Shortly before 10 a.m., we started climbing Namhansanseong Fortress from Macheon-dong.

Original Korean article: Namhansanseong hiking story from Macheon-dong and down to Seongnam: The forest and fortress path read through the Five Elements of Myeongnihak

Just as I was reminded of the five elements of rocks and forests while walking on Bukhansan Mountain, this time I decided to read the forests and walls of Namhansanseong Fortress from the perspective of Myungri studies.

The path of wood that started in Macheon-dong

The entrance to Namhansanseong Fortress from Macheon-dong was a road where you could first feel the energy of wood. The green was thick, and the road was not rushed.

Wood is the energy of beginning and growth. The forest path at the beginning of the hike was like that. As I walked deeper into the forest, my thoughts gradually became more organized.

The fire that comes to life on the uphill climb

As the stairs and uphill continued, the energy of fire rose. I was a little short of breath, and the heat inside my body began to move.

Fire is a force that is revealed externally. In the mountains, you first feel it through sweat and breathing. The ascent of Namhansanseong Fortress was not a rough one, but a slow way to awaken the body.

The gold you feel when passing the castle

As you pass through the forest and get closer to the castle, the atmosphere changes. The hardness of the stone comes through the softness of the wood.

Gold is the energy of order and vigilance. The walls of Namhansanseong Fortress had that feeling. As I was walking along the forest path, the moment I passed the stone gate, the texture of the path changed.

Namhansanseong Fortress is a fortress that was largely rebuilt in 1626, the fourth year of King Injo of the Joseon Dynasty, based on the old site of Jujuseong Fortress built during the Unified Silla Dynasty. When walking around the fortress wall, it naturally comes to mind that this road was not just a walking trail, but was a boundary established to protect Hanyang.

The stability of the earth seen from the view

As the view opened above the castle walls, I could see the city in the distance. On the way up, a scenery that had not been seen before unfolded all at once.

I wanted to read this scene with the energy of earth. Earth is the force of center and balance. The city seen from the top of the castle was busy, but the movement seemed a step away.

It was a strange feeling to look down on the current city from the fortress that guarded the southeastern part of Hanyang. The scenery that would have been a defensive sight in the past was now a view that allowed one to take a moment to catch one's breath.

The energy around Sueojangdae

As it got closer to lunchtime, the atmosphere inside the fortress became clearer. Around Sueojangdae, the green of the forest, the colors of the architecture, and the stones of the castle were all visible.

It is difficult to talk about just one Five Elements here. The vitality of wood, the restraint of gold, and the stability of earth were placed together.

Namhansanseong also contains memories of the Manchu War. A war broke out in 1636, and the king and court of Joseon endured time within this fortress. So, although the stones here were hard, the anxiety of the time seemed to remain within that hardness.

If Bukhansan Mountain was strong with its rocks and ridges, Namhansanseong Fortress felt like the forest and castle were in balance. Compared to the previously written account of Myeongrihak hiking in Bukhansan Mountain, the difference is clearer.

The water road leading down to Seongnam

As the afternoon approached, the road down towards Seongnam was close to the energy of water. Water is a symbol of flow and organization.

The forest on the way down was different from the way up. If the green of the departure awakened the body, the green of the descent calmed the mind.

Namhansanseong Fortress felt like a road that naturally showed the flow of wood, fire, metal, earth, and water as it started from Macheon-dong and went down to Seongnam.

Thoughts remaining after walking

What remained for a long time on this hike was more sense than information. One thing to note is that in Namhansanseong Fortress, history is superimposed on the sense.

The forest spoke of the beginning, and the climb awakened the body. The castle built the heart, and the view broadened the gaze. Hassan-gil calmly sent me away again.

Namhansanseong Fortress was a mountain where the language of Myungri and historical time were placed together without being excessive.

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This article is an English translation and global-reader adaptation of the Korean post “Namhansanseong hiking story from Macheon-dong and down to Seongnam: The forest and fortress path read through the Five Elements of Myeongnihak.” It preserves the original article’s main explanation, examples, and practical context.

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