Doseongul Cave

Halfway up Geumosan in Gumi, a natural cave opens like a half-moon in the middle of the sheer cliff beside Daehye Falls. This is Doseongul, named after the late-Silla monk Doseon, famous for geomancy, who is said to have reached enlightenment here. From the cave mouth the city of Gumi and the Nakdong River spread out below, making it the most thrilling viewpoint on a Geumosan hike.

The cave of Doseon and Gil Jae

Doseon was a monk of the late Unified Silla period, remembered as the man who popularised pungsu-jiri, the Korean art of reading the energy of the land. Legend has it that he meditated in this cave until he reached enlightenment, and the Goryeo monk Daegak Guksa and the late-Goryeo scholar Gil Jae are also said to have withdrawn here from the world. Gil Jae refused to serve the new Joseon court after Goryeo fell and stayed in the Gumi area teaching students.

Chaemijeong, a pavilion built in 1768 at the foot of Geumosan, honours Gil Jae. Its name, "picking ferns", recalls the ancient Chinese hermits Boyi and Shuqi, who lived on wild ferns rather than serve a usurper, just as Gil Jae chose a simple life over office. Stop there on your way up and the cave's story feels much closer.

A path opened only in 1937

The cave was admired for its setting, but for centuries there was no path to it, so people could only look up from below. In 1937 the head of Gumi township and local villagers cut a path into the cliff and recorded their work on the rock at the entrance. The last stretch still follows a ledge across the cliff face, and you edge along it holding an iron chain fixed to the rock.

Geumosan itself became Korea's first provincial park in 1970. The park covers about 37 km² across Gumi, Gimcheon and Chilgok, and the mountain has long been counted among the eight finest sights of the Yeongnam region.

What to see

• The view from the cave mouth: through the arched entrance you look out over the Gumi National Industrial Complex, the Nakdong River and, in the distance, Naengsan in Haepyeong-myeon. In autumn the red cliffs frame the view like a picture.
• The 1937 inscription: the record of the villagers who built the path is carved on the rock at the entrance.
• Daehye Falls: a short climb to the right after leaving the cave brings you to the 28 m Daehye Falls (some sources say 27 m). It is also called Myeonggeum Falls, "the falls that make the mountain ring".
• Haeunsa: Geumosan's old temple stands close to the foot of the falls and makes an easy stop on the way.

Tripto tips

• Visitor information: always open, every day, and free. There is a car park at the entrance to Geumosan Provincial Park.
• Getting up: walk from the park entrance, or take the Geumosan Cable Car from near Chaemijeong Pavilion to the area by Haeunsa, which makes reaching Daehye Falls and the cave much easier. Check cable car hours and fares on the Gumi city website.
• Time needed: with the cable car, allow about 2 hours to see the cave and falls and come back down. Allow more if you walk up.
• Watch out for: the cliff path to the cave is narrow and there is a risk of falling rocks. Don't push on after rain or when it is icy, and always hold the chain. Hiking boots are best.
• When to go: late October to early November, when the cliffs turn red, or just after the rainy season, when the falls are at full force.
• Combine with: carry on to the rock-carved standing Buddha and Geumosanseong Fortress near the summit for a full day's hike.