[역사를 찾아 떠나는 여행지 ⑤]경상북도 예천 – 회룡포와 초간정, 자연이 감싼 유교정신의 흔적

낙동강 지류 끝, 선비의 시간을 품다
때로 우리는 여행을 통해 단순한 풍경이 아닌, 한 시대의 정신을 만납니다. 경북 예천은 그런 고장입니다. 단지 아름다워서 기억에 남는 것이 아니라, 그 안에 깃든 ‘정신의 결’이 깊어 오래도록 여운을 남기는 곳. 오늘 우리는 내성천의 물줄기 따라 완만히 휘어진 ‘회룡포’와, 그 물가에 사색처럼 놓인 ‘초간정’을 통해 조선의 선비정신과 자연철학이 어우러진 공간을 걸어보려 합니다.

예천 회룡포마을 뿅뿅다리 재현(AI)

“예천 회룡포와 초간정 여행기 – 자연이 감싼 유교의 풍경”

아래 순서로 여행을 떠나봅니다.
1. 예천, 풍경 이전에 정신을 담다
2. 회룡포 – 자연이 그려낸 유학의 지형
3. 초간정 – 시와 철학이 깃든 정자의 시간
4. 유교적 풍경이 품은 사람들
5. 여행 실전 팁 – 계절, 동선, 식사처
5. 마무리 – 물굽이 속에 깃든 사유의 흔적

1. 예천, 풍경 이전에 정신을 담다

예천은 경상북도의 서북부에 위치하지만, 단순한 지리적 분류만으로 설명될 수 없는 곳입니다. 조선시대의 사림 문화가 꽃피웠던 중심지 중 하나로, ‘선비의 고장’이라는 수식어가 붙는 예천은 그 자체로 하나의 정신 지형입니다. 퇴계 이황의 성리학 전통을 이어받은 지역답게, 마을 구조와 풍경은 인간과 자연의 조화를 중시한 유학의 사상을 고스란히 반영하고 있지요.

예천은 안동과 달리 조용히 깊은 숨을 내쉬는 듯한 고요함을 간직하고 있습니다. 그 조용한 물결 속에는 과거 선비들이 실천하고자 했던 겸허, 절제, 그리고 자연과의 합일 정신이 스며 있으며, 이는 예천의 대표 명소인 ‘회룡포’와 ‘초간정’에서 여실히 느껴집니다.

반응형

2. 회룡포 – 자연이 그려낸 유학의 지형

예천군 용궁면에 위치한 회룡포는 지형 자체가 하나의 상징처럼 읽힙니다. 내성천이 마을을 한 바퀴 감싸며 휘돌아가는 형세는 마치 용이 돌아와 승천하는 형국이라 하여 ‘회룡포(回龍浦)’라 불리는데, 이는 풍수지리상 최고의 길지로 여겨져 왔습니다.

물이 마을을 감싸듯 돌고, 다시 스스로 제자리로 돌아오는 이 회귀의 형상은 동양 사유체계, 특히 유교와 도교의 순환론적 세계관을 그대로 담고 있습니다. 자연과 인간이 분리되지 않고 함께 순환한다는 믿음이, 이곳의 풍경 속에서 실감나게 체험되는 셈입니다.

전망대에서 내려다본 회룡포의 전경은 그야말로 한 폭의 동양화 같습니다. 물 안쪽에 형성된 평탄한 마을 지형 위에 전통가옥들이 점점이 흩어져 있고, 가을이면 갈대가 출렁이며 계절의 순환을 말없이 전해줍니다.

3. 초간정 – 시와 철학이 깃든 정자의 시간

회룡포의 서정이 ‘자연의 지형’이라면, 초간정은 ‘사람의 사유’를 담은 공간입니다. 초간정은 조선 중기의 문인 이육사의 선조이자, 조선 최고의 사대부 시인이었던 이서우(李瑞雨)가 머물렀던 정자로, 그의 호 ‘초간(草澗)’에서 이름을 따왔습니다.

초간정은 높은 기단 위에 지어진 목조건물로, 내성천을 내려다보는 시야와 함께 풍경을 마주하며 생각을 가다듬기 좋은 구조로 되어 있습니다. 정자의 양식은 단순하면서도 고졸하며, 이는 당시 유학자들이 지향했던 절제된 미학의 극치라 할 수 있습니다. 이서우는 이곳에서 자연을 벗 삼아 시를 쓰고, 학문을 닦으며 조선 중기 사림의 품격을 지켜냈습니다.

정자는 단순히 쉼터가 아닙니다. 그 시대 지식인에게 있어 정자는 세계와 자신을 성찰하는 공간이었고, 초간정은 그 대표적 사례로 손꼽힙니다. 눈앞에 펼쳐진 내성천의 곡선과 산자락이 사유의 배경이 되었고, 지금도 그 정자는 ‘조용한 울림’으로 방문자를 맞이합니다.

[역사를 찾아 떠나는 여행지 ③]경북 봉화 – 청암정과 만산고택, 유학과 독립운동이 숨 쉬는 마

4. 유교적 풍경이 품은 사람들

예천의 자연은 결코 배경에 머물지 않습니다. 이곳의 물길, 산세, 정자와 고택들은 모두 사람들의 삶과 학문, 정신과 조응하면서 구성된 ‘인간 중심의 자연’입니다.

예천은 안동처럼 유림 중심의 사상적 무게감은 덜하지만, 오히려 그러한 절제된 균형이 ‘살기 좋은 고장’으로서의 유교 이상향을 보여줍니다. 선조들은 풍경을 가꾸는 동시에 그것과 하나 되어 살았고, 회룡포와 초간정은 그 실천의 결과입니다.

이런 공간에서 우리는 단순히 아름다움을 소비하는 것이 아니라, 내 안의 혼란을 정돈하고, 바쁜 일상에서 이탈한 ‘사유의 순간’을 경험할 수 있습니다.

5. 여행 실전 팁 – 계절, 동선, 식사처

● 추천 계절: 가을이 가장 아름답습니다. 회룡포의 갈대밭이 황금빛으로 물드는 시기(10~11월)는 압권입니다. 봄에는 초간정 주변의 벚꽃도 인상적입니다.

● 여행 동선 팁:
   -예천읍 출발 → 회룡포 전망대 도보 또는 차량 이동
   -회룡포 전경 감상 후 물가 탐방 → 회룡정 또는 수상보트 체험
   -초간정으로 이동 (차량 약 15분) → 정자 내부 탐방 및 독서 쉼
   -예천 한정식 식당 또는 국밥집에서 점심

● 식사·카페:
   -예천진국소: 깔끔한 한우국밥
   -회룡다원: 전망 좋은 카페, 직접 볶은 커피가 인기
   -초간한정식: 계절별 반찬과 도토리묵, 가성비 훌륭

728x90

6. 마무리 – 물굽이 속에 깃든 사유의 흔적

회룡포와 초간정은 예천을 단순한 여행지에서 철학적 성찰의 공간으로 바꾸어 놓습니다. 풍경은 사라지지만, 그 안에 깃든 정신은 머무릅니다. 내 안의 혼란을 정리하고, 한 줄 시처럼 깊어지는 풍경 속에 나를 놓아보는 이 여행. 예천은 우리에게 ‘본래의 자리로 되돌아가는 회귀’를 가르쳐 줍니다.

다음 여행 예고
[역사를 찾아 떠나는 여행지 ⑥]
전라남도 담양 – 소쇄원과 식영정, 선비의 이상을 담은 정원
→ 담양의 시원한 대나무숲과 고졸한 정자, 그리고 조선 지식인의 풍류정신이 깃든 소쇄원을 따라가 봅니다.

[역사를 찾아 떠나는 여행지 ⓛ]강화도 – 고려의 저항, 조선의 결의가 살아 숨 쉬는 조용한 섬

출처
『한국의 정자문화』, 정민 지음, 글항아리
예천문화관광 홈페이지
현장취재 및 지역 가이드 인터뷰

SMALL

◆ View the English translation. Click below.

[Exploring Historical Travel Destinations ⑤]

Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do – Hoeryongpo and Choganjeong: Confucian Echoes in a River's Embrace

Where Nature Meets Thought – A Journey into the Confucian Landscape

Some travels do more than show us scenery—they invite us to step into an era's philosophy. Yecheon, in Gyeongsangbuk-do, is not just beautiful; it is profound. Through the sinuous waters of Hoeryongpo and the contemplative presence of Choganjeong, we trace the footsteps of Joseon's Confucian scholars and their ideals of harmony with nature.

Table of Contents

1. Yecheon – A Place Shaped by Thought Before Landscape
2. Hoeryongpo – A Natural Geography of Eastern Philosophy
3. Choganjeong – Poetry and Philosophy in a Pavilion
4. The Confucian Landscape and Its People
5. Travel Tips – Best Seasons, Routes, Food
6. Closing Thoughts – Where Still Waters Reflect Deep Thought
7. Next Travel Preview
8. References

1. Yecheon – A Place Shaped by Thought Before Landscape

Yecheon, in the northwest of Gyeongsangbuk-do, is not just a rural inland town. It is a repository of Joseon-era Confucian culture, a cradle of scholarly tradition rooted in the teachings of Yi Hwang (Toegye) and his spiritual descendants. The townscape and villages reflect a deep reverence for harmony between humanity and nature—hallmarks of Confucian ideals.

Unlike the more formal gravity of Andong, Yecheon exudes quiet depth. Its valleys and rivers are not just beautiful but resonant, carrying the legacy of humility, moderation, and moral cultivation. Two places in particular, Hoeryongpo and Choganjeong, embody this legacy.

2. Hoeryongpo – A Natural Geography of Eastern Philosophy

Located in Yonggung-myeon, Hoeryongpo is where the Naeseongcheon stream bends in a perfect loop around a village. This landscape—said to resemble a dragon turning back to ascend the heavens—gives the name "Hoeryongpo" ("Returning Dragon Bend"). For centuries, geomancers have praised it as Korea's most auspicious site.

This river’s circular flow symbolizes the cyclical worldview of Confucianism and Taoism. It expresses the belief in natural order and the unity between humans and their environment. Visitors viewing Hoeryongpo from the hilltop observatory are often struck by its elegant symmetry, like a brushstroke from an ink painting.

Inside the loop, traditional houses lie scattered on gentle plains, and in autumn, golden reeds ripple like time made visible.

3. Choganjeong – Poetry and Philosophy in a Pavilion

Choganjeong complements Hoeryongpo’s geography with a dose of introspection. Built by Lee Seo-woo, a poet and scholar of mid-Joseon and ancestor of Lee Yuk-sa, this wooden pavilion is named after his pen name, "Chogan."

Situated on a high platform overlooking the river, Choganjeong’s simplicity reflects the restrained aesthetic of Confucian scholars. It was a place for writing, studying, and contemplating life. Here, Lee Seo-woo penned poems while immersed in nature, reinforcing the ideal of learning not confined to books, but expanded by wind, water, and mountains.

To Joseon scholars, a pavilion wasn’t just a resting place—it was a space for moral cultivation. Choganjeong still whispers those intentions, welcoming modern visitors into its quiet embrace.

4. The Confucian Landscape and Its People

Yecheon’s scenery is not merely decorative. It is interactive and deeply human. Its hills, rivers, pavilions, and homes were shaped by generations of people striving to live in harmony with natural principles.

Unlike the more monumental representations of Confucian culture found elsewhere, Yecheon offers a lived-in vision of Confucian ideals—a balance of beauty, practicality, and ethical aspiration. Walking its landscapes, visitors don’t just observe—they reflect. It becomes a journey inward as much as outward.

5. Travel Tips – Best Seasons, Routes, Dining

• Best Seasons: Fall is the most breathtaking, especially when Hoeryongpo’s reed beds turn golden (October–November). Spring also enchants with cherry blossoms near Choganjeong.
• Suggested Route:
  1. Start in Yecheon-eup
  2. Drive or walk to Hoeryongpo observatory
  3. Descend to explore the river loop on foot or boat
  4. Head to Choganjeong (15 mins by car) for a contemplative visit
  5. Enjoy a local meal
• Food & Cafés:
  • Yecheon Jin Gukso – Renowned for beef bone soup
  • Hoeryong Dawon Café – Great coffee with a view
  • Chogan Hansik – A local favorite for traditional Korean set meals

6. Closing Thoughts – Where Still Waters Reflect Deep Thought

Hoeryongpo and Choganjeong are not just beautiful—they are meaningful. In their quiet curves and wooden beams lie the whispers of past lives devoted to principle and peace. As you walk their paths, perhaps you'll also find something of your own spirit reflected back. Yecheon invites us to return to stillness—to the inner bend of the dragon in us all.

 

#YecheonTravel, #Hoeryongpo, #Choganjeong, #ConfucianKorea, #EasternPhilosophy, #HistoricalJourney, #ScenicKorea, #KoreanCulture

끝까지 읽어 주셔서 감사합니다.

 

◆ 제 다른 글 소개

[삶을 깊게 하는 인문학, 철학 제20편] 기술과 존재 – 하이데거와 인공지능 시대의 인간성

[최신 사기 뉴스 & 분석⑤] 공공기관을 사칭한 전자계약 사기 – AI 문서 위조 시대의 함정

문학이 철학을 만날 때

본 글은 제작자의 경험과 참고자료 발췌 편집, 이미지 자체 제작.