Pagoda Tree of Samwol-ri, Dangjin

The pagoda tree has a round, gentle form, and in China it was favoured for planting at the graves of high officials and at the homes of scholars. In Korea it was brought back by envoys travelling to and from China and planted at hyanggyo, local Confucian schools, and at Buddhist temples. As a broadleaf tree, the pagoda tree is especially resistant to pollution, and it is also widely planted as a street tree and in parks. The Pagoda Tree of Samwol-ri, Dangjin is about 500 years old, standing 25.5 m tall with a girth at breast height of 6.2 m; its branches spread evenly upward and outward, giving it a beautiful form. Tradition holds that it was planted by Yi Haeng, who served as Left State Councillor under King Jungjong, when he settled here in 1517, the twelfth year of King Jungjong, and built his house, praying for the prosperity of his descendants. A member of the pea family originally native to China, the pagoda tree has long been believed to ensure that a household in which it is planted will produce great scholars and figures who achieve great things for the nation and its people. There is also a custom that planting the tree before a gate keeps evil spirits away, bringing lasting peace to the household, and a legend that abundant blossom foretells a bountiful harvest, while sparse blossom foretells a poor one. The Pagoda Tree of Samwol-ri, Dangjin has grown for a long time under the care and attention of past generations, and its value as biological material means it has been designated and protected as a natural monument.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Dangjin, Chungnam

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물