The respected Comrade
"A valuable legacy created by our ancestors through their struggle and creative activities, historical sites and relics are an asset of the nation that should be handed down from one generation to the next."
Mt. Kumgang, one of superb scenic beauties in Korea, stands impressively, cherishing many mysterious legends on each of jewel-like 12, 000 peaks, and preserves plenty of valuable historical remains such as old buildings and towers, tombstones and others, which demonstrate creative talents and artistic skills of resourceful and diligent Koreans.
Among them is Podok Hermitage noted for its wonderful architectural skill, hanging from a single leg on mid-cliff hundreds meters high.
Podok Hermitage is located in Manphok Valley, inner Kumgang, representative of scenic valleys.
In Manphok Valley is Paldam which is the most beautiful stream in the whole Kumgang, which starts from Paekryongdam and is linked to 8 ponds and cascades in layers in less than 1km upwards.
The 5th pond, Punsoldam is the highlight of scenic Manphok Valley. Here is Podok Hermitage, around Punsoldam, hanging about 150m high in the middle of Popgi peak running towards a high cliff.
The name of Podok is believed to come from Podok, a natural cave on a steep cliff 5.3m deep, 1.6-2m wide, 1-2m high, which holds a legend that a kind-hearted girl, Podok, lived with her widowed father.
Podok Hermitage, which is said to have been first built in Koguryo dynasty, originally had 2 buildings-the main building and Phandobang (where monks got together to study Buddhism), but now there remains only one, the main building known to have been repaired in 1808 after the rebuilding in 1675.
The main building, built on the breathtakingly steep cliff-side with the height of 20m, is one-room building 3.35m long and 0.85m wide, perilously stretching out of the cliff, supported by a copper pillar which is wound round by 19 pieces of copper belt of 7.3m, whose unique technical work carries visitors away.
Visiting Podok Hermitage, Ri Je Hyon, a poet (1287-1367) from Koryo period, read a poem as following:
Cool is the wind coming from between rocks
Deep and dark blue is the stream in the valley
Looking up at the cliff, leaning on the walking-stick
I admire the house standing supported by a single pillar, just like a bird ready to fly
The building has wooden floor and round pillars which are decorated with a wing of flower spray shape, colorfully painted and has lotus-pattern painted decorative ceiling.
When you are walking across the wooden floor, it keeps shaking with creaking sound, which feels like treading on eggs, and the whole building will shake even in a breeze.
The main building is a single-story one, but looks like 3-storeyed building with its eave-folded roof, gables on the facade, 4-side roofs, all in layers.
3 different types of roofs combined in good harmony above a single room standing on a single pillar is a unique architectural skill that can be found only in Podok Hermitage.
The intensive demonstration of different architectural skills of our style on a small building, its good harmony with natural beauty, the wonderful selection of its location and scale; all these are wonderful demonstration of brilliant talent of our ancestors.
Podok Hermitage, standing as ever demonstrating architectural skill of a long time ago, serves as a place of culture and rest for visitors, well preserved and maintained as a national treasure under the national cultural inheritance protection policy of our Party.
