Jeongbang Waterfall

Jeongbang Waterfall
A long-exposure image of the waterfall (2007)
Map
LocationSeogwipo, Jeju Province, South Korea
Coordinates33°14′41″N 126°34′18″E / 33.244649°N 126.571662°E / 33.244649; 126.571662
Total height23 m (75 ft)
Number of drops1
Total width8 m (26 ft)
Jeongbang Waterfall
Hangul
정방폭포
Hanja
正房瀑布
Revised RomanizationJeongbang Pokpo
McCune–ReischauerChŏngbang Pokpo

Jeongbang Waterfall (Korean: 정방폭포) is a waterfall and popular tourist attraction located in Seogwipo, Jeju Province, South Korea.[1][2] The waterfall is 23 m (75 ft) high and is very close to the ocean.[2][3] Depending on the level of recent rainfall, it can be up 8 m (26 ft) wide.[4] The source of the waterfall is the stream Donghong-cheon.[5] It is considered to be one of Yeongjusipgeong, the ten greatest scenic wonders of Jeju Island.[1]

Legend states that a holy dragon lived underneath it.[6] It was said that the dragon's spirit is contained in the water which can cure diseases and bring rain during drought.[6] Furthermore, a nearby small waterfall is said to resemble a servant waiting on a lord.[6]

A legend states that Emperor Qin Shi Huang of China (259 BC – 210 BC) sent a servant, Seobul, to fetch the magical herbs of eternal youth from the island's mountain Hallasan.[7][1] Though he failed to find the herb, he encountered Jeongbang Falls on the way and he left his autograph, Seobul Gwaji (which literally means "Seobul was here"[8]), on the cliff wall, where it no longer remains.[1][9] An inscription on the wall of the waterfall saying "Seobulgwacha", refers to Seobul's journey.[7] The waterfall is one of the three famous waterfalls of Jeju, along with Cheonjiyeon Waterfall and Cheonjeyeon Waterfall.[1] A smaller waterfall, Sojeongbang Waterfall is 300 m to the east.[2][7][1]

The waterfall is also known to be a location related to the 1948 Jeju uprising. Civilians caught up in the uprising were executed near the falls, and their bodies were disposed of over the waterfall.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Jeongbang Waterfall in Jeju, Jeongbang Waterfall of Jeju, Korea". Archived from the original on December 19, 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin. (2008). Frommer's South Korea. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. pp. 392. ISBN 978-0-470-18191-1.
  3. ^ lifeinkorea.com. "Jeongbang Waterfall". Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
  4. ^ Simon Richmond (1 May 2010). Korea. Lonely Planet. p. 297. ISBN 978-1-74104-831-5. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  5. ^ Oh, Duck Chul; Choi, Young Chan; Ko, Yong Ku (1992). "An Investigation of the Water Quality of the Streams in Sogwipo City". Korean Journal of Limnology. 25 (1): 20–30.
  6. ^ a b c Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee (24 May 2010). Frommer's South Korea. Frommer's. pp. 404–. ISBN 978-0-470-59154-3. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  7. ^ a b c "Jeongbang Falls". Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Jeju Weekly". Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  9. ^ "::Jeju Tour Info::". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  10. ^ 박, 미라 (2023-05-29). "제주 유명관광지 '정방폭포'에 숨어있는 슬픈 4·3 이야기". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-06-19.