Mount Myohyang () is a mountain in North Korea. It is named for the mystic shapes and fragrances found in the area. In the foundation myth of

Gojoseon Gojoseon (; ), contemporary name Joseon (; ), was the first kingdom on the Korea, Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary king Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in th ...

, the ''

Samguk sagi ''Samguk sagi'' () is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Completed in 1145, it is well-known in Korea as the oldest surviving chronicle of Korean history. The ''Samguk sagi'' is written in Classical ...

'' listed Mount Myohyang as the home of King Tangun, forefather of the Korean people, however, it is now believed that the myth originally meant

Paektu Mountain Paektu Mountain or Baekdu Mountain () is an active stratovolcano on the Chinese–North Korean border. In China, it is known as Changbai Mountain (). At , it is the tallest mountain in North Korea and Northeast China and the tallest mounta ...

Tourism

Myohyang is a North Korean tourist attraction and visited by many national tourists. There are several hiking routes on the mountain. Apart from the view, tourists are attracted by the

Pohyon temple Pohyon-sa is a Korean Buddhist temple located in Hyangsan county in North Pyong'an Province, North Korea. It is located within the Myohyangsan, Myohyang Mountains. Founded under the Koryo dynasty at the start of the 11th century, the temple flo ...

, built in the 11th century, the

Sangwon hermitage Sangwŏn County is a county of North Hwanghae, formerly one of the four suburban counties located in east P'yŏngyang, North Korea. Prior to 1952, Sangwŏn was merely a township of Chunghwa County. In 1952 it was separated as a separate county, ...

, the Kumgang hermitage, and the Habiro hermitage. The Ryongmun cavern is open to the public. At Myohyang-san is the

International Friendship Exhibition The International Friendship Exhibition is a large museum complex located at Myohyangsan, North Pyongan Province, North Korea. It is a collection of halls that house gifts presented to former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il from various forei ...

centre, dubbed the world's biggest treasure-house. On exhibit are presents received by North Korean leaders over the years. One building stores the presents given to

Kim Il Sung Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...

, while a smaller one holds those given to his son

Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader of North Korea from Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, the de ...

. The

Hyangsan Hotel Hyangsan County is a Administrative divisions of North Korea, ''kun'', or county, in Chagang Province, Chagang province, North Korea. It was established, following the division of Korea, from portions of Nyongbyon County, Nyŏngbyŏn county. The a ...

caters to luxury visitors, while the Chongchon Hotel is second-class.

Environment

Much of the mountain is covered by mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest and protected in a

national park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

. Some has been identified by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding i ...

as an

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...

(IBA).

World Biosphere Reserve

In 2009

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

designated Mount Myohyang a world

biosphere reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

, citing its cultural significance as well as the spectacular cliffs providing habitat for 30

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

plant species, 16 plant species that are threatened globally and 12 endangered animal species.

References

External links

''Ryongmun Cavern'' picture album
at

Naenara Naenara () is the official web portal of the North Korean government. History Naenara was the first website in North Korea, and was created in 1996. Usage Naenara carries publications such as '' The Pyongyang Times'', ' magazine, '' Korea ...

''Hyangsan Hotel'' picture album
at Naenara
Another picture album
at Naenara Mountains of North Korea Biosphere reserves of North Korea Important Bird Areas of North Korea Sacred mountains of North Korea {{Asia-protected-area-stub