Jeombangsan BeaconA Panoramic View of the Jeombangsan Beacon situated in Daehang-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun. The beacon sits atop Bonghwasan Mountain at about 77.2 meters above sea level.
Close-range View of Jeombangsan Beacon, BuanThis photo shows the Jeombangsan Beacon in Daehang-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun. It was designated as Jeollabuk-do Monument No. 140.
The top of Jeombangsan BeaconThe Jeombangsan Beacon in Daehang-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun. The beacon was designated as Jeollabuk-do Monument No. 140 on March 20, 2020.
CategoryCultural Heritage / Tangible Cultural Heritage
Korean부안 점방산 봉수
Chinese扶安占方山烽燧
Nickname대항리 봉수|부안 점방산 봉수
FieldHistory / Premodern
Contents TypeHistoric Site / Historic Site (General)
Current LocationSan 51, Byeonsan-ro Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
Definition
A frontline beacon mound of the Joseon Period in Daehang-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
Summary
Jeombangsan Beacon Mound in Buan was one of the main beacon mounds of the Joseon’s 5th Signaling Route linking Dolsando Island, Yeosu with Namsan in Hanyang. Regarding this beacon mound, Sinjeung Donggukyeojiseungram (Revised edition of the Culture and Geographic Records about Korea) states, “It is located 60 ri (23.56 ㎞) west of Buan-hyeon. It is in contact with the one in Wolgo-ri to the south and the one in Gyehwado to the north.” The Survey Data of Treasure Items and Historic Sites in Korea (compiled in 1942) says, “It is located on Bonghwasan Mountain in Daehang-ri, Sannae-myeon. It is round-shaped, and its diameter comes to 5 gan (about 9.09m).” To summarize, Jeombangsan Beacon Mound in Buan had the duty of receiving a signal from the one in Wolgo-ri in the southland, and then transmitting it to the one in Gyehwa-ri in the north. The records tell us that even during the colonial period, the round-shaped facility (where a fire was always lighted at the frontline beacon mound of the Joseon Period) remained in the place. Jeombangsan Beacon Mound in Buan was designated as Jeollabuk-do Monument No. 140 in March 20, 2020.
Background of Construction
There is no record left as to when Jeombangsan Beacon Mound in Buan was first built, but the information about it including its location is contained in olden-day literature and maps like Sejong Sillok Jiriji (Geography Section of the Annals of King Sejong), Sinjeung Donggukyeojiseungram (Revised edition of the Culture and Geographic Records About Korea), Daedong Yeojido (a large-scale map of Korea), Yeojidoseo (Book of Geography of Korea), Dongyeodo (map of Korea), etc. It is guessed that Jeombangsan Beacon Mound in Buan was built in the early Joseon Period, when the beacon mound system was set up, and operated until the late 18th Century when the system was abolished.
Location
Jeombangsan Beacon Mound Buan (at San-51, Daehang-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun), is located at the top of Bonghwasan Mountain (77.2 m), which is situated in the northwest to the village of Daehang, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun. The place is not that high and is located on a position protruding toward the West Sea. From here, the West Sea and the beacon mounds in Wolgo-ri in the south and in Gyehwa-ri in the north come clearly into view.
Forms
Jeombangsan Beacon measures 773 ㎡. It is composed of the oval-shaped ground measuring 50 m (L) by 20 m (W), a beacon facility measuring 7.8m (L) and 2 m (H), a stone embankment surrounding the facility, the site of what appears to be a supply storage, and a facility for making fire, which measures 5.5 m in diameter and its remaining height is about 1.5m.
Current Status
The overall current status and structure of the beacon mound were ascertained through the excavation survey by those from the Jeolla Cultural Heritage Research Center in August 29 – September 18, 2019. Although the ground structure related to the beacon has been significantly collapsed, its facilities such as a basic structure used for building the fire facility, its surrounding protective structure, and storage have been preserved relatively well.
Historical Significance
Jeombangsan Beacon Mound Buan has been the best preserved among the frontline beacon mounds left in Jeollabuk-do. There were even relics dating back to the Goryeo Period included in those unearthed through excavation survey. Thus, the site appears to be a very important historic site that may shed light on how a beacon mound was changed in the Goryeo- Joseon period. The site is also expected to emerge as a representative tourism resource of Buan-gun if adequately rearranged through historical research.