작은용굴

Small Dragon Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Chungcheongbuk-do, Cheongwon-gun, Munui-myeon, Sangjang-ri, 437. (36.502813, 127.518169)
Open:	no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System Coloured Light
Dimension:	L=260 m, H=3.5 m, W=2.6 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Small Dragon Cave, Chungcheongbuk-do, Cheongwon-gun, Munui-myeon, Sangjang-ri, 437, Tel: +82-43-251-3421.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

12-SEP-1997	cave opened as a show cave.
2003	excavated by Lee Yung-jo, director of the Korea Prehistoric Culture Research Institute.
2014	park at the entrance renovated.

Description

작은용굴 (jag-eun-yong-gul, Small Dragon Cave) is a river cave with a triangular passage which is normally dry. The cave was developed with trails and electric light, and may be visited freely. Only a few meters to the left of the cave entrance is another entrance which is much smaller, and the cave behind is rather short. The cave entrances are located in a park with a fountain which is managed by the city. The whole site was renovated in 2014 and the tried to draw visitors with the promise that it is cool because of the fountain. At the entrance is an inscription saying Governor Seo Byeong-man which is presumably from the time of King Heonjong of the Joseon Dynasty.

Nearby is another cave called Large Dragon Cave. The dragon part of the name is based on a legend.

This place was once the abode of ten Imoogi (serpents). One of them disturbed the order of the lake, and was condemned by the Jade Emperor to die. The other nine serpents who continued to practice and devoted themselves ascended to heaven as dragons.

Actually there are numerous caves in the vicinity, like the Cheongwon Durubong. Unfortunately there was a big limestone quarry and the caves were in danger of being quarried. Now the quarry is closed but much has been damaged, and city installed a safety fence around the abandoned quarry.

The Small Dragon Cave is of great archaeological interest, in 2003 Lee Yung-jo, director of the Korea Prehistoric Culture Research Institute, excavated Paleolithic bone relics such as bears, hyenas, deer, leopard and foxes. They are around 200,000 years old. Also, Durubong Cave, which is about 2 km away, was excavated 10 times between 1976 and 1983 by Professor Lee Yung-jo. He found a human bone called 'Heungsuai' which was of great importance. It was from a child and dated to be 40,000 years old. Japanese colonial historians claimed that there was no Paleolithic culture on the Korean Peninsula. But the excavations revealed numerous remains. Nevertheless, there was a quarry opened and the cave completely destroyed.