[One Day Walk] Following the Footsteps of the Donghak Peasant Movement... Naepodonghak Trail

Editor's NoteWe introduce walking courses designated as National Forest Trails due to their high ecological, historical, and cultural value. National Forest Trails include Jirisan Dullegil, Baekdudaegan Trail, Daegwallyeong Forest Trail, Naepo Cultural Forest Trail, Hallasan Dullegil, and others.

The course introduced this time is Naepo Donghak-gil of the Naepo Cultural Forest Trail. The Naepo Cultural Forest Trail is a long-distance walking course connecting four cities and counties around Gayasan (Seosan-si, Dangjin-si, Hongseong-gun, Yesan-gun) based on the historical, cultural, and ecological values of the Naepo region. In November 2021, the Naepo Cultural Forest Trail was designated as the first National Forest Trail among local government forest trails nationwide. When walking the Naepo Cultural Forest Trail, you can follow various types of signposts. If you get confused about directions on the forest trail, look for ribbon strips tied on tree branches.

The total length of Naepo Donghak-gil is 10.1 km. Naepo Donghak-gil is a path where you walk through historical sites related to the Donghak Peasant Movement, which confronted government and Japanese troops in the late Joseon period, such as Dangjin Myeoncheon Eupseong Fortress and Seungjeonmok (Victory Tree), tracing their footsteps together. Around Myeoncheon Eupseong Fortress, Pungakru Pavilion, Gunjajeong Pavilion, the natural monument ginkgo tree, and passing through Mongsanseong-gil, when you reach Seungjeonmok, you can see a narrow gorge shaped like an S between Ibaesan and the southern Wungsan.

[Photo by Naepo Munhwa Supgil Homepage]

Myeoncheon Eupseong Fortress is said to have been built in the 16th year of King Chungnyeol of Goryeo (1290), but it is presumed to have existed since the early Baekje period to defend against foreign invasions. Myeoncheon Eupseong Fortress had four main gates to the east, west, south, and north. It was rebuilt in the 13th year of King Taejong of Joseon and repaired during King Gyeongjong's reign. The presence of the Eupseong fortress in Myeoncheon was because this place was a major military base comparable to Dangjin until 1914.

Pungakru Pavilion is the main gate pavilion of Myeoncheon Government Office. The exact date when Pungakru was built is unknown, but it is said that in 1852, Myeoncheon County Governor Lee Gwanyeong repaired it, named it Pungakru, hung the signboard, and wrote the 'Pungakru-gi' inscription.

At Seungjeonmok, the site of the first and last victory of the Donghak Peasant Army against the Japanese army, an annual victory commemoration event is held with hopes for the prompt restoration of the Seungjeonmok battlefield site, which was damaged by stone mountain development and road construction. The Seungjeonmok victory site is where, during the 1894 Donghak Peasant Revolution, the Donghak Peasant Army of the Naepo region fought against the 19th Battalion of the Japanese rear infantry and the 1st unit of the allied army, resulting in a victory for the Naepo Donghak Peasant Army.