Beautiful Gyeongju, once the capital of the Shilla Kingdom, Gyeongju is a repository of ancient cultural treasures. Dozens of National treasures and historical sites are carefully preserved here. It is literally an open-air museum. In whatever direction you care to walk you will come across tombs, temples, shrines, the remains of palaces, pleasure gardens, castles, Buddhist statuary and even an observatory. That sounds like fun! I already have a feeling that I shall like it here. Let’s step back in history and explore what Gyeongju has to offer. So be prepared for an extended stay in Geongju.
Gyeongju is a treasure trove of cultural assets, 357 to be exact, many of which are National Treasures. Two of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritages are located here in Gyeongju, the Seokguram Grotto Bulguksa and the Gyeongju Historic Areas. (the Mount Namsan BeltㆍWolseong BeltㆍThe Tumuli Park BeltㆍHwangnyongsaㆍhill-port district)
As usual, we shall start with a brief introduction to Gyeongju.
Symbol
· City Flower
[Forsythia]
Forsythia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae (olive family). It grows well in any type of soil. Having moderate and simple characteristics, this city flower stands for the everlasting prosperity of Gyeongju.
· City Tree
[Pine Tree]
As an tall evergreen tree, the pine tree is used not only for wood production but also for food and medicine. The tree stands for the unrelenting Hwarang spirit and fealty of the citizens that contributed to the unification of the three main kingdoms of Korea: Silla, Goguryeo and Baekje.
· City Bird
[Magpie]
In Korea, the magpie has been regarded as an auspicious messenger. The bird can also live in harmony with pine trees. Being rich in local color, the magpie represents the simple, kind and unpretentious characteristics of Gyeongju citizens.
· Gyeongju’s symbol represents the vision and ideology of the city.
The City Identity is simple while presenting sacredness.
The square shape represents the exact shape of the city and Buddhist temples. The indigo blue color in the square stands for the mysterious image, bright future and indefinite potential of Gyeongju. Looking like stars above Cheomseongdae, the six dots in the square indicate the six rich villages that laid the ground for the foundation of Shilla. The crown symbolizes the city’s cultural and historical authority and its status. The ‘L’ shape represents the door of Cheomseongdae, representing Gyeongju’s image and spirit which reach toward the outside world. The gray-brown color stands for the splendid culture and the long history of Gyeongju. The overall image of the mark is optimistic and unique, fittingly representing the excellent spirit and culture of Gyeongju.
· City Character
The city characters are a king and a queen. They represent the historical meaning and cultural excellence of Shilla. The characters show not only the dignity, wisdom and artistic spirit of Shilla Dynasty but also the progressive spirit of its citizens. The characters also represent the past and the present of Gyeongju where grand culture and prosperity were widely enjoyed. The costume of the characters also expresses the novelty and the elegance of the nobility of Shilla. The cleverness and excellent artistic sense can be found in the characters’ shining eyes. The purple and the celadon blue colors reflect noble elegance and sophistication.
· Brand Slogan
The brand slogan, “Beautiful GyeongJu,” intensively reflects the images that the city pursues. As the most important element of the ‘Beautiful GyeongJu’ Brand Identity (BI) system, the brand slogan is widely used in various applied items and promotes Gyeonju’s image both internally and externally. Since the shape and the size of each word are intricately set up, special care is needed when readjusting the size of the slogan.
· Esagum the brand of Gyeongju agricultural products
Derived from an appellation of a Silla king, Esaguem represents Gyeongju's will to make its local products of the best and foremost quality, in other word, good enough to be served to the king. Esagum products include: apples, pears, sweet persimmons, tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, cherries, cucumbers, mushroom, agarics, spinach, Korean leek, rice and Korean beef.
Gyeongju Agricultural Products Processing Center
This is something interesting, Gyeongju even has a Citizens’ Charter drawn up.
Citizens´ Charter
Located on the Eastern part of the Korean Peninsula,
Gyeongju greets the sunrise earlier than other cities in Korea.
As the city of a dynasty that achieved unification for the first time on the Korean Peninsula, Gyeongju developed and enjoyed its grand culture.
Preserving the Hwabaek system and the Hwarang spirit, the citizens of Gyeongju take pride in Shilla’s excellent culture.
We pledge to enhance our quality of life and transfer our great cultural heritage to future generations by jointly participating in the construction of a new upgraded city of culture and tourism.
To that end, Gyeongju citizens shall:
- develop their qualifications as democratic citizens, inheriting the noble spirit of Hwabaek;
- uplift the national spirit of Hwarang;
- preserve the beautiful nature of Gyeongju; and
- live in harmony with each other
It is only right that we start a tour of Gyeongju with the Bulguksa and the Seokguram Grotto and the Gyeongju Historic Areas as they are the most important cultural assets in Gyeongju. I’m sure that most of you already know that they have been designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage properties.
The Bulguksa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in the North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is home to seven National treasures of South Korea, including the Bulguksadabotap(Dabotap Pagoda of Bulguksa Temple), the Bulguksasamcheungseoktap(Three storied stone pagoda at Bulguksa Temple), the Bulguksayeonhwagyochilbogyo(Yeonhwagyo and Chilbogyo bridges of Bulguksa Temple), the Bulguksacheongungyobaegungyo(Cheongungyo and Baegungyo bridges of Bulguksa Temple), the Bulguksageumdongbirojanabuljwasang(Seated gilt-bronze vairocana buddha statue of Bulguksa Temple), the Bulguksageumdongamitayeoraejwasang(Seated gilt-bronze Amitabha buddha statue of Bulguksa Temple) and the Bulguksasaritap(Sarira pagoda of Bulguksa Temple)
According to the Samguk Yusa, the Bulguksa Temple was built during the reign of King Gyeongdeok, an era, when Silla was stabilized after the unification of the Three Kingdoms and when cultural capabilities were high. It was the golden year of Silla culture; and at that time, the Silla people were very proud that Silla was the Buddha’s land. The strong devotion of the Silla people was realized with the development of science and technology, excellent building techniques, and artistic sensibility. Bulguksa Temple was created with such a devotion. That is why the real power of Bulguksa Temple does not come merely from its beautiful scenery, quiet temple mood, and superior construction techniques. Let us reflect on the name Bulguk (Buddha’s land) by embracing the spirits of the Silla people a thousand years ago.
I hope that the layout plan of the Bulguksa Temple I’ve made. showing where the buildings and treasures are located will help you find your way around. A little knowledge on Buddhism would help you understand some of the rites and the rituals performed much better.
Or perhaps I could take you on a ‘pilgrimage’ to “Buddha Country” in the Bulguksa Temple?
The Bulguksa Temple can be said to be the materialized Buddhist Elysium, or Paradise where the past, present, and future Buddhist monks live. It portrays the spirit world of the people of the Silla Period very well.
The Sokkye-mun, the entrance to Buddha Country, two stone staircases and gates, consisting of the Bulguksayeonhwagyochilbogyo (Yeonhwagyo and Chilbogyo Bridges) and the Bulguksacheongungyobaegungyo ( Cheongungyo and Baegungyo Bridges) (National Treasure # 22 and # 23) serve as the traditional entrances to the temple grounds. These two double level bridges rise and enter the 100 meter stone wall. The bridges have been restored using the original stone blocks. As the pilgrim mounted the "Blue Cloud Bridge" he symbolically left the world of suffering and entered "The Buddha Country," or "Bulguk."
The Bulguksa Temple's Cheongun & Baegungyo Bridge is connected to the Jahamun Gate leading to the Hall of Sakyamuni, connecting the world of the common people under the bridge to the one for Buddha over it.
The larger bridge stairway, the Bulguksacheongungyobaegungyo ( Cheongungyo and Baegungyo Bridges) on the right, National Treasure #23, is 33 steps high, corresponding to the 33 steps to enlightenment terminating at the gate of Jahamun (Mauve Mist Gate). The Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge) is 5.4 meters and has 16 steps. One long single piece of granite is set down the center of each staircase section. The lower portion, the Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge,) is 6.3 meters long and has 17 steps with an arch eight feet wide and 12 feet high. The 33 steps mean not reaching the phase of Buddha yet, so the staircase also can be said to be a 'bridge of hope', or a 'bridge of pleasure and blessing'.It is sometimes compared to life, the former standing for the green youth and the latter the white-haired elders. The structure is unique in its bridge-shaped staircase, and the climbing slope is elaborately trimmed to 45°.
It is said that there was a pond under the reinforcing stonewall where the bridge is, representing the pure land of Buddha or the Western Paradise of the Amitaba world.
Even now, we can see a device for felling down water on the left of the staircase.
It is said that when water was falling from here, a rainbow was made due to the spray of a waterfall. From this, we can imagine that the Bulguksa Temple must have been very beautiful once upon a time.
It is a very precious relic because it is the only bridge that remains with a perfect form among the bridges in Silla Era.
Furthermore, the rainbow-shaped arch of the under part is also an important matter in that it shows the beginning time of arch in stone bridges or place gates.
To the west, an 18-step stone staircase leads to Anyangmun (Pure Land Gate). The lower ten-step portion of that staircase is called Yeonhwagyo, while the upper part with eight steps is Chilbogyo. It is said that only those who have reached enlightenment could use these stairs. Both structures are smaller than the Cheongungyo and Baegungyo, but the design and structure are quite similar. Most of the lotus-blossom carvings that beautified Yeonghwagyo have been lost over time, and the passage is currently restricted to visitors.
The similar points are the unique formation of the bridge-shaped staircase, the 45°slope, and the rainbow-shaped arch under the bridges. But in spite of the similarity in formation, it has its own unique characteristic. It is the prominent carvings of lotus flower petals on each step of the Yeonhwagyo Bridge.
They say that this bridge was climbed at the time of its construction by a lot of people who wished to die an easy and peaceful death, and that the Queen consort of Heongang became a Buddhist nun so that her husband the King could die an easy and peaceful death. This bridge seems to have been built in the reign of King Gyeongdeok of the United Silla Dynasty at the same time with the Cheongungyo & Baegungyo Bridge.
The bridge shows delicate beauty, while the eastern bridge depicts grand beauty giving the Bulguksa Temple some harmony and variation in formative beauty.
Once you’ve climbed the stairs and passed the gates you will observe that the precinct area is divided into the following three areas: Daeungjeon, Geukrakjeon, and Birojeon, where the three Buddhas are enshrined. Each area is composed of a staircase and a door at the entrance, a central building, and a corridor that surrounds them.
The Daeungjeon area indicates the world of suffering of the Sakyamuni Buddha, the Geukrakjeon area represents the Land of Happiness of the Amitabul, and the Birojeon area corresponds to the lotus-flowered world of Birojanabul.
Supposing these three areas located on the stones are the world of Buddha, the area under these stones is the world of human beings. Cheongun•Baegun Bridge and Yeonhwa•Chilbo Bridge connect these two worlds. Carefully observing the construction techniques of the stones and the bridges, anyone can easily notice that the skills of the Silla people who used the stones were not common.
The Seokgatap Pagoda and the Dabotap Pagoda, which face each other in the yard of the Daeungjeon area, are the highlights of the Bulguksa constructions. The graceful-looking Seokgatap Pagoda is definitely different from the luxurious Dabotap Pagoda, but it shows the completion of beauty through symmetry and balance, as well as diversification and harmony, in keeping with the peripheral buildings
The three-storey Seokgatap (Sakyamuni Pagoda) which stands at 8.2 meters is a traditional Korean-style stone pagoda with simple lines and minimal detailing. Seokgatap is over 13 centuries old. Dabotap (Many Treasure Pagoda) is 10.4 meters tall and dedicated to the Many Treasures Buddha mentioned in the Lotus Sutra. In contrast to Seokgatap, Dabotap is known for its highly ornate structure.
The Seokgatap and Dabotap pagodas are the most eye-catching of the architectural masterpieces at Bulguksa, dedicated to the Shakyamuni Buddha and the Prabhutaratna (the Buddha of Abundant Treasures),
The Dabotap Pagoda (National Treasure #20) and the Seokgatap Pagoda (National Treasure #21) are the two representative pagodas in Korea.
They stand facing each other in the yard, one in the east (Dabotap) and the other in the west, between the Hall of Sakyamuni and the Jahamun Gate in Bulguksa.
This Dabotap pagoda is a representative special-type pagoda, whereas the Seokgatap Pagoda (Sakyamuni pagoda) is a representative general-type stone pagoda.
The reason for building the two pagodas at the same site is to follow the contents in the Beophwagyeong (the Lotus Sutra) that the 'past Buddha' Dabo Buddha is standing beside the 'present Buddha' Sakyamuni.
Most visitors are struck by the calm simplicity created in the Seokgatap named after the Buddha absorbed in transcendent peace. The Dabotap's complexity symbolizes Dabo Yorae's (Buddha of Many Treasures) manifestation in a complex universe.
We can easily distinguish that the Seokgatap Pagoda (Sakyamuni pagoda) is a 3-story pagoda standing on a 2-story platform. But it is difficult to count the number of stories in the Dabotap Pagoda. In fact, even experts have confusing opinions; some saying it is 4-stories, while others say it is 3-stories. On the whole, 2-storey rooms serving as the pagoda body stand on the platform, with head decorations at the top. The planes are cut as square at the platform, and octagonal at the parts above it. Uniquely, it seems that there were stone staircases with guardrails in the four direction of the platform. But only stone pillars are left on both sides now. They built the octagonal pagoda body after surrounding square guardrails around it. And they carved octagonal guardrails, bamboo joint-shaped stone pillars, and sixteen pieces of lotus flower design on the pagoda body.
The skill is so excellent that we can't imagine that they are carved from stones.
The head decoration of the Seokgatap Pagoda (Sakyamuni pagoda) is a restored one, whilst that of the Dabotap Pagoda remains almost perfectly as it used to be. This work is a masterpiece that expresses the complicated structure of the wooden construction excellently. The work evidently shows the artistic essence of the United Silla Dynasty in that it has the well-organized structure using squares, octagons, and circles, and in that the length, width and thickness are standardized in every part.The original name of this pagoda was the 'Sakyamuni-yeoraesangjuseolbeoptap pagoda', and also called by it’s shortened form of 'Seokgatap pagoda (Sakyamuni pagoda)'.
The 2-story platform was made strong enough to sustain the entire weight of the pagoda.
Imitating wooden construction styles, the pagoda was made to have stone pillar-shaped carvings at each corner of the upper and lower platforms.
Such pillar carvings were also made on the pagoda body, and the corners of the roof stone were all raised, making the whole pagoda look light and as if it seemed to fly away.
The platform and pagoda body of the pagoda didn’t have any special decorations so as to be simple, but the head decoration on the 3-storey roof stone looked splendid.
This pagoda was remade in 1973, imitating the head decorations of the Silsangsa 3-Storey Stone Pagoda (Treasure Number 37) in Namwon which was made a hundred years after the Seokgatap Pagoda The pagoda is marked out, being surrounded by stones that have lotus flower designs in every direction. The marks make the pagoda look grander, a characteristic of a pagoda that cannot be easily found elsewhere. It looks very settled from any direction due to its excellent balance, and we can feel the simplicity and the grandeur of the pagoda. This pagoda had been carefully preserved through the years but it was damaged by robbers in September 1966.
Later in December of the same year, the pagoda was reconstructed, and at that time, they found a square space where the Buddha's sarira had been seated, in the front side of the core of the 2-storey pagoda body. Various relics and caskets for the sarira were found here, amongst them, the prominent Mugujeonggwandaedaranigyeong or the Mugujeonggwang Great Dharani Sutra(National Treasure #126). There were 31 separate items filed under National Treasure #126.
This is one of the oldest woodblock printing in the world, and made of mulberry paper. It is presently being kept in the Gyeongju National Museum.
The Seokgatap Pagoda (Sakyamuni pagoda) is also called 'Muyeongtap pagoda' meaning the pagoda without a shadow.
According to legend it seems that the master craftsman, Asadal, who designed and built the Dabotap and Seokgatap pagodas was so engrossed in his work that he completely forgot about his young and beautiful wife whom he had left behind in Baekje. The project was so complex that it took him a long time to complete the Dabotap, the first pagoda. He and his exhausted stonemasons began work on the Seokgatap which was way behind schedule. While working, he was suddenly seized by a vision of his young wife standing beside a shallow pond, gazing forlornly at the Bulguksa in the hope of his return.
Unknown to Asadal, the vision was true. His faithful wife Asanyeo had made the arduous journey from home and was waiting for him at the gates of Bulguksa. At that time, Buddhist temples were off-limits to women, so the gatekeeper refused her entry. Asanyeo begged and was so persuasive that the gatekeeper told her that, perhaps, she could see her husband, but only from afar. He told her that if she went to a place called Shadow Pond a few kilometers away, she could see the reflection in the water of her husband at work on the Dabotap.
The gatekeeper's suggestion was better than nothing, so she made the journey. When she got to the pond there was indeed a reflection of the Dabotap visible in the shimmering water. Unfortunately, there was no sign of her husband and no one visible in the temple. Unbeknown to both the gate-keeper and Asanyeo, Asadal had just finished the Dabotap and was now at work on the Seokgatap. Thinking that her husband had left her forever, Asanyeo flung herself in the pond and cried "Asadal!" one last time.
At the instant of her cry Asadal was seized with a vision of his wife flinging herself into the water, and ran to the pond to find her. But when he got there, there was nothing but the still water. Grief stricken, he languished for weeks at the edge of the pond while his masons completed the Seokgatap. One day, he thought he saw his wife running through the trees at the lakeside. Desperate, with hope, he ran and searched but discovered nothing except a strange rock that resembled a person. As he watched, the rock seemed to change into the rough form of the merciful Buddha. Here Asadal remained and chiseled the rock into a memorial to the spirit of his wife. Later a temple was built to enshrine the image.
The truth of the story is not known, but the rock carved by Asadal can still be seen near the pond. Even today, the villagers call Dabotap the "shadow pagoda" and Seokgatap the "no-shadow" pagoda in memory of Asadal's loss.
The image of the pagoda as shown on the South Korean 10 won coin.
Halls (Jeon).
Shakyamuni Buddha Main Hall (Daeungjeon). The pilgrim departs this world of suffering by ascending the Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge)and Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge), entering Buddha Country through Jahamun (Mauve Mist Gate). Passing through Jahamun the disciple has entered Nirvana. He continues to the Daeungjeon main hall passing between the Seokgatap pagoda on his left, representing Sakyamuni Buddha, and the Dabotap pagoda on his right, representing the Buddha of Many Treasures. Daeungjeon main hall in front of him is dedicated to Sakyamuni Buddha.
Daeungjeon, the Hall of Great Enlightenment, is the main hall, measuring 53 feet by 47 feet which enshrines the Sakyamuni Buddha. On either side of the Sakyamuni Buddha statue stand two of his attendants, Miruk Posal (Bodhisattva of the Future) to the right and Chyehwagara Posal to the left. In addition, the statues of two of Buddha's disciples, Mahakashyapa and Ananda, are present. Tradition views Mahakashyapa as the wisest of Buddha's disciples selected as the first of 28 Patriarchs of Buddhism. Ananda, a cousin of Buddha, served as the Buddha's secretary. He had the most accurate knowledge of Buddha's words, and is credited with gaining the Buddha's consent for women to enter the priesthood as nuns. Figures of sixteen disciples of Buddha (nahan) are in deep meditation along the right wall of the Daeungjeon. The nahan are not the first disciples but, rather, from a later period.
The Museoljeon Hall (not accessible to the public) is the largest of Bulguksa’s buildings. It served as a meditation hall and had 32 rooms according to a record from King Mun-mu’s time. The Haengnang corridors recently reconstructed terminate at this hall.
Surrounding the Geuknakjeon and Daeungjeon temple compounds is Haengnang (Walking Corridor), or a roofed corridor open to the courtyards while closed to the outside. The restoration of the Walking Corridor was completed in 1973. One–hundred–and–thirty pillars support the Haengnang around the larger Geuknakjeon temple while 73 pillars support the Walking Corridor around the smaller Daeungjeon temple.
The (Pavilion of Mount Meru) used to be here. The pavilion was damaged in 1593 by the Japanese during the Imjin War and restored in two separate projects during the Joseon Dynasty. A restoration project undertaken in 1973 resulted in the current structure, which is smaller than the original. The pavilion has a wide lower portion, a narrower middle above the stone pillars, and an upper portion as wide as the lower portion. Particularly unique are the stacked pillars, using 8 differently shaped stones, and their placement, facing each of the four directions. Today, the pavilion houses a drum atop a turtle structure.
Kyongru is a corner pavilion that sits to the right of the larger stairway entrance. Destroyed by fire earlier, the pavilion has been rebuilt. A colorful, large wooden carp and elaborately designed gong are housed there.
The Bulguksasaritap(Sarira pagoda of Bulguksa Temple), Treasure #61 or stupa, is located at the left side of the front garden of Birojeon. Resting on a ornate octagonal base, the stone lantern stands 2.1 meters tall. The artifact was at one point taken to Japan in 1906 but was eventually returned. It is from the Goguryo Dynasty and shows the influence of Silla Dynasty art.
A sarira is a container for the relics or remains of famous priests or royalty. It is said that this sarira contained the remains of eight priests or a queen. The three main features of the piece are the foundation stone, the main body, and the ornamental top. The foundation is an octagonal stone decorated with carvings.
Atop this foundation is a circular stone incised with louts motifs. The pillar supports of the main pody are carved with a cloud motif while the main pody is cylindrical and has four bas-reliefs of Buddha and bodhisattvas and are accompanied by flower motifs. The top of the pagoda has twelve sides which meet into a hexagonal shape.
The Bulguksa was never intended to be a major temple, but it has become famous as one of the few surviving examples of Silla architecture. In those days the Bulguksa was dwarfed by bigger temples such as the Hwangnyongsa, Bunhwangsa, and other important temples on the Korean peninsula. However Bulguksa's smaller size did not make it any less artistic than the rest of the great Silla temples.
During the Hideyoshi Toyotomi invasions in 1592 all of the wooden buildings were burned to the ground.
It was partially reconstructed during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945) when the Japanese conducted a restoration, but there were no records of the work being done, and known treasures had gone missing during that time. Like this lion, it’s the only one left out of the four that were supposed to be on the stone staircases of a pagoda.
It was only fully restored only during the later years of President Park Chung-hee's regime (1961-1979). Although most of Bulguksa is a reconstruction, the foundation stones and the pagodas are original.
The Bulguksageumdongbirojanabuljwasang(Seated Gilt-bronze Vairocana Buddha Statue of Bulguksa Temple) National Treasure #26.
This 1.77-meter-tall Buddha of Enlightenment, which "saves all the people with a benign light," is enshrined in the Birojeon Hall, Bulguksa Temple. The head of the image, which has a form of two top shells fixed to each other, shows a refined technique.
Long and rich face looks fleshy.
The robe, expressed thinly and covered the left shoulder with the right shoulder exposed, shows the shape of dignified body.
The robe, hanging down on the left arm along with the "U-shaped" folds around the front part of the body, looks languid and worn-out.
The index finger of the right hand gently covered by the left hand is contrary to the posture usually taken by the statue of the Buddha of Enlightenment. Firmly built shoulders, voluminous chest and slim waist of the statue make it felt as the ideal and refined work of Silla period.
But judged from too wide laps, the folds and face with the reduced tense and vitality, it is considered as a work in the early 9th century.
The Bulguksageumdongamitayeoraejwasang(Seated Gilt-Bronze Amitabha Buddha Statue of Bulguksa Temple) National Treasures #27
The round face of this Buddha statue looks slightly rigid, and its hair is spiral-shaped with a huge topknot (Yukgye). Both its eyes are half-open and look down slightly, and it has a high-bridged nose and long ears, which stretch almost to its shoulders. Three wrinkles are clearly shown on its neck, and its hand shape (Suin: Buddha’s hand shape) crystallizes various symbols expressed by the fingertips of the statue, such as medium-grade human beings (Jungpoom Jungsaeng) among nine hand shapes (Gupoom Suin). In the case of the sacerdotal robe, the upper robe is over the left shoulder, leaving the right shoulder bare, and the folds of the robe are magnificent. The statue sits with fully crossed legs, while the knees are widely spread to show great stability.
This Buddhist statue was initially completely plated and later coated with white dye. Many years ago, however, the white dyes were completely removed. A trace of a halo is attached to the rear of the statue, as it was initially presumed that there would be a Geoshingwang (light emitted from the whole body of the Buddha).
The overall fabrication style of this statue is the same as that of Buddhist statues in the Chinese Tang Dynasty, instead of the Chinese Bei-Wei style, which used to be shown in the Buddhist statues during the period of the Three Kingdoms.
According to one opinion, this Buddhist statue was made for the mother of Silla’s 24th King Jinpyeong. It is more likely, though, that this statue was made in the mid-eighth century because of its carving style.
I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit to Buddha Country. And now we are going to visit the Seokguram Grotto.
Tucked away on the eastern slope of the peak of Mt. Tohamsan is the Seokguram Grotto, (National Treasure #24) a hermitage of Bulguksa. This granite sanctuary sums up the religious enthusiasm, architectural technology, and immaculate workmanship of the Silla people, making it a rare landmark of world religious art. Buddhist art reached its peak under King Gyeongdeok, who reigned during the middle period of the Silla Dynasty. An artificial stone cave was built halfway down Mt. Tohamsan using pieces of white granite.
The rectangular front chamber of the Grotto is connected to the round-shaped main chamber through a corridor.
The ceiling in the main chamber is exquisitely made with more than 360 pieces of flat stones.
The superb architectural technique used here is unprecedented in its excellence.
The Seokguram consists of an antechamber which holds reliefs of eight guardian deities and two Vajrapanis; a short corridor carved with the four heavenly kings; and the main rotunda which enshrines in its center the Seated Main Buddha, Shakyamuni Tathagata (the Incarnation of Truth), created to perfection with its’ mature carving skills and realistic expression
The elegant and majestic main Buddha of Seokguram epitomizes the aestheticism of Korean Buddhist sculpture. An enigmatic combination of masculine strength and feminine beauty and a personification of divine and human natures, the Buddha represents Korean Buddhist sculpture at the zenith of classical realism.
Chiselled out of a single granite block, the 3.5-meter-high Buddha image envisages Shakyamuni , the Historic Buddha, at the moment of enlightenment. He is seated in a cross-legged position on a 1.34-meter-high lotus pedestal, with his right foot exposed as it lays across his left knee. His hands are poised in a mudar touching the earth to call it to witness his realization of enlightenment.
The Buddha has tightly curled hair and a distinct usnisa, the protuberance on the top of the head symbolizing his supreme wisdom. Beneath the broad forehead the double eyebrows are shaped like crescent moons and the eyes are half-shut gazing vaguely ahead in deep meditation. He wears a faint smile and his body is rounded and voluminous as though inflated by an inner force.
The robust torso is draped in a flowing robe with gentle folds exposing the right shoulder in respect of early Indian customs. The drapery is obviously a Korean interpretation of the Indian prototype of a tightly-clinging robe. The fan-shaped folds about the legs also indicate the Gupta-period Indian influence. The details of the robe covering the right arm and chest are realistically portrayed.
The lotus pedestal on which the Buddha sits consists of three sections. The upper and lower sections are round and decorated with lotus petals, while the narrower central section is octagonal with eight small pillars supporting the upper section at each point of the octagon. The pedestal is placed on a round foundation. A big granite roundel adorned with lotus petals around the rim is set on the wall behind the Buddha, creating the illusion of an aureole around his head. This is one of the distinct features of Seokguram. The nimbus is normally attached to the back or the head of most other Buddha images.
Along the lower part of the circular wall are reliefs of an 11-faced Avalokitesvara, ten disciples, Manjusri, Sakradevanam Indra, Mahabrahmandah, and Samantabhadra.
The Eleven-faced Avalokitesvara, or Bodhisattva of Compassion, on the curved wall right behind the main Buddha, is arresting in its resplendence. While the surrounding disciples stand sideways, the Bodhisattva stands straight, the silken flow of robes adorned with dazzling jewelry, the graceful face under a crown decorated with the heads of ten bodhisattvas and a central Amitabha, or the Buddha of Boundless Light, the left hand holding a vase with a slender lotus flower, and the right hand lightly holding a long necklace. The sculptor must have taken great delight in rendering every detail of this splendid figure. The niches on the wall at about the level of the main Buddha's eyes are symbolically midway between heaven and earth and are therefore perfectly appropriate for bodhisattvas, which are intermediate between divine beings and sentient beings.
Every single sculpture found in this place can be considered as a masterpiece of Buddhist art in East Asia. The numerous stone Buddhist figures in the grotto represent the best sculptures of the Unified Silla period in all Korea. The list of the masterpieces includes , the eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy with a magnificently carved face and body, statues of valiant warriors and the majestic four heavenly kings, the supple and graceful statues of various monks and various Arahat each of whom display a distinctive individuality.
In particular, the serene appearance of the principal Buddha enshrined in the main chamber surrounded with a secret mood filling up the Grotto adds the depth in the mystic atmosphere.
The Seokguram Grotto gives us a fine portrait of Korean Buddhism in the mid-8th century. This granite sanctuary stands as the zenith of the Buddhist faith, architectural aesthetics and geometry, advanced science, and meticulous workmanship developed in the golden age of Korean Buddhist art. It represents the very pinnacle of human artistic achievement in the medium of stone.The Seokguram Grotto can be called the masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in Silla.
Kim Daeseong (700–774), the son of Kim Mullyang, a former chief minister, was the chief minister of Silla during the reign of King Seongdeok of the Unified Silla period. Both the Bulguksa Temple and the Seokguram Grotto in Gyeongju were established by him
Fascinating legends surround the life of Prime Minister Kim Daeseong. An old legend states that Kim was reincarnated for his filial acts in his previous life.
During his earlier life, he lived in extreme poverty with his widowed mother, in the small village of Moryang-ri on the western outskirts of Gyeongju. The villagers used to make fun of him as he had a big head and a flat forehead that looked like a wall. They called him Dae-seong, meaning "big wall." His mother was too poor to feed him so she gave him to a rich neighbour named Bogan as a farm hand. Dae-seong worked so hard that his master was moved and gave him a small piece of a rice paddy. About this time, a virtuous monk named Jeomgae from the Heungnyongsa temple, visited Bogan and asked for a donation for a big ceremony at his temple. As Bogan handed him fifty rolls of hemp cloth, the monk bowed in appreciation and said that the Buddha would repay his generosity by blessing him ten thousand times the worth of his donation.
Dae-seong overheard this and ran home and told his mother, "Now we are poor, and if we do not give something to the temple, we will be even poorer in our next lives. Why don't we give our little rice field for the ceremony so that we may have a great reward in our after lives?" His mother readily consented and donated their rice field to the temple.
Dae-seong died a few months later. On the night of his death, a voice from heaven was heard above the house of Prime Minister Kim Mun-ryang. The voice said that Dae-seong, a good boy from Moryang-ri, would be born to Kim's family. Kim's wife conceived at the time the heavenly voice was heard and gave birth to a boy. The child kept his left hand tightly clenched for seven days after his birth. When he finally opened his fist, they found the two characters for Dae-seong written in gold on his palm. They gave him his old name and invited the mother of his previous life to take care of him.
Dae-seong grew up into a strong man who loved hunting. One day he climbed Mt.Tohamsan and there he killed a big bear. As he was sleeping that night, the bear's ghost appeared in his dream and threatened to kill and eat him unless he built a temple for him. Dae-seong built a temple on the spot where he killed the bear and named it Jangsusa, meaning the Temple of Long Life. From that time on he gave up hunting.
Dae-seong was moved by the heavenly grace. He built the beautiful Bulguksa in memory of his parents in his present life and the wonderful cave temple of Seokguram for his parents in his previous life. He invited the two distinguished monks Sillim and Byohun to supervise these temples. He had his fathers and mothers represented among the icons at these temples in gratitude for bringing him up as a useful man.
After the great stone Buddha for Seokguram was finished, Dae-seong was working on a large piece of stone for the ceiling of the main hall when it suddenly broke into three pieces. He wept bitterly over this and fell into sleep. During the night, the gods descended from heaven and restored the stone to its original condition. Dae-seong awoke with joy and climbed the southern peak of Mt.Tohamsan, where he burned incense and worshiped the deities. People called the place Hyangnyong, or Incense peak, thereafter.
The erudite monk historian lryeon(1206-1289) had this wondrous skill of interweaving legend and fact in his book which serves as an invaluable source of information for students of early Korean history.
While most readers of his book today would find it difficult to believe in the reincarnation of Kim Dae-seong, visitors to Seokguram can see the cracks dividing the round capstone on the main rotunda's domed ceiling clearly into three pieces. South of the temple, there also exists a peak called Hyangnyong.
Another important history book, the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), compiled by Kim Bu-sik in 1145, identifies the founder of Bulguksa and Seokguram as Kim Dae-seong who served as prime minister from 745-750 under King Gyeongdeok. He was the son of Kim Mun-ryang who was also the prime minister from 706-711 under King Seongdeok, according to the oldest extant book on Korean history. Is that coincidence or what?
I thought that I could do the two UNESCO World Cultural Heritages in one go but looks like I’m mistaken. I’ll have to do the Historic Sites in my next post. Thanks for stopping by.
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