Mountain Spirits: The Sanshin of the Korean Peaks

If you have spent any time hiking in Korea, you have likely encountered them. Perhaps you were catching your breath near a jagged ridge or taking a detour off a well-marked trail, and there it was: a small, unassuming building tucked into the folds of the forest. Inside, you might have seen a painting or a statue of an elderly man with a long, white beard, often accompanied by a majestic, sometimes fierce-looking tiger.