Jeonil-ri Hackberry Grove, Boseong

At the edge of the fields in front of Jeonil-ri, a village in Hoecheon-myeon, Boseong, a line of centuries-old hackberry trees stands shoulder to shoulder. The Jeonil-ri Hackberry Grove is a village wood of 17 hackberries and one zelkova covering 799 m². Planted to break the strong sea wind and, in traditional belief, to make up for weaknesses in the village's site, it is a good example of the village groves of Korea's south coast and was declared a Natural Monument in 2007.

A link to Admiral Yi Sun-sin

The grove stands in front of the head house of the Yeonggwang Jeong clan. Tradition says it was planted by Jeong Gyeong-myeong, who distinguished himself under Admiral Yi Sun-sin during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, to mark his meeting with the admiral. Villagers read the coming harvest from how thickly the trees leafed out in spring and held a village rite every year, treating the grove as a guardian wood. For centuries it has shared the village's good years and bad.

Groves like this are known as bibo woods. In Korean geomancy, bibo means strengthening a weak or exposed spot in the landscape with trees or stones. South-coast villages planted trees where the land opened towards the sea, both to block wind and salt and to protect the village's fortunes. Hackberries tolerate sea wind and salt well, which is why they are so often the guardian trees of southern coastal villages. Folk etymology says the Korean name, paengnamu, comes from the "paeng" sound the small fruit made when children shot them from bamboo tubes.

What to see

Each tree is large and well formed, and despite their age most are in good health. Thick trunks split into several limbs close to the ground and their branches spread wide, joining into a single canopy. From the fields you see the trees lined up like a band against the hills; up close, thick trunks and gnarled bark show their age. Together with the surrounding landform and slopes, the grove is very much the face of the village. At 799 m² the grove is small enough to walk round in ten minutes, but it is worth slowing down to compare the shapes of the trunks. In autumn the hackberries carry small fruit and their leaves turn yellow.

Tripto tips

• Access: this is an open-air grove in front of the village and can be seen at any time. It is still a cherished village wood, so do not climb the trees or break branches, and keep noise down near people's homes. If you happen to arrive on the day of a village rite, watch from a respectful distance.
• Time needed: 20–30 minutes is enough.
• Getting there: the grove is at 385 Jeonil-ri, Hoecheon-myeon, Boseong. Buses to the village are infrequent, so a car is easiest. Lanes are narrow, so do not leave the car on the roadside by the grove for long; keep the way clear for residents and farm vehicles.
• Best time: April–May for fresh green leaves; in high summer the deep shade makes a good rest stop.
• Combine with: Yulpo beach in the same township or the Boseong tea fields for a day on Boseong's southern coast.