Geochang Geogiri Seonghwangdan

Seonghwangdan (Sŏnangdan) is a conical pile of stones built at the entrance of a village or on a hill pass, serving as a guardian deity protecting the village. Geochang Geogiri Seonghwangdan is located on the flat land of the valley plain formed by the Geogicheon Stream. It is 4.6m high and 24.3m in circumference, built in the form of a stone mound with numerous stones stacked in layers. A legend says that 500 years ago, the dragon horse of Gitdaebong Peak made it as a horse tomb together with a child. There is also a theory that the Seonghwangdan was made as a boundary marker or to be used as a weapon in emergencies, but its religious significance was strong. Next to the stone pile, sacred trees or totem poles (jangseung) are often erected together. Seonghwangdan, enshrining the Sŏnang deity, was a sacred area and a place of faith. Therefore, people passing by would leave something, such as stones, wood, or five-colored cloth. In Geochang Geogiri Village, a communal ritual is held at the Seonghwangdan every year on the day of the Great Full Moon (Jeongwol Daeboreum).