Busan (부산)
Busan is South Korea’s second largest city and has roots back to the Three Kingdoms period in Korean history. In 1592 it was the site of Japan’s invasion and initial battles, leaving the city occupied for six long years. The original Joseon Era fortifications were all torn down during that occupation, often replaced by Japanese style castles, the remains of which are still visible today at places like Jaseongdae and Jeungsan. Other historical locations disappeared due to development of the mountainous area. Yet a few remain, including the Naval Headquarters fortress at Jwasuyeong and the signal beacon atop Hwanryeonsan. Jaseongdae too was rebuilt after the war and utilized by the Joseon Navy for nearly 300 years. Land reclamation has completely altered the coastline and I’ll endeavor to portray the city closer to how it might have appeared at the time of the Imjin War.
Hwanryeongsan Signal Beacon. It was from this high vantage point the first Japanese invasion ships were spotted in May 1592. And it was most likely from here that Gyeongsang Left Fleet Commander, Admiral Pak Hong, watched the assault on Busanjinseong the following day.
The beacon station has been reconstructed in recent years, but the current site provides a decent representation of what signal beacon stations looked like.
Unfortunately for Joseon in 1592, over a century of peace had left some stations in the chain leading back to the capital in disrepair or unmanned, greatly slowing word of the Japanese invasion.
Views from Hwanryeongsan Beacon Station
South toward modern Haewadong.
West toward the old harbor and fortifications.
North toward Dongnae Fortress.
This crudely annotated picture gives some idea (I hope) of what Busan looked like in 1592. The shorelines of Busan and Yeongdo Island were much different before the land reclamation, with the Busan waterline just below the two Japanese fortresses at Jeungsan and Jaseongdae. Jeungsan was the location of the original Busan Jinseong, and was the fortress defended by Jeong Bal and attacked by So Yoshitoshi on May 24th, 1592. That year the Japanese tore down the Joseon walls and used the stone to create a Japanese style castle there on the ridge, then dug trenches and built Jaseongdae to further defend the near harbor.
(Click to go to the Jaseongdae Gallery)
Jaseongdae (자성대)
Originally built by Japanese forces occupying Busan in 1592 as a supporting fortification for the larger castle on nearby Jeungsan, Jaseongdae was repurposed as a Joseon Naval base at war’s end and served that purpose for the next 300 years as Busanjinseong. The lower walls and gates remain in the Joseon style while upper fortifications are distinctively Japanese, making for an interesting contrast.
Jwasuyeong (좌수영)
The headquarters of the Left Gyeongsang Fleet, it was here that Admiral Pak Hong first learned of the approaching Japanese invasion fleet. The next morning he would witness the assault on Busanjinseong (then located on Jeungsan), most likely from the heights of Hwanryeonsan Beacon Station since that site lay between his headquarters and the battle. Within the day Jwasuyeong would be overrun by the Japanese as well, the navy ships posted there scuttled as at Busan and Dadaejin to the west. Jwasuyeong now serves as a park and little remains of its original purpose save the stone arches of the main gate and a few historical markers scattered throughout.
What remains of the main gate at Jwasuyeong, most likely the fortified version built after the Imjin War. Now located quite distant from the shoreline, it once would have been, by necessity, quite close.
When Admiral Pak scuttled the nearby naval squadron and fled north, 25 sailors and fishermen vowed to continue the fight. This shrine honors their sense of duty and unwillingness to submit to the invaders.
The names of each are inscribed on the memorial tablets to right and left of the shrine.
Views from Busan Tower (Diamond Tower)
East toward the old city and fortifications (completely obscured now by tall buildings) and the eastern end of Busan Harbor.
Southeast toward Yeongdo Island and the western end of the Busan Harbor.
The western entrance to Busan Harbor. The original strait between the mainland and Yeongdo was perhaps a mile wide though modern land reclamation makes that now difficult to envision. It was through this strait that Admiral Yi Sun-sin sailed his fleet into Busan Harbor on October 4th, 1592, destroying over a hundred Japanese vessels within the harbor. As well, it was in the waters just beyond the modern bridge pictured above that Admiral Won Kyun lost the first of three consecutive battles, resulting in the destruction of the Combined Joseon Fleet—and Won’s demise—in August 1597.
Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, savior of Joseon during the Imjin War, most revered of Korean historical figures, and quite possibly the most successful naval commander in the history of the world. Located at the base of Busan (Diamond) Tower.