Natural Habitat of Diplomorpha at Hwabangsa Temple, Namhae

Diplomorpha sikokiana is found in Japan and, in Korea, in Namhae, Jindo Island and Ganghwado Island. It grows beneath trees in mountains and valleys, thriving especially in moist, fertile ground. The fibre of its bark and roots is used as a raw material for papermaking. It is an extremely rare shrub in Korea, found mainly around temples; this is thought to be because in the Joseon period, papermaking was generally carried out at temples, and the shrub was brought from Japan and planted around temples for this purpose. The natural habitat of Diplomorpha at Namhae grows along the hill to the left of the entrance to the temple called Hwabangsa and the valley beyond. Pine trees stand scattered nearby, together with sawtooth oak and Mongolian oak, but the Diplomorpha is gradually declining because of the pines and other undergrowth. This natural habitat is designated and protected as a natural monument both for its rarity, given that Diplomorpha now grows in only a very few, limited areas of Korea, and for its value as cultural material connected with the raw material once used for papermaking in Korea.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Namhae, Gyeongnam

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물