Yongmunsa (Yangpyeong)

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 girth of 11.0m. Among ginkgo trees in Korea, it holds the highest record in terms of age and height, and is characterized by a protuberance at the base of its trunk. Legends tell that this tree was planted by Crown Prince Maui, son of King Gyeongsun of Unified Silla (reigned 927-935), as he carried the sorrow of losing his country and headed to Geumgangsan, and another legend says it grew from a staff stuck in the ground by Uisang Daesa. In addition, stories are told that when a saw was applied to cut the tree, blood flowed from that spot; that during the Jeongmi Uibyeong (Righteous Army of 1907) uprising, when Japanese forces set fire to Yongmunsa Temple, only this tree did not burn; and that it reportedly made sounds to signal major events in the country. The Yangpyeong Yongmunsa Ginkgo Tree was highly regarded to the extent of being granted the rank of Dangsan-gwan (Jeong 3-pum, a high official rank) during the reign of King Sejong of Joseon (1418-1450). It is a tree that has lived for a long time amidst the care and attention of ancestors, and its high value as a biological resource has led to its designation and protection as a Natural Monument.