The Nine Greatest Sacred Korean Mountains
(5 west & 4 east)
Western Korea:

Myohyang-san   묘향산
DPRK, Pyeongan Province, National Park,  1355m


The Bukhan-san Sub-Range
especially Samgak-san 삼각산 840m and Inwang-san
인왕산 388m, and also including An-san, Bugak-san,
Dobong-san, Sapye-san, Surak-san, Bulam-san and
Acha-san.   North and East of Seoul City.   Some of
these are in the Bukhan-san National Park, others are
Local Parks.


Gyeryong-san    계룡산
Daejeon & Gongju Cities, National Park,  845m


Jiri-san     지리산
Gurye County of South Jeolla Province;  Hadong,
Sancheong and Hamyang Counties of South
Gyeongsang Province; and Namwon City of North Jeolla
Province;    National Park,  Cheonhwang-bong 1915m,  
Banya-bong 1733m & Nogo-dan 1507m



Halla-san    한라산
Jeju-do Province & Island, National Park, 1950m
Eastern Korea:

Baekdu-san   백두산
DPRK and China border, National Park, 2850m



Geumgang-san 금강산
DPRK Gangwon Province, National Park, 1908m   
Famous as the "Diamond Mountains"




Taebaek-san   태백산
Gangwon Province, Taebaek City,
Provincial Park,  1567m
(including Hambaek-san of Taebaek-shi, and Cheong-ok-san,
Guryong-san and Eungbong-san of Bonghwa & Uljin Counties)





Geumjeong-san 금정산
Busan City, City Parks, 802m
(including Sanggye-bong, Sanghak-san, Baekyang-san,
Eumgwang-san, Gubong-san and Yongdu-san)
These 9 mountains are the ones I have judged to be Korea's holiest, by the criteria explained on this page
and my 20 years of visiting them and studying this subject.  They break down in a convenient and
balanced split between 5 in the central and western regions and 4 in the eastern regions (mostly, the
Taebaek Range and its southern extension now dubbed the "Yeongnam Alps", going as far west in the
southern region as the Nakdong River.  They are listed here North-to-South.  Only six mountains from the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) are listed, due to our lack of information about
historical and current mountain-worship traditions there; those six are labled "DPRK".  Click on the name
to see my photos and discussion of that mountain and its San-shin shrines.