Danjeon-ri Zelkova Tree, Jangseong

At the entrance to Danjeon village in Bukha-myeon, Jangseong, a zelkova more than 10 m round spreads its branches in a half-dome beside a small pavilion. The Danjeon-ri Zelkova Tree is a Natural Monument counted among the largest zelkovas known in Korea. Villagers call it the "General's Tree", after the story that it was planted in memory of a brother who died in the Imjin War.

History: a tree planted for a brother

Tradition says the tree was planted by Kim Chung-nam, founder of the Dogang Kim family line in Danjeon, in memory of his elder brother Kim Chung-ro, who died in the Imjin War (1592–1598). It is estimated to be about 400 years old. The villagers regarded it as a sacred tree with spiritual power and every year, in the first lunar month, held a dangsan rite beneath it to pray for the village's wellbeing. The rite continued until the 1990s.

The tree was first listed as a South Jeolla Province Monument in 1998 and, recognised for its size, form and history, was raised to a national Natural Monument on 9 August 2007. It is the largest and oldest zelkova in Jangseong county. When it was listed by the province in 1998 it was recorded as 20 m tall with a girth of 10.5 m, so figures vary slightly between sources.

What to see

• Size: at its designation as a Natural Monument it measured 22.8 m high, with a girth of 10.1 m at breast height. Stand by the base and you will see it takes several people with arms outstretched to encircle it.
• Five great limbs: about 3 m up, the trunk divides into five limbs spreading in every direction. The north-eastern limb reaches out over the roof of the pavilion next to it.
• Exposed roots: thick roots bulge from the ground around the base. Part of the southern roots and a few small cavities in the trunk have been treated by tree surgery.
• Half-dome crown: from the fields at a distance, the evenly spread branches form a rounded half-dome.

Zelkovas and Korean villages

Zelkovas grow in the warmer regions of Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China. Because they spread wide, cast round pools of shade and live for centuries, they were often planted at village entrances as shade trees or as guardian trees for the village. They flower in May and their disc-shaped fruit ripens in October. The Danjeon-ri tree has likewise long served as a resting place for villagers and shade for passers-by.

Tripto tips

• Access: the tree stands by the village road and can be seen at any time, free of charge. Stay outside the protective fence and off the roots.
• Best time: spring, with fresh leaves; summer, for deep shade; and autumn, when the leaves turn yellow. In winter, with the leaves down, the framework of the five limbs stands out clearly.
• Time needed: 20 minutes to look round the tree and the pavilion.
• Getting there: the tree stands next to a pavilion about 20 m to the right of the road from Danjeon village towards Bukha-myeon.
• Combine with: Baegyangsa Temple, about 6 km to the north, for a fuller day out.