Efforts are underway to restore the name 'Hankyesan' (寒溪山), which was recognized as a separate mountain from Seoraksan during the Joseon Dynasty. Inje County in Gangwon Province plans to secure historical evidence through academic research and develop cultural tourism resources linked to Hankyesanseong and hiking trails.
According to Inje County, the county and the Gangwon History and Culture Research Institute will hold an academic conference titled 'Measures for Preserving the Hankyesan Place Name' at the Inje Miracle Library on September 18 at 2 p.m.
The event will be attended by over 50 participants, including Park Kwang-woo, director of the Gangwon History and Culture Research Institute, Choi Sang-ki, mayor of Inje County, Kim Do-hyung, chair of the Inje County Council, and experts in place names and history.
This conference aims to confirm the historical significance and transmission process of the Hankyesan name and to provide academic support for its restoration. It will also gather the necessary logic and materials for future place name designation.
Although the name Hankyesan is currently overshadowed by Seoraksan, historical records from the Joseon Dynasty indicate that it was recognized as an independent mountain. Research shows that during the Joseon period, the area now known as Seoraksan was divided into the Seoraksan and Hankyesan regions. By the late Joseon period, some documents began to use Seoraksan as a representative name encompassing both Hankyesan and Cheonhusan, gradually diminishing the distinctiveness of Hankyesan.
The name Hankyesan still exists in areas such as Hankye-ri, Hankye-ryeong, and Hankyesanseong in northern Inje County. Notably, 'Inje Hankyesanseong' was designated as a national cultural heritage site in 2019, recognized as Historic Site No. 553. This medieval fortress, built using the rugged mountain terrain, is a key relic demonstrating the historical transmission of the Hankyesan name.
The conference will focus on when the name Hankyesan was established and how it has been transmitted amid changes in the Seoraksan region's place names.
Yoo Jae-chun, an emeritus professor at Gangwon University, will present on 'The Formation and Transmission of the Hankyesan Name as Seen from Hankyesanseong.' Professor Lee Sang-kyun from Gangwon University will examine the historical transmission and transformation of the Hankyesan name and its spatial scope. Kim Soon-bae, vice president of the Korean Society of Cultural and Historical Geography, will analyze the background of the name 'Hankye' being maintained amid changes in the Seoraksan region's place names. Professor Shim Bo-kyung from Hallym University will propose directions for the designation of the Hankyesan name based on examples of other mountain place names.
A comprehensive discussion will follow, moderated by Emeritus Professor Yang Bo-kyung of Sungshin Women's University, featuring presenters and other experts, including Kim Heung-soo, former director of the Ojukheon Municipal Museum, Lee Sang-soo, curator at the Catholic Kwandong University Museum, Kim Ji-young, research professor at the National Gongju University Institute for Participatory Culture, and Heo Jun-gu, director of the Gangwon Cultural and Arts Research Institute.
However, establishing academic evidence does not mean the name will be officially recognized immediately. The designation or change of a place name must go through administrative procedures, including review by the Place Name Committee. The extent to which historical scope, public perception, and the relationship with the existing Seoraksan name are clearly organized during this conference will be crucial for future discussions.
Inje County plans to use the research findings as foundational data for restoring the original place name. It will also explore tourism content linked to surrounding historical and cultural resources, including Hankyesanseong and hiking trails.
Yoon Hyung-jun, head of the Inje County Cultural Heritage Team, stated, “We will examine the historical transmission and changes of the Hankyesan name and gather various opinions. We plan to use the results of the conference as foundational data for restoring the original place name.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.