Thursday, August 4, 2016

2016 July: South Korea: Daegu: Dodong-Seowon Confucian Academy, Biseul Mountain

Have some rest from the bustling transfers across the trains and buses and join an English theme tour by Daegu City Tours.  Tours available from the flyers are not confirmed unless they receive enough participants request for that day.  In my case, the Yangnyeongsi tourism office was very helpful in this one, they were able to connect me to the tour office and get my contact details for them to confirm if te tour will pursue the next day.  In the afternoon, I was able to received a call and they confirmed Biseul over Pangolsan, which I believe is also due to weather forecast. 

So to continue, there were 2 pick-up points from Daegu, they will confirm which one is better for you to go.  You gotta pay 5000krw to the guide upon boarding.  We have changed out itinerary a bit as agreed to all the passengers, so we skipped Daegu National Science Museum.  Instead bought our packed lunch at the Express Stop, drop by Dodong-Seowon Confucian Academy, then took the electric car to head to the top of Biseul Mountain or Biseulsan (which is normally excluded in a regular themed tours).  The driver said that taking the electric car will cost too much time and we will not make it, thus we have decided to skip the science museum.








Suwollru is  pavillion used as a main gate of the academy also as a resting/studying place of the scholars and students.  I did climb, but there is a barrier, so was not able to step on the upper floor to take photo of Nakdong River. 

Guide flyers will be given upon your arrival. 

  

Behind the Lecture Hall, where you'll find the stairs heading to the Shrine. 


Geouije annexed room, where the care takers can stay.

The walls made of mud and several layered stones. The guide said - the female roof plates and male roof ends inserted in the wall show the balance of Yin and Yang. 

Guarding the front of the gate is the 400-year-old gingko tree.  Even the trees, they need support as it aged a lot.  The branches were so thick and looks so heavy that some were already touching the grounds and some already have support to stay up in the air. 



 Exhibition hall


Beside the Lecture Hall (on the right) and Jangpango printing house/storage (on the left).  

In case you are not joining the tour, here's how to get to the academy.



Then, we headed to Biseul Mountain.  On a normal tour lunch will be on the Science Museum, since we skipped that, our packed lunch will be on the foot of Biseul Mountain.  But we also, jumped to next itinerary which is to immediately hop to the electric car heading to the top of the mountain, it was a 45 min ride on additional 5000krw.




With warning signs for dangerous sections having rocky slides.



After the ride, you'll have to walk 10-20 more minutes to reach the temple.











Behind the temple, you can further hike to the rocky part of the mountain, with some wooden guides.  This part is full or azaleas during spring time.


















Know more about Daegu City Tour Bus from http://www.daegucitytour.or.kr/eng.html