Walking along the path leading to Samsindang Shrine, there are exquisite walls lining the streets of Hahoe Village, each crafted from diverse shapes and materials.

These walls serve as great examples of traditional Korean beliefs. People held the belief that natural geographical formations directly impacted human lives.

In Hahoe Village, the act of digging wells or constructing stone walls has long been considered taboo due to the village’s specific geography. Locals envisioned the village as resembling a boat floating on a calm lake and believed that preserving this geographical configuration was crucial to maintain the auspicious energy of the area.

To uphold this belief, they opted to construct earthen walls instead of weighty stone walls. The wall on the left, known as ‘Toseokdam,’ is made of sand and stone, with the belief that it would prevent the ‘boat-shaped’ village from sinking. Additionally, the inhabitants refrained from digging wells for fear of damaging the ‘hull’ of this symbolic ‘boat.’

Meanwhile, the wall on the right is mainly made of sand and covered with roof tiles. The tiles were placed to prevent the sand from being washed away by the rain. This wall is called ‘Pandam,’ as these walls bear the marks left by the boards, or ‘pans,’ used during their construction.

In the village, visitors will encounter numerous narrow alleys lined with these traditional walls. Take a leisurely stroll through the village and marvel at the beauty inherent in each of these elements.