Cultural heritage in Goyang
five-thousand years history
Current story of Goyang
2017-03-20
Dazzling natural monument, Songpo Baeksong
Symbolizing Goyang-si, Songpo Baeksong is 550 years old. It was planted from China during the reign of Sejong in Joseon Dynasty and has been designated as the natural monument. This tree is in white color fromm the body to branches/limbs. This tree features itself with small thorns on the cones. Baeksong becomes white as the wooden bark is peeled off. Therefore, it is called as Baeksong or Baekgolsong. Originated in China, this tree was known to be planted by the general Suwon Choi in the reign of the king Sejong in Joseon Dynasty. This tree has its height of 11.5m and width of 2.39m. When you look at it from the side, trees are seen as a fan in the shape of inverted triangle. Barks are not much whiter compared to other trees. There are two stories of how this tree was originated. One of them says that two of the Baeksong trees were received by the ambassadors from China to the person named Hagyum Yu during Junjo in the Joseon Dynasty (1567-1608), and the tree was presented to the ancestor of Choi. The toher says that the tree was planted by the generao Suwon Choi who worked in the place when Jongsu Kim pioneered six troops during the reign of king Sejong in Joseon Dynasty (1418-1450) on his way back to the hometown. Residents in the village called it as Dangsong as it was originated from China. Baeksong is a rare pine tree. As a tree showing cultural exchange with China, it is historically and culturally valuable that the tree has been designated as a natural monument. Songpo Baeksong has very thin barks with huge cones (three layers). This is what makes Songpo Baeksong different from other pine trees. The biggest feature of it is that Songpo Baeksong is in white color.