I am not making this up! (I took a photo of the sign and you can enlarge it by clicking on it and read if for yourself).
“There are about a thousand tombs of aristocrats, eunuchs, and commoners from the Joseon period in Choansan (Mt.). Particularly noteworthy is the concentration of tombs of eunuchs who belonged to the Department of Eunuchs, and who were in charge of various court matters during the Joseon period. For that reason, Choansan was also referred to as Eunuchs Mountain…
“The tombs of eunuchs in the area mostly face west, where the palace is. It is mainly because of the topographical teatures of Choansan, but many believe is is because the eunuchs wanted to wish for the well being of the king even in death…
“The tombs of people from various classes, along with numerous stone monuments, are scattered in the area, and the serve as important materials for the study of ancestral rites, tombs, and stone monuments from the Joseon period.”
As I have mentioned previously, Don and Chris are hiking enthusiasts; they follow in Miriam’s footsteps. Me, not so much.
Nevertheless, I was not about to be left behind, so I walked and “hiked” along many of the trails they frequent, eager to immerse myself in the culture of Korea. And I was never disappointed.
Everywhere on Choansan, there are “burial mounds,” and I felt an eerie sense of… voyeurism?… No, that’s not quite right. Perhaps I felt like an interloper—one who did not quite belong.
I meant them no harm, only respect, and I walked in quiet contemplation, thinking the air felt thick with the souls buried there. It was at times unsettling, yet I also felt awe—when I wasn’t struggling to stay on my feet traversing the loose gravel and sometimes steep slopes!
I’ll let the photos finish this post; they can speak for themselves.