* Notice - This article is written by non-native English speaker
Today I want to introduce one of the most beautiful craters in Jeju island.
The name of the carter is 'Darangshi Crater' as known of the queen of crater in Jeju island.
It is located in eastern side(Gujwa) of Jeju island.
We have 386 craters around Jeju island and this island is known as a paradise of craters.
If some one ask me to introduce the most beautiful crater in Jeju island, I will say that 'Darangshi' is the best crater without any hesitation.
In jeju island we call the crater mound 'Oreum'.
About 1millon 2hundred years ago, volcano started erupting all around Jeju island like boiling bubbles in hot a porridge. Each cater has it won face. Some looks horse hoops or some looks bowl upside down. Actually we call the cater itself 'Gumburi' in Jeju dialect.
So Jeju locals call a mountain or mound as 'Oreum' and crater as 'Gumburi'.
Jeju people made use of 'Gumburi'(crater) for raising cattle because it prevent the wind and once cattle gathered inside 'Gumburi' , they don't want to leave the warm and cozy place.
After 10min climbing through the pine tree forest you will meet open space. First thing is 'little Darangshi'. it looks like a cute doughnut or gentle man's hat.
Even you can see the famous under water crater 'Sungsan ilchulbong'(Castle mountain sun rise peak) at a distance.
The highest of 'Darangshi Oreum' is 382m and the depth of the crater is 115m.
It take only 30min to get to the top but you have to pull your strength to climb a steep ridge.
And it never show the astonishing scene unless you get to the top.
The cater actually is hidden on the top.
This time I climbed 'Darangshi' with my customers from the U.S whose profession is a lawer.
Like every one does, they felt very hard to this steep hill at first. But once the got to the top, they really thanked to me to bring them there: it always travelling guide's pleasure to show beautiful places.
I just smiled and told them " Well...no pain, no gain". I think it's true. Most of nature contains its won beauty but it never show any people. It shows the beauty to the people who want to see them and it takes efforts.
Especially in jeju island you have to walk and climb all the time to see the true beauty. However, it is a kind of pleasure of travelling I think.
'Darangshi' has not only beauty but also it has a tragic story.
Korea didn't have proper government for 3years(1945~1948) after independence from Japanese colonisation.
There was a big confrontation between communists and capitalists in those times in South Korea.
Communism had been prevailed in poor communities in Jeju island as well.
And police and solders tried to put down the prevalence of communism and the method was cruel.
Lots of demonstrations occurred due to harsh putting down.
The police and soldiers put down not only demonstrators but also innocent people. Actually it was not putting down it was just killing people indiscriminately. It caused huge anger from the public. In a mean time about 30,000 innocent people were killed by the government.
The U.S just looked over the massacre. Before the massacre there were several villages around 'Darangshi' but none of the villages remained any more. Most of people live here were killed or moved to other villages. There is only memorial stone stands near the entrance and some graves on the mountain ridge.
Whenever I come to here, I try to imagine the village which once peaceful people used to live.Darangshi crater
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