Geumgang Mountain (Editing Continuity)

If we have to choose the most beautiful mountain in Korea, we will not hesitate to choose Geumgang Mountain.
The oddly shaped rocks and mountain peaks, deep valleys with winding and clean water, thick forest, superb scenic beauty changing every season, great natural beauty of sea and lakes and many temples etc.? All these beauties of Guemgang Mountain have attracted people's hearts above the time

This beauty of Geumgang Mountain has led creation of many art works under various themes. The oldest painting remained until now is Geumgangsan Dammoogal Bosal Hyunshindo (meaning: Painting of appearance of Buddhist Saint Dammoogal in Geumgang Mountain). This painting is expressing the story that, when the King, who was the founder of Koryo, climbed Geumgang Mountain, the Buddhist Saint Dammugal was appeared so that they worshiped him and built a temple in that place. It was pained using golden powder on the thin wooden plate which was coated with earth. The appearances of Amita Guzondo, Geamgang Mountain Dammoogal and Buddhist Saint Jijang are painted on both sides of the plate and incantations are decorated on the sides of the main paintings. On the incantations decoration, Vajra is described.
This work, which is supposed as an article used in Buddhist civilization, is very important not only as remains of wooden art but also in the respect of the history of painting. Its active brushing line went on swimmingly and the details are delicately described as showing its outstanding techniques and skills. It is also very meaningful as it is the oldest painting describing Geumgang Mountain and shows the relationship between Geumgang Mountain and the Buddhist Saint Dammoogal.

The way presenting scenery of mountain is succeed to the paintings of Geumgang in the latter period of Chosun Dynasty. The scenery of Manpokdong Fall, which has the fairest view in Geumgang Mountain, Maae Buddhist statue, which was sculptured using a rock in the upper water of the Manpokdong valley, Yeonjudam, which is famous for its clear color of water, Chongseokjeong, a basalt rock pillar made by waves of the East Sea and many picturesque views of Geumgang Mountain have presented in the paintings of various painters over the time. A small temple of Boduckam, hanging at the end of a peak where cool and exhilarating panorama is seen at a sight, has also been a subject matter of painting through the times, found from the Korean traditional paintings to modern paintings.

Likewise, the superb view of Geumgang Mountain has been sublimated as various art works in the past and until present. Among these, Geumgang Mountain Folktale Folding Screen is best describing the grand panorama of Geumgang Mountain to be seen at a view. The painting is consisted of eight parts of screens and made as a folding screen that is used as a decoration in the traditional Korean houses. As the peaks of Geumgang Mountain are painted and their geographical names are written, it looks like a travel guidebook.

Further, Geumgang Mountain is specially meaningful in Korean Buddhism. Geumgang Mountain appears in Hwaumgyung (Garland Sutra) as a holly mountain which secures a place in after world as only seeing the mountain once. Koreans regarded the real Geumgang Mountain the same as Geumgan Mountain appears in the Buddhist scripture and served it as a subject of the religion. Thus, the Buddhist sculptures made in this period are reflecting people's religious minds.
Geumgang Mountain has helped produce various art works based on its great natural environment and the Buddhist civilization, and still beloved from many people as a noted mountain.