Indian Quassiawood of Songsa-dong, Andong

The bark of the Indian quassiawood contains the bitter compound quassin and is intensely bitter to the taste; the Korean expression "bitter as sotae" refers directly to this tree. Its branches and fruit have also been used as a remedy for indigestion, gastritis and similar complaints. The quassiawood of Songsa-dong is about 400 years old, stands 14.6 m tall and has a girth at breast height of 5.37 m on its eastern side and 3.35 m on its western side — very large for a tree of this species. It grows in the back garden of the Gilsong branch school of Gilan Elementary School, forming a small grove together with some ten other trees, including a Chinese scholar tree, zelkova and hackberry. The precise origin of the Songsa-dong quassiawood is unknown, but the presence nearby of a seonangdang — a small shrine housing a village guardian spirit — together with several large, old trees standing together, suggests that this was once protected as a seonghwallim, a sacred grove guarding and protecting the village. Even today the villagers hold a rite here every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, praying for the village's peace and a good harvest. The quassiawood of Songsa-dong, Andong is an exceptionally old and large specimen of its species, giving it great biological conservation value, and it also serves as valuable evidence of the religious culture of our ancestors, giving it high cultural value as well. It is accordingly designated and protected as a natural monument.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Andong, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물