View source for Mount Myohyang

{{Short description|Mountain in North Korea}}
{{For|the sports club|Myohyangsan Sports Club}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Myohyang
| photo = Mounts Myohyang from the Pohyon Temple.jpg
| photo_caption = Myohyang as seen from [[Pohyon temple]]
| elevation_m = 1909
| elevation_ref = <ref>https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10739</ref>
| prominence_m = 1151
| listing = Ribu
| prominence_ref = 
| coordinates = {{coord|40.018611|N|126.333056|E|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| label_position = left
| location = [[North Pyongan Province]], North Korea
| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
| hangul=^묘향산
| hanja=妙香山
| lk = mysterious fragrant mountain
| child = yes
}}
}}

'''Mount Myohyang'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://portal.unesco.org/es/ev.php-URL_ID=45548&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html|title=Mount Myohyang 5|website=portal.unesco.org|publisher=[[UNESCO]]|access-date=2019-05-18}}</ref> ({{Korean|hangul=묘향산|lit=mysterious fragrant mountain}}) is a mountain in North Korea. It is named for the mystic shapes and fragrances found in the area. In the foundation myth of [[Gojoseon]], the ''[[Samguk sagi]]'' listed Mount Myohyang as the home of [[Dangun|King Tangun]], forefather of the Korean people, however, it is now believed that the myth originally meant [[Paektu Mountain]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=David A. |first1=Mason |title=The Background and Contemporary Spiritual-Nationalist Significance  of Mt. Baekdu-san and the Baekdu-daegan Range, in All of Korea |url=http://seed.upol.cz/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/lecture-essay-david-mason.pdf. |access-date=30 December 2024}}</ref>

==Tourism==
Myohyang is a North Korean tourist attraction and visited by many national tourists. There are several hiking routes on the mountain. Apart from the view, tourists are attracted by the [[Pohyon temple]], built in the 11th century, the [[Sangwon hermitage]], the [[Kumgang hermitage]], and the [[Habiro hermitage]]. The [[Ryongmun cavern]] is open to the public.

At Myohyang-san is the [[International Friendship Exhibition]] centre, dubbed the world's biggest treasure-house. On exhibit are presents received by North Korean leaders over the years.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/11729207/Train-tour-to-reveal-North-Koreas-undiscovered-cities.html | title = Train tour to reveal North Korea's 'undiscovered cities' | author = Soo Kim | date = 9 July 2015 | publisher = [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] | access-date = 11 November 2015 }}</ref> One building stores the presents given to [[Kim Il Sung]], while a smaller one holds those given to his son [[Kim Jong Il]].

The [[Hyangsan Hotel]] caters to luxury visitors, while the [[Chongchon Hotel]] is second-class.

==Environment==
Much of the mountain is covered by [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests|mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest]] and protected in a {{convert|16000|ha|sqmi}} [[national park]]. Some {{convert|7000|ha|sqmi}} has been identified by [[BirdLife International]] as an [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA).<ref name=bli>{{cite web |url= http://www.birdlife.org |title= Mount Myohyang|accessdate=12 May 2013 |work= Important Bird Areas factsheet |first= |last= |publisher= BirdLife International |year= 2013}}</ref>

===World Biosphere Reserve===
In 2009 [[UNESCO]] designated Mount Myohyang a world [[biosphere reserve]], citing its cultural significance as well as the spectacular cliffs providing habitat for 30 [[endemism|endemic]] plant species, 16 plant species that are threatened globally and 12 endangered animal species.<ref>{{cite web|last=Revkin |first=Andrew C. |url=http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/un-names-22-new-biosphere-reserves/?hp |title=The New York Times |publisher=Dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com |date=2009-05-26 |accessdate=2012-12-21}}</ref>

==References==
{{Portal|Mountains|North Korea}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.naenara.com.kp/en/book/new_window.php?10+10094 ''Ryongmun Cavern'' picture album] at [[Naenara]]
*[http://www.naenara.com.kp/en/book/new_window.php?10+10133 ''Hyangsan Hotel'' picture album] at Naenara
*[http://www.naenara.com.kp/en/book/new_window.php?10+10104 Another picture album] at Naenara

{{Important Bird Areas of North Korea}}

[[Category:Mountains of North Korea]]
[[Category:Biosphere reserves of North Korea]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of North Korea]]
[[Category:Sacred mountains of North Korea]]


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