Taebaek-san

Taebaek-san Map

The "Grand White Mountain" is a Provincial Park on the southern border of Gangwon Province, a key point on Korea's "Baekdu-daegan" spine. It is one of South Korea's holiest mountains, famous for its nationalistically-oriented Shamanic energies. It hosts many important Shamanic shrines, grand annual ceremonies, and several small Buddhist temples. It shares the same name with the mythical mountain on which Korea's semi-divine founding king was born. It, therefore, features the Cheonje-dan (Heavenly-Ritual Shrine), where the spectacular annual Cheonje (Ceremony for Heaven) is held on the Gaecheon-jeol (Opening Heaven Day or National Foundation Holiday), October 3rd.

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Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Preparations for Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Preparations for Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Pilgrims at Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Pilgrims at Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Pilgrims at Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Pilgrims at Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Cheonje ceremony, Cheonje-dan Heavenly Ritual Shrine, Taebaek-san

Sanshin Mountain-spirit, Taebaek-san

Sanshin Mountain-spirit, Taebaek-san

Sanshin Mountain-spirit, Taebaek-san

Sanshin Mountain-spirit, Taebaek-san

Martin Gray

Martin Gray is a cultural anthropologist, writer and photographer specializing in the study of pilgrimage traditions and sacred sites around the world. During a 40 year period he has visited more than 2000 pilgrimage places in 165 countries. The World Pilgrimage Guide at sacredsites.com is the most comprehensive source of information on this subject.