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Location301-1|252-20, Gyeoksang-gil Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- CategoryTour/ Natural Environment
- Korean부안 채석강·적벽강 일원
- Chinese扶安彩石江赤壁江一圓
- FieldGeography / Natural Geography
- Contents TypePlace Name / Name of Natural Place
- Location301-1, Gyeoksang-gil Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- Location252-20, Gyeoksang-gil Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- Definition
- Located in Gyeokpo-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, the Chaeseokgang and Jeokbyeokgang Cliffed Coasts, formed on the coast by wave erosion.
- Summary
- Byeonsan Peninsula's coastal areas include the northwestern part (Byeonsan Beach/Gosapo Beach), western part (Jeokbyeokgang Cliff, Yonggul Cave, Chaeseokgang Cliff, Gyeokpo Beach), and southern part (Sangnok Beach, Mohang Beach, Solseom Island). Chaeseokgang and Jeokbyeokgang are scenic spots created by coastal erosion on the westernmost part of the Byeonsan Peninsula. The coastal features can be divided into rocky and sandy coastline: Chaeseokgang Cliff and Jeokbyeokgang Cliff are the rocky area where the bed rock is exposed contains sea cliffs, sea caves, and wave-cut platforms, sea stacks, sea arches, notches, marine pot holes, and coastal tafoni. Sea cliffs are formed by wave erosion and they are mainly developed on the rocky beach. When sea cliffs are eroded by waves and retrogressed, the solid part becomes a sea stack, while the weak part, a sea cave or sea arch. Examples of sea cliffs formed by coastal erosion include Daehang-ri Beach, Chaeseokgang, and Jeokbyeokgang, including the beach to the west of Bonghwabong Peak. Wave-cut platforms, which are flat eroded surface of bed rock, are formed simultaneously when sea cliffs are retrogressed. There are two types of wave-cut platforms, i.e., smooth-surfaced and rough-surfaced ones. Having been formed on layers of sedimentary rocks, those on Chaeseokgang and Jeokbyeokgang are rough-surfaced ones. Affected only during the full tide, the wave-cut platforms formed on the West Coast of the Korean Peninsula are likely to have been formed during the last interglacial period preceding the postglacial age. Examples of wave-cut platforms on the Byeonsan Peninsula are Chaeseokgang, Jeokbyeokgang and the beach to the west of Bonghwabong Peak. Examples of sea caves are Jeokbyeokgang [Yonggul Cave] and Chaeseokgang [Sipja Cave].
Gyeokpori Layer distributed in Gyeokpori was composed of clastic sedimentary rocks and pyroclastic rocks that filled Gyeokpo Basin, which was a lake during the Cretaceous Era. It can be observed in Chaeseokgang and Jeokbyeokgang. The west and north sides of Gyeokpori Layer cover the Jurassic granite, and the south side cover stone-starching rock through a nonconformity. Gyeokpori Layer is chiefly made up of conglomerate, pebbly sandstones, sandstones, and dark gray clay rocks. Volcanic force enmeshed the rocks, and tuff beccia often appear in the middle of layers. Observed in the sedimentary layer are small-scale reverse faults, normal faults, Deposition Simultaneous Wet Structure, flame structure, intrusion structure, etc. In Chaeseokgang and Jeokbyeokgang, in-layer turbulence structure, large and small, can also be observed, which appear to have been formed through slumping or flow of water before the solidification of sediments.
- Origin of the Name
- It is said that Chaeseokgang was named after Caishiji, China, which is famous for as the place where Li Bai (701-762), Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, enjoyed its splendid scenery because Chaeseokgang’s scenic site resembles that of Cishiji. Similarly, Jeokbyeokgang was named after Chibi, China, which is known for its association with Su Shi (1036-1101), Chinese poet of the Song Dynasty with the same reason.
- Natural Environment
- 1. Chaeseokgang
Chaeseokgang is located at 301-1 (127,372㎡) Gyeokpo-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do. It is within the Byeonsan Peninsula National Park of Byeonsan Peninsula. It refers to the 1.5 km-long rocky cliff including Dalgibong Peak at the westernmost end and the sea. It is also known as Chaeseokbeomju, one of the eight sights of Byeonsan.
The section of the cliff below Dalgibong Peak to the north of Gyeokpo Port shows layers of sedimentary rocks in diverse colors. It is called Gyeokpori Layer, where the succession of strata made up of conglomerate, sandstones, clay rocks, shales, and volcanic ashes forms an alternation of strata. It is guessed that the underwater Delta formed with volcanic products deposited at the bottom of the deep lake came to be revealed. Chaeseokgang Cliff has diverse geological structures and topographical features such as flexure and rift structures, intrusion structures, wave-cut platforms, and sea caves. Even now, the coastal cliff is in the process of receding due to wave erosion.
As for the sedimentary structure of Gyeokpori Layer, it is parallel layers heaped one after another in an orderly way. A fault is a disconnected geological structure of the strata. At Chaeseokgang, the inclination of a fault plane is almost horizontal, and a thrust fault appears to be about 20 m. The point is made up of a sedimentary layer of shale and sandy soil. Chaeseokgang displays the cross sections of sedimentary layers affected by sea erosion. Normal faults and reverse faults can be ascertained here and there.
2. Jeokbyeokgang
Jeokbyeokgang is a 2 km-long sea cliff at 252-20 Gyeokpo-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do. Jeokbyeokgang is composed of a rocky cliff in areas including the foot of Yongdusan Mountain where Suseongdang Shrine is situated, Daemagol Valley, and Yeoulgul Cave. The whole area of Jeokbyeokgang Cliff is basically composed of granite and gneiss dating back to the pre-Cambrian Period, and shales/calcareous shales, riprap rubble s, conglomerates or the like deposited during the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era (80 million – 60 million years ago) form the alternation of strata. The felsite stones that erupted during the late Mesozoic Era penetrated into the strata. The area features well-developed faults and flexures.
Gyeokpori Layer in the whole area of Jeokbyeokgang Cliff is about 500 m-thick non-sea layer made up of breccias, volcanic clavicular conglomerates/sandstones, siltstones, and black shales. It is guessed that it was from a strike-slip fault zone. Looking at the succession of strata, its lower part is made up of tuff layer and layers of breccia, whereas its upper part is predominantly made up of sandstones, black shales, and slates. The shales and slates in the upper part have become easily breakable due to exposure to weather for a long period. Hornfels rocks containing much silicon are inserted into sedimentary rocks along Jukmak-dong Beach, suggesting that there were volcanic activities even in the middle of formation of sedimentary rocks.
At Jeokbyeokgang, you can observe the boundary between Gyeokpori Layer and Gomso Rhyolite. Along said boundary, you can observe the flame-shaped structure formed by peperite and bottom-layer of clay rock inserted into the upper-part rhyolite. The term peperite, which is formed when magma comes into contact with wet sediments, originates from the similarity in appearance of the granules of dark basalt in the bright limestone to black pepper. Magma flowed into sediments containing water that has not hardened yet, causing the water to expand and explode and then harden after being mixed with rock pieces. Peperite found in Jeokbyeokgang measures less than 3 m thick. Diverse horn-shaped rhyolite pieces are mixed with clay rock irregularly.
A fault is formed through a change in position with the sliding of layers of rock on both sides. The igneous rocks are formed by the cooling and crystallization of hot molten material called magma or lava. As such, in most cases they show joint systems related to the tensile stresses developing during the process of cooling and crystallization. Columnar joints, which are composed of vertical column-shaped joints, often found in areas of volcanic rocks, which are formed with lava or volcanic fragmental matter. In the area of Byeonsan Peninsula, they are found in rhyolites in Jeokbyeokgang, Byeonsan tuff around Jikso Falls, and Waryongso Falls.
- Current Status
- Chaeseokgang and Jeokbyeokgang Cliffed Coasts (600,574 ㎡) was designated as Scenic Spot No. 13 in November 17, 2004. To the north of Chaeseokgang lies Gyeokpo Beach, which is the sandy seaside. From the octagonal pavilion at the top of Dalgibong Peak on the cliff, the sea of Chilsan and Wido Island come into view. A breakwater facility was installed at Gyeokpo Port [designated as Class 1 Port in 1987] to the south of Chaeseokgang.
Jeokbyeokgang is composed of a rocky cliff in areas including the foot of Yongdusan Mountain where Suseongdang Shrine (the current building was built in 1972) is situated, Daemagol Valley, and Yeoulgul Cave. And there is a legend related to fishers folklore and folk beliefs. Suseongdang is a shrine where people pay homage to sea goddess Gaeyang Halmi (Grandma), who is believed to control the Chilsan Fishing Ground of the West Sea and her eight daughters. The relevant relics dating back to the Three Kingdoms Period were unearthed in 1992. Here, nearby islands in the West Sea such as Gogunsan Archipelago, Sangwangdeungdo, Wido, Sikdo, and Biando create the beautiful scenery of the sea. Next to the site is a colony of the silver magnolia (Natural Monument No. 123). The area of Yongdusan Mountain is also called Sajameori Rock as it resembles the head (meori) of lion (saja) based on the view from the eastern coast.