Sainam Rock

Danyang Sainam Rock is located amidst the clear blue waters of Namjocheon Stream (Ungyecheon Stream). Despite being granite, the rock is colorful in brown, green, and gray, and is split horizontally and vertically (vertical and horizontal joints), giving it a very rare appearance. Some say it is reminiscent of the work of Dutch artist Piet Mondrian.

Because of these joints, it's easy to see where the rock has fallen apart, especially at the bottom, where it's brown in color.
※ Due to the high risk of falling rocks, the lower part of the Sainam Rock is strictly off-limits..

Yeokdong U tak*, a scholar of the late Goryeo Dynasty, was from Danyang and often visited this place. In honor of this, during the Joseon Dynasty, the governor of Danyang, Im Jae-Kwang, named it 'Sainam' after Yeokdong U tak's fourth-level position in the government.

* Yeokdong U tak(1262-1342), the first writer of Sijo (Korean poetry) in Hangul, wrote the poem "Tanroga," lamenting his getting old, and once made a jibusangso (an appeal with an axe) to King Chungseon of Goryeo.

Danwon Kim Hong-do came to paint Sainam Rock, but after ten days of thinking about it, he gave up. A year later, he came back and painted 'Sainam-do' and included it in his 'Album of Paintings from Byeongjin Year (1796)*'.

Meanwhile, Chusa Kim Jeong-hui praised Danyang Sainam Rock as a 'folding screen from heaven', and when you look around, including the surrounding cliffs, you will find that Chusa's words were quite accurate.

*Completed in 1796, National Treasure, in the collection of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art. In addition to Sainam Rock, Danyang Dodamsambong Peaks, and Oksunbong Peak are also included.