Mt. Taesong

Mt. Taesong, 270m high above sea level, is situated in Pyongyang on the northeastern boundary of Taesong District adjoining Samsok District.

The mountain is called taesong(large fort) since it had a large fort built to repulse foreign invaders in the period of Koguryo (277 BC–AD 668). It was also called Kuryongsan or Ryongsan in the past. It has six hills— Kuksa, Somun, Jangsu, Ulji, Pukjang and Jujak—which adjoin one another to form a screen. Two broad and deep valleys extend southwestward along the ridge of Jujak Hill.

There are many groves of pines as well as oaks, oil- and fruit-bearing trees and lots of flowers and plants in the mountain. Since the mountain is covered with pine trees and thus remains ever-green all the year round, people called the scenery of the mountain ryongsanmanchwi which belongs to the eight famous views of Pyongyang. Various kinds of flowers of different colours in full bloom in harmony with ever-green pine groves elevate the beauty season after season. In the mountain are animals including pheasants, migratory grosbeaks, orioles, woodpeckers, gray-backed starlings, roe deer and hares.

There are many historical remains of the Koguryo dynasty in the mountain. Typical of them are the Taesongsan Fort built in the 3rd–5th century AD, sites of over twenty gates, ponds, reservoirs, food storehouses, Anhak Royal Palace, and clusters of ancient tombs; a 200m-long fortress wall on Somun Hill, a pavilion on Jangsu Hill, Nam (south) Gate and Kwangbop Temple have been restored to its original state.

Mt. Taesong also consists in a large pleasure ground occupying thousands of hectares. In recent years in the mountain resort the Central Zoo was renovated in hundreds of hectares of area and the Natural History Museum newly went up. There is the Central Botanical Garden which occupies hundreds of hectares and shows all kinds of plants.

The mountain resort has a 16km-long loop road, and artificial reservoirs including the Tongchon and the Michon, several ponds including Ingo and Sasum, and beautiful waterfalls. A modern amusement park is to be found in the mountain, distributed in over 180 000 square metres of area and including many amusement facilities like roller coaster rail of which is 1 500 metres long, mono-rail car, Ferris wheel, rotary flower-shaped vessel, rotary plane, mad mouse and spaceship. There are also service facilities including a swimming pool, a boating ground, a folk game ground, restaurants, shops and cafes in the park.

In the mountain are living monuments including paulownia, Eucommia uimoides, Abeliophyllum distichum and Wistaria floribunda which are indigenous to Mt. Taesong.

The mountain is associated with a lot of interesting folk tales which reflect the patriotic struggle of the people, scenic spots and the Korean people’s desire to enjoy happy life free from the feudal status system— Kuryong Pond and Chadori and Sasum Pond and a Madam with Deer Legs are typical of them.

Jujak Hill is crowned with a cemetery that keeps the souls of the anti-Japanese revolutionary martyrs who fell while fighting bravely for the liberation of the country and the people’s freedom and emancipation.