Hamyang Mokhyeon-ri Gusong (Nine-Trunk Pine)

In front of Mokhyeon village in Hamyang, beside a small stream, stands a pine that splits into several trunks right from the base and spreads out like a huge round umbrella. Because its limbs once divided nine ways, it is called Gusong (九松), "the nine pines". Local tradition says it was planted about 300 years ago by the family that founded the village, so the tree in the middle of the fields still carries the memory of where the village began.

Planted by the village founders

Gusong is estimated to be about 300 years old. It is said to have been planted by the Haksan branch of the Jinyang Jeong clan, the first family to settle here, which makes the tree a living record of the village's origins. As an unusual form of pine with real cultural value as a link to local history, it was designated a national Natural Monument in 1988.

From nine trunks to seven

Unlike an ordinary pine that grows on a single straight stem, this one belongs to the multi-stemmed type known in Korea as bansong, branching from low down. Bansong pines divide into several stems close to the ground and form a dome like a half-open umbrella; they are often planted in gardens, but one this large growing out in the fields is unusual. Of the original nine limbs, two have died and seven remain. The most recent measurements give a height of 11.2 m, and at chest height the trunk divides into three stems with girths of 2.1 m, 1.7 m and 3.4 m. Records from around the time of designation give a height of 13.1 m and a girth of 4.5 m, so figures vary between sources.

Up close you can see the thick stems leaning against one another as they rise at an angle, then fanning out into a broad green canopy. There is a protective fence and an information board beneath the tree, with rice paddies, the stream and the ridges of the Jirisan foothills all around. From a distance it looks like the guardian tree that once marked the entrance to many Korean villages.

Tripto tips

• When to go: As an evergreen pine it looks good all year. In early summer after rice planting, or in autumn when the paddies turn gold, the colours of the fields make for the best photos.
• Time needed: 15–30 minutes is enough for the tree itself.
• Getting there: It lies about 5 km south-east of Hamyang Intercity Bus Terminal. Public transport is impractical, so come by car or taxi. The tree stands by the stream about 500 m in from the main road, so you can also leave the car at the start of the village lane and stroll in between the paddies. There is no fee and the tree can be seen at any time.
• Combine with: In Hamyang town is Sangnim Forest, a woodland said to have been planted by the late-Silla scholar Choe Chi-won to protect the town from floods. It is roughly a 15-minute drive away, so the two make an easy half-day outing on the theme of old trees. Sangnim stretches for about 1.6 km along the Wicheon stream, and in September its floor turns red with spider lilies.
• Good to know: The area around the tree is protected. Do not climb over the fence or hang on the branches, and take care not to step on crops when walking along the paddy edges.