Designated as Natural Monument No. 319 on November 4, 1982.
The pagoda tree located at 901, Yeongdong-ri, Chilbuk-myeon, Haman-gun, has grown for centuries under the care and attention of the locals and because of high cultural and biological value, it has been designated as a Natural Monument for protection.
The tree is estimated to be around 500 years old. It stands 26 meters tall, with a circumference of 5.82 meters at chest height, 8.45 meters near the base and 4 meters from the ground to the branches. The branches extend 9.6 meters to the east, 12.76 meters to the west, 11 meters to the south, and 12 meters to the north.
It is said that the tree was planted in 1482 by An Yeo-geo who served as an instructor at Seonggyungwan National Academy and the 17th-generation ancestor of the Gwangju An clan, when he settled in Yeongdong-ri. Yeongdong-ri is also home to Jangchunsa Temple, a place renowned for its beautiful autumn foliage.
In the past, the tree's sap would flow abundantly near the roots, and it was used as a remedy for stomach diseases. The villagers believe the tree to be a sacred guardian tree of the village. Every year, on the 1st of the 10th lunar month, they would hold a ritual offering an ox or pig to the tree. The pagoda tree was officially designated as Natural Monument No. 319 on November 4, 1982.
- Location
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- 901, Yeongdong-ri, Chilbuk-myeon, Haman-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea