Yongmunsa (Yangpyeong)
782 Yongmunsan-ro, Yongmun-myeon, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province
The ginkgo tree at Yongmunsa Temple is estimated to be about 1,100 years old, with a height of 42.0m and a breast-height circumference of 11.0m. It holds the record for the oldest and tallest ginkgo tree in Korea, characterized by a growth (burl) at the base of its trunk. Legends say that this tree was planted by Crown Prince Maui, son of King Gyeongsun of Silla (reigned 927-935), who, heartbroken after losing his country, was on his way to Geumgangsan. Another legend claims that the tree grew from a staff planted by the Venerable Uisang. Furthermore, there are stories that blood flowed when an attempt was made to cut down the tree with a saw, and that when Japanese forces set fire to Yongmunsa Temple during the Jeongmi็พฉๅ ต (1907) uprising, only this tree remained unburned. It is also said that whenever a major national event occurred, the tree would make a sound to forewarn people. The Ginkgo Tree of Yongmunsa Temple in Yangpyeong was so highly regarded that it was given the rank of Dangsan-gwan (ๆญฃไธๅ, third senior rank) during the reign of King Sejong of Joseon (1418-1450). It is a tree that has lived for a long time under the care and attention of our ancestors and is designated and protected as a natural monument due to its high value as a biological resource. (Source: Cultural Heritage Administration)
