[One Day Walk] Feeling the Breath of Ganghwa School While Watching the Sunset on 'Ganghwa Nadeulgil Course 4'

A Total Distance of 11.5Km Connecting Gareung to Mangyangdon-daero

Course 4 of Ganghwa Nadeul-gil spans a total distance of 11.5 km, connecting Gareung, Jeong Jedoo's tomb, Geonpyeong Ferry, Geonpyeong Dondae, Oepo Passenger Terminal, Oepo Fish Market, and Mangyang Dondae, taking approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes. This course is characterized by the opportunity to see beautiful sunsets.

The start of Course 4 is Gareung. Gareung is the tomb of Queen Sun-gyeong Taehu, the wife of Wonjong, the 24th king of the Goryeo Dynasty. Queen Sun-gyeong Taehu gave birth to King Chungnyeol and passed away in Ganghwa shortly after. The stone artifacts were lost and the burial mound collapsed, but it was restored in 1974, excavated by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage in 2004, and then reconstructed.

You can also see the tomb of Jeong Jedoo, a late Joseon scholar who studied and developed the philosophy of Yangmingism, which advocates the unity of knowledge and action. Jeong Jedoo passed the special state examination during King Hyeonjong’s reign but gave up official posts due to the political turmoil and devoted himself to scholarship. Known for his outstanding scholarship and virtue, he was recommended by high officials and appointed to important positions but declined most of them to focus solely on academic research. He established the first ideological system of Yangmingism in Joseon, and his academic lineage is called the "Ganghwa School."

Passing the Hau Spring, you will see the tomb of Lee Geonchang, a late Joseon scholar and official, regarded as a leader of the Ganghwa School. Continuing on to Geonpyeong Ferry, the salty smell of fermented shrimp sauce stimulates your appetite. After passing Oepo Passenger Terminal and Oepo Fish Market, you reach the course’s end at Mangyang Dondae. Mangyang Dondae is a circular fortification 3 meters high, 2.5 meters wide, and 120 meters in circumference, with four cannon platforms and 40 embrasures. The upper part shows traces of a low wall built on top of the fortress and battlements. The sunset viewed from Mangyang Dondae is a luxury unique to this path.

The difficulty level of this course is "low," making it easy for beginner walkers. You can walk through forest paths dense with pine and oak trees, and along the coastal path, you can see the open sea in front of Oepo-ri. You can relax while watching the sun slowly set and the sky turn red.