 |
| A view of the Han River from Mount Gung's Soaknu Pavilion in 2021 Robert Neff Collection |
By Robert Neff
If you are a bicyclist and frequent the Han River bike lanes on the western side of Seoul, you have probably, unknowingly, passed Mount Gung and the remains of Yangcheon Fortress located at the foot of a hill. Few people, unless they live in the immediate area, are familiar with this little treasure trove along the Han River.
Mount Gung is a small nondescript hill near the entrance (from the bike lanes) to Magok-dong. Although it is easily accessible, it is also easy to miss ― you actually have to be looking for it. I went in search of Yangcheon Fortress and must confess that at first I was a little disappointed. The fortress ― said to have been built during the Unified Silla era ― helped guard the river but, as with many things associated with Mount Gung, I could not find much information about its historical role. It is said that General Gwon Yul (the reason for my visit) stayed in the fortress for a few days prior to moving across the river to Haengju Mountain Fortress in early 1593 where he defeated a large Japanese army.
Yangcheon Fortress has ― for the most part ― been erased. There is a small section of wall ― barely noticeable (this has become a recurring theme of this article) ― and a large round flat area on the hill's peak covered in grass and graced with a beautiful view of the river. It is a popular place for residents to stroll about and forget about the bustling metropolitan world that surrounds this little oasis of tranquility ― even the sounds of traffic from the nearby highway are muffled.
 |
| Along the wall of Yangcheon Fortress in 2021, not much remains except wonderful walking paths and beautiful views of the river. Robert Neff Collection |
However, despite the initial disappointment, I learned that there were other things to see, such as Yangcheonhyanggyo, a Confucian school. According to one of the signboards here:
"Yangcheonhyanggyo was established in 1411 as a Confucian school for the education of local youths in Yangcheon-hyeon. The precincts of such local Confucian schools were largely divided into two sections: the shrine section, of which Daeseongjeon Hall served as the major structure, and the education section, represented by Myeongnyundang Hall. At this particular shrine-school, the main shrine (Daeseongjeon) was located on a hill at the rear of the grounds, while the lecture hall (Myeongnyundang) stood at the front."
The descriptions given on these boards are at best informative, but often bland and boring. Fortunately, Matt VanVolkenburg (who in the past has guided tours in the area for Royal Asiatic Society Korea) was kind enough to point out an article that appeared in The Independent (Korean-English language newspaper) in February 1898.
 |
| A painting by Jeong Seon (1676-1759) of the Yangcheon area. Jeong Seon was a leader of the region from 1741 until about 1746. Courtesy of Matt VanVolkenburg |
Reportedly, in the first week of February, three travelers took lodging at one of the district's small inns ― a smart precaution as tigers, leopards and (about a decade later) wolves frequented the region. Unfortunately, not all of the predators were wild animals. Just after midnight, one of the companions got up and quietly packed his goods (along with his companions' goods) and left the inn. Apparently he wasn't quiet enough. Accoding to The Independent:
"The inn keeper heard a noise in the guest chamber and went out in the yard to investigate the cause of the untimely commotion. He caught a glimpse of the departing thief and immediately aroused the other guests and gave chase. The thief was overtaken at an inn two miles distant. He had donned the garb of the Confucian disciple and was sitting with the bar-maid exchanging with her sweet sentiments. The pursuers pounced upon him and bound him. A messenger was dispatched to the magistrate of the district asking him to take charge of the thief. The latter sent a squad of police and lodged him in jail. The Confucian disciples of the district became very indignant over the action of the magistrate for treating their fellow-scholar with such unceremonious procedure and they threatened to break the jail and set the prisoner free. The magistrate requested the governor of the province to send police [re]inforcements to protect the jail."
It is an amusing little anecdote but the magistrate did have reason to be concerned. Unrest was rampant outside the city gates and there are more than a few articles bemoaning the lawlessness of the land as bands of highwaymen terrorized small villages and pirates waylaid junks and other small boats on the river.
 |
| A painting of the Yancheon area by Kim Hui-seong in the late Joseon period. The image is from a signboard at the site of the Yangcheon Government Office in 2021. Robert Neff Collection |
VanVolkenburg was also kind enough to provide some information of the spirit tablet and the guardian spirit or goddess. According to him:
"The prefectural government complex was laid out in a way similar to Seoul. Just as the Hyanggyo was a local branch of Seonggyungwan, there would have been a Sajikdan, or altar to the gods of soil and grain here to the west of the magistracy, and yeodan, an altar for abandoned ghosts to the north, and the magistrate here would have carried out rites at both. The gods of soil and grain needed to be appeased to call for rains, while abandoned ghosts [had to be placated or they would] cause epidemics."
 |
| The entrance to Yangcheonhyanggyo in 2021 Robert Neff Collection |
Walking up the steep trails I didn't encounter any "abandoned ghosts" but I did encounter a number of hikers wearing masks in an effort to keep the malevolence of our present pandemic at bay.
I find it interesting that in all of the accounts I have read of Western visitors to Korea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I have not found any references to this site ― even though its location would have been favorable for foreign "explorers." The only reference I can think of was made by one American in the 1880s of a ghost that haunted the river near here or at the base of Haengju Fortress.
 |
| The beauty of Yangcheonghyanggyo is highlighted by blue plastic stools and vegetables drying in the late fall sunlight of 2021. Robert Neff Collection |
There are other little niches of the past secreted away on this small hill, including a Japanese military storage tunnel (there is a very small museum with free admission), a beautiful view of the river from Soaknu Pavilion and lots of paths to enjoy nature while hiking. If you get a chance ― once the pandemic has died down ― take VanVolkenburg's RAS Korea tour and learn about the history of not only Mount Gung but of the Yangcheon area of Gangseo District.
My appreciation to Matt VanVolkenburg for kindly providing me with information from his tour.
 |
| The past is surrounded by the present in 2021. Robert Neff Collection |
 |
| Placating the abandoned spirits and the fickleness of nature in 2021 Robert Neff Collection |
 |
| Soaknu Pavilion in 2021. According to the signboard, it was built on the site of a former pavilion (Akyangnu) by Lee Yu, the magistrate of this region during the reign of King Yeongjo (reign 1724-1776). It was a favored location for artists as it provided a commanding view of the river and the distant peaks. Robert Neff Collection |
 |
| Looking up at Mount Gung from the bike lanes in 2021 Robert Neff Collection |
Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books including, Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
