Once a single granite stone, this carving dates all the way back to the 9th century. During the 7th year of Queen Seondeok of the Silla Kingdom's rule, a young man by the name of Uihyeon ascended 2,790 feet to the top a round hill and carved the statue in order to appease his ailing mother's soul. Legend persists that the statue will answer only the prayers of those who pray with their entire heart. Every fall, thousands of Koreans from all over the country make the trek in order to pray for their children's success on the college entry exams.
The name "Gatbawi" comes from the flat rock situated on the top of the statue's head. The rock resembles a traditional Korean hat, or a "Gat", and the word "bawi" means rock or stone in Korean. The hike only took about an hour and half and it wasn't too strenuous as the rocky terrain provided a bit of a staircase that wound up through the pine.
A temple usually signals the beginning of a hiking trail and this one began at Gwanam Temple. The temple complex was of average size and positioned so that benevolent mountain spirits could flow southward down the mountain to greet mankind.
Although foot traffic on the way up was pretty light, the mountain top was teeming with people wishing good fortune upon the statue.
And finally, Old Stone Hat himself.
Wild Korea
I think I've said this before, but wildlife in Korea is pretty scarce. Aside from a few Wild Josh sightings, I haven't really come across anything else worth noting.
Until now:
The Wild Korean Rock Tailed Mountain Cat Lion
The extremely rare Mountain Pigeon
This sign translates to read "Beware of the storks overhead, as they will drop unclaimed children on you."
...no it doesn't.
