A range of rocks resembling an unfolded folding screen along a Hallasan Mountain trail is called Obaengnahan (오백나한, 五百羅漢). The name Obaengnahan literally means 500 Buddhist saints, referring to saints who had gained the ultimate enlightenment and were entitled to respect and religious service.

Korea Post's 2004 stamp shows the Seonjakjiwat Plains.

Jakji refers to small stones, while wat means, "a field," in the Jeju dialect. Combined, jakjiwat means, "a field with small stones scattered on it." The wide plain, covered with shrubs, has a gentle slope and covers 6.32 square kilometers near the top of Hallasan Mountain.

There are azaleas and royal azaleas growing everywhere on the Seonjakjiwat Plains, and the field is covered with light pink azaleas and dark pink royal azaleas from April to June. The pink flowers and the summit of Hallasan Mountain that can still be covered with snow create a mystifying view. There is eternal spring (norusaem) near the Nuunoreum volcanic cone and many plants, including thyme, grow in the marshes found in these highlands, showing the mountain's high ecological value. The Seonjakjiwat Plains were officially designated a scenic spot in 2012.

The first set of 'Celebrated Mountains of Korea' stamps shows many scenic spots of Hallasan Mountain.

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Korea Post
jun2@korea.kr