul Terminal to Mungyeong Station, for bus reservation click here 
From bus terminal take bus that bound for Saejae (Mungyeong - Saejae 문경-새재(진안)) or Jeomcheon - Saejae 점촌-새재 (남부) or you can also use taxi to go here.


Mungyeong railbike
Another attraction at Mungyeong is the railbike using the railway that used to run as coal carriage. It's the first bike lane that utilized a closed railway as resources for tourism. The railbike run about 6.6km from Jinnam station to Gurangri station. Visitors take the train from Gurangri or Jinnam.

20 Gurangri Station, Maseong-myeon, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongbuk
경북 문경시 마성면 구랑로 20 구랑리역
Inquiries: +82-54-571-4200

Transportation:
If you want to go here from Mungyeongsaejae, from the Mungyeong Saejae Bus Station take Jeomchon-Saejae (nambu) 점촌-새재 (남부) get off at Maseong - 마성 station and transfer to bus Jeomchon-Bongamsa (gaeun) 점촌-봉암사 (가은) stop at 구랑리입구정류장 Gurangri Bus station and walk for 10 minutes to the bike station.

Mungyeong also famous for its lava pork and meat 약돌돼지 약돌한우 i dont feel something super special for its taste but from what i read it told to be more healthier than the regular meat. Even the water infused with the lava stone here.

 

most of my pic are still on recovery process because of the corrupted memory card, soon after i recovered all of file i will update this post again, so please stay tune teehee