Cheongyang

Cheongyang (청양) is a quiet, mountainous county in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Known for its clean natural environment, it is famous nationwide for its spicy Cheongyang chili pepper and as the setting of the popular Korean folk song "Chilgapsan."

Cheongyang is the smallest county in South Chungcheong Province. The area is centered around Chilgapsan (칠갑산), a mountain considered sacred locally, said to embody the "seven origins of creation" (hence the name). The county has developed tourism infrastructure, including a large park golf course built on a former mine site and new observation facilities on Chilgapsan.

Cheongyang is known across Korea for Chilgapsan, the mountain behind a well-known Korean folk song. Visitors come to hike the mountain, walk across the 207 m Cheonjangho Suspension Bridge, visit the temple of Janggoksa, and try local dishes made with chili peppers and gugija (goji berries).

Cheongyang's story starts with the Baekje kingdom, whose builders left Usanseong, a stone-and-earth fortress wall that runs about 965 m along the ridges near the town center. Buddhism settled in the surrounding mountains early too: Janggoksa Temple on the slopes of Chilgapsan dates from 850 and still has two main halls, one above the other, a layout rare among Korean temples.

Later chapters are told in smaller places. Darakgol-julmudeom marks a burial site of Catholics persecuted under the regent Daewongun, and the area is the birthplace of Choi Yang-eop (1821–1861), Korea's second Catholic priest. Modeoksa Shrine, founded in 1914, honors Choi Ik-hyeon (1833–1906), a Joseon patriot who raised volunteer soldiers against Japanese occupation and died on Daema-do (Tsushima).

Cheongyang sits inland among mountains, so its seasons are sharp. Winters are cold and dry: January is the coldest month, with daytime highs around 3 °C and nights near −8 °C, and only about 7% of the year's rain falls between December and February. Summers are hot and very wet. July and August have highs of 29–30 °C and bring roughly 590 mm of rain between them, about 45% of the annual total of around 1,290 mm, so expect downpours during the monsoon. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for walking in the hills: April, May and October have mild days (about 18–24 °C in spring, 20 °C in October), but nights are cool (4–10 °C in spring, about 7 °C in October), so bring an extra layer.

• 36.4082126.85111 Chilgapsan Provincial Park (칠갑산 도립공원), 충청남도 청양군 대치면 장곡길 241, ☏ +82 41-940-2721. weather-dependent, may be closed during dry season for fire prevention. The mountain that gives the county its name and is considered to embody the "seven origins of creation." A popular hiking route runs from Hantigogae pass down to Janggoksa Temple, taking about 3 hours. Trailheads are also accessible from Daechi Tunnel, Cheonjangho, Dorimsaji, and Kkachine Recreation Area. free (parking free at Janggoksa, Chilgapsan, Jicheon, Cheonjangho areas).  

• 36.4097126.85112 Janggoksa Temple (장곡사), 충남 청양군 대치면 장곡리, ☏ +82 41-942-6769. A thousand-year-old temple on the slopes of Chilgapsan, home to three National Treasures of Korea. Known for a 5.7-km royal cherry blossom (wangbeot) tree tunnel leading to the temple, free to visit. free.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 36.4149126.91573 Cheonjangho Suspension Bridge (천장호 출렁다리), 충남 청양군 정산면 천장리. 09:00-18:00. A suspension bridge over Cheonjang Lake, one of Cheongyang's best-known landmarks, featuring a golden dragon sculpture tied to local legend.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 36.4389126.84844 Chilgap Tower (칠갑타워), 충남 청양군 대치면 칠갑산로 704-10, ☏ +82 41-940-2218. 10:00 - 17:00. A newer landmark (opened around early 2026) featuring a 102-m skywalk and observation deck over a lake, said to have drawn 100,000 visitors within its first four months. ₩2,000 toddlers (36 mo-6 yr), ₩3,000 children (7-12), ₩5,000 teens (13-18), ₩7,000 adults (19+); cash not accepted; no senior/group discounts.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 36.4349126.7595 Goun Botanical Garden (고운식물원), 충남 청양군 청양읍 군량리 389-2, ☏ +82 41-943-6245. 09:00-17:00 (Mar-Nov), 09:00-16:00 (Dec-Feb), daily. A botanical garden with around 10,000 plant species, designed to follow the natural contours of the mountain rather than artificial landscaping. ₩8,000 adults, ₩5,000 students (kindergarten-high school), ₩5,000 seniors(65+)/disabled; groups (30+): ₩7,000 adults, ₩4,000 students, ₩5,000 seniors/disabled.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 36.4584126.80796 Usanseong (우산성), 충청남도 청양군 청양읍 칠갑산로9길 89-4 (near downtown Cheongyang, running through Eumnae-ri, Songbang-ri and Baekcheon-ri). A Baekje-period fortress, designated Chungcheongnam-do Monument No. 81, whose walls run about 965 m along the ridges and valleys of Usan Mountain. The site includes a stone standing Buddha triad (Treasure No. 197) and a three-story stone pagoda.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 36.4099126.85147 Chilgapsan Jangseung Park (칠갑산 장승공원), 충남 청양군 대치면 장곡길 119-17. A theme park opened in 1999 to preserve Korean totem pole (jangseung) culture, with two 11.5-m-tall main poles, Chilgapsan Daejanggun and Chilgapsan Yeojanggun, and jangseung from across the country.  
• 36.4336126.88988 Chilgapsan Observatory (칠갑산 천문대), 충남 청양군 정산면 한티고개길 178-46 (inside Chilgapsan Provincial Park.). An astronomy science center open to the public, with a main observatory housing an APO 304 mm refracting telescope described as Korea's largest, a smaller dome observatory, a screening room, and a 12 m geodesic projection dome.  

• 36.4099126.91321 Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival (Cheongyang Alps Village) (칠갑산 얼음분수 축제): Annually, from late December to mid-February, 충남 청양군 정산면 천장리 164-1. A winter festival featuring an ice fountain, ice sculptures, and snow sculptures around Cheonjang Lake. ₩9,000.
• 36.445974126.7975392 Cheongyang Chili Pepper and Gugija Festival (청양 고추구기자축제): Annually in September, 청양군 청양읍 은천동길 16-6 백세건강공원, ☏ +82 41-943-0717. An annual harvest festival celebrating Cheongyang's chili peppers and gugija (goji berries), with local food stalls and cultural performances.
• 36.4099126.85143 Chilgapsan Jangseung Culture Festival (칠갑산 장승문화축제): Annually in spring (county page says mid-April, the park page says May; confirm the current date), 충남 청양군 대치면 장곡길 119-17 (Held at Chilgapsan Jangseung Park.). A festival on traditional totem pole (jangseung) culture, with a jangseung ritual, the raising of a large jangseung and sotdae pole, carving demonstrations, and an exhibition of original jangseung works.
• 36.4153126.91464 Cheonjangro Trail (천장로): (Starts at the Cheonjangho parking lot and crosses the Cheonjangho Suspension Bridge. By bus, take the Cheongyang–Jeongsan bus from the Cheongyang city bus terminal to the Cheonjang-ri stop and walk to the parking lot (Cheongyang Transport, +82 41-942-2788). By car, take the Cheongyang interchange of the Gongju–Seocheon Expressway, drive toward Jeongsan, and turn toward Cheonjang-ri at the Chilgapsan rest area.), ☏ +82 41-940-2723. A hiking route to the summit of Chilgapsan (561 m) that begins across the Cheonjangho Suspension Bridge; the walk from the parking lot to the trailhead is 0.77 km. From the first trail junction it is 3.2 km to the summit: a steep 2.4 km forest climb gaining about 278 m, then a gentler 0.8 km ridge walk ending in a short steep final stretch. Views from the summit include the Geum River, Gyeryongsan, Oseosan and, on clear days, the West Sea. (date needs fixing)

• Local specialties include gugija (구기자, goji berries) and the famous Cheongyang chili pepper, both marketed as health products.

• Local dishes to try include otdak (옻닭, lacquer-tree chicken stew) and chamge maeuntang (참게매운탕, spicy freshwater crab stew), both considered signature Cheongyang dishes.