Bokcheonam Hermitage (Cheongju)

Songnisan Sejo-gil Trail is a hiking path that follows the route taken by King Sejo, the 7th monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, to meet the great monk Shinmi. Along this trail are a bathhouse where King Sejo was said to have been cured of a skin disease and Bokcheonam Hermitage, where he held a Buddhist ceremony with Shinmi. Located at the end of Sejo-gil Trail, Bokcheonam is a small hermitage situated at the navel point of Songnisan Mountain. It was founded during the reign of King Seongdeok of the Silla Dynasty and has continued for over a thousand years. The hermitage preserves royal traces from various eras, including a calligraphy plaque by King Gongmin of the Goryeo Dynasty reading 'Muryangsa' and a flagpole support (dangganjiju) where King Sejo of Joseon planted his royal visit flag, located in the courtyard of Bokcheonam. This place serves as a meditation hall (seonbang) for bhikkhuni nuns of the Jogye Order, but the temple's land and buildings are registered under the Taego Order, and regular ceremonies are held on the first and full moon days.

The path to Bokcheonam is exceptionally beautiful, offering both mountains and water, and has preserved many royal traces from ancient times. Near the main hall of Beopjusa Temple is the Seonheegung Wondang, which enshrines the spirit tablet of Royal Noble Consort Yeongbin Lee, a concubine of King Yeongjo of Joseon. There is also a bathhouse where King Sejo, along with the great monks Shinmi and Hakjo, performed a three-day prayer and bathed, after which the king's skin disease was cured. Additionally, there are Munjangdae Peak, where King Sejo and his ministers are said to have climbed and engaged in discussions, and the placenta chamber (taesilbi) and placenta jar (taesil) of King Sunjo of Joseon, located on Taebong Peak, a cliff above Sesimjeong Valley. Today, the path to Bokcheonam is well-maintained, offering a wonderful walking trail where one can fully appreciate the beauty of the route and find healing.