Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms

Geography, Volume 13

...Directly beneath the base of the rock, the opening is ten feet original: 丈 (zhang). A traditional unit of length approximately equal to 3 meters. wide. At the point where its depth can still be measured, it is only ten feet, but beyond that, the passage winds and curves so that its true depth is impossible to gauge. After the Start of Summer original: 立夏 (Lixia). One of the twenty-four solar terms in the traditional calendar, occurring in early May., ice begins to freeze within. In the extreme heat of midsummer, the ice becomes at its most solid, yet during rainfall, the ice thaws. In spring and autumn, the temperature is neither cold nor hot; in winter, the air is as warm as spring. This place is known as the Ice Cave.

The Moving Stone
Below the Peak of Nine Wells original: 九井峰 (Gujeong-bong)., two stones stand uniquely atop the layered cliffs. They are over ten feet high and roughly ten spans in circumference. To the west, they lean against the mountain summit; to the east, they overlook a sheer precipice. Although their weight is such that even a thousand people cannot move them, if a single person shakes them, they appear as if they are about to fall, yet they never do. Thus, they are also called the Spirit Stones original: 靈石 (Yeongseok/Lingshi).. The name of the prefecture Yeongam-gun (Spirit Rock County) in modern-day Jeollanam-do province. is derived from this landmark.

The Blue Crane Grotto
Located deep within Mount Jiri original: 智異山 (Jiri-san). Historically regarded as one of the most sacred mountains in Korea and a site of many legends.. The mountain path is extremely narrow, opening only as wide as a single thread, so that travelers must bow their bodies to proceed. After traveling for several miles, one reaches a vast and open realm. In every direction, the fields are fertile and the soil is rich, ideal for sowing and planting. Because only blue cranes In East Asian mythology, the blue crane is an auspicious bird associated with immortals and hidden paradises. dwell there, the place earned its name. It appears to be a site where those who withdrew from the world original: 遁世 (dunshi). Refers to the practice of seeking a hidden utopia to escape political turmoil or war. lived in ancient times, as there are still remains of crumbling walls and old embankments to be found.