Ash Tree of Jeongok-ri, Hwaseong

The Ash Tree of Jeongok-ri, Hwaseong, stands at the foot of a hill behind Ungji Village in Jeongok-ri, Seosin-myeon, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province. Estimated, as of its designation date, to be about 350 years old, it is an old tree 9.0 m tall with a trunk girth of 5.0 m at breast height — unusually large for an ash tree, and beautifully shaped. The ash is a tall-growing tree common throughout Korea. Because its timber is hard, it was widely used for hoe handles and other farm tools and household implements, while its bark served as a traditional medicine ingredient for stomachics and anti-inflammatories; as a result, although it naturally grows tall, most specimens seen today are small. The Ash Tree of Jeongok-ri, Hwaseong, is unusually large for an ash tree, vigorous, and has a well-developed crown giving it a beautiful form. Moreover, until before the Korean War, villagers held village rites (dongje) and rain-prayer rites (giuje) beneath the tree, making it an object of villagers' faith for a long period and giving it great historical value as well; for these reasons it is designated and protected as a natural monument.

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Where it is

Region

Hwaseong, Gyeonggi

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물