A Quiet Time in Hwacheon, Meeting the Seven-Story Stone Pagoda in Wirari (Wirarichilcheungseoktap)

Goryeo Time Touching Your Feet

As you drive along the quiet roads of Hwacheon, Gangwon-do, you will encounter a small village called Wirari at 3370 Chunhwa-ro. A trip to an unfamiliar place is always accompanied by expectation and excitement. The first thing that greeted me as soon as I got out of the car was the clear air of Hwacheon. A breeze brushed against my cheeks, and the scent of grass and soil—so different from the acrid air of the city—tickled the tip of my nose.

Although the Seven-Story Stone Pagoda in Wirari (Wirarichilcheungseoktap) is not a flashy tourist attraction, the serenity I felt upon arriving there was a gift incomparable to anything else. Facing the stone pagoda, which silently raises its seven-story body atop a large foundation stone, I could feel a heavy strength that has endured the ravages of time.

Hands Connecting Scattered History

Looking closely in front of the pagoda, I could see more clearly the time this pagoda has walked through. It is said that originally, only up to the third story remained intact, and from the fourth story up, only the roof stones stood lonely. The scattered base parts and pagoda body stones were gathered and restored to their current appearance in 1975. While the stones from the fourth story up were newly supplemented, the rugged yet affectionate texture of the original body stones from the first to the third stories remains alive.

If you walk while imagining the column patterns delicately carved at each corner with your fingertips, you can almost hear the sound of the hammers of a Goryeo Dynasty artisan shaping the stone. The height, which decreases sharply from the second story, changes only slightly from the third story, and there is even the three-tiered support under the roof stone. Much like the description that it resembles the Seven-Story Stone Pagoda of Namgyewon (Namgyewonchilcheungseoktap), this small pagoda perfectly embodies the architectural aesthetics of that time.

Tips for a Relaxing Hwacheon Trip

If you visit this place, I recommend listening to the sounds of the surroundings. The sound of small insects around the pagoda and the sound of the wind coming from afar mingle to calm your heart. The Hanam-myeon area of Hwacheon-gun is also a great place for a drive. After looking around the stone pagoda, try taking a light walk along the clean river of Hwacheon.

It is better to visit around 4 PM, when the sunset begins, rather than during the day when the sun is too strong. When long shadows stretch out beside the stone pagoda, it is truly atmospheric. There are no special amenities, so why not bring a cup of tea in a warm tumbler, sit on a bench, and immerse yourself in quiet contemplation? It will be a page in Hwacheon that is simple, but all the more memorable because of it.