Now, let’s take a look at the symbols of this city as laid out on the city’s homepage.
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Gyeongsan was home to many famous people, amongst them the great monk Wonhyo, the great scholar Seolchong and the great priest and scholar Ilyeon.
Wonhyo (617-686) was a great Buddhist priest during the Unified Silla Kingdom. His family name was Seol. He was born in Apryang-gun, Gyeongsan. At the age of 15, he entered a Buddhist monastery.
One legend tells of how he attained enlightenment. On his way to study in Tang, China with the priest Uisang, he happened, one night, to sleep in a cave. In the middle of the night, Wonyo was awakened by severe thirst and drank water which turned out to be stagnant water in a human skull. Then immediately, he obtained enlightenment, declaring that "the ultimate truth lies not outside oneself but within oneself." Then he turned his back on Silla. He left the priesthood and turned to the spreading of the Buddhadharma as a layman. He married Princess Yoseok and fathered Seol Chong, who is considered to be one of the great Confucian scholars of Silla.
Wonhyo was not only a luminous Buddhist scholar, but thinker. He also contributed greatly to turning aristocratic Buddhism into the people's religion. He was not biased towards any one sect, but harmonized with one truth in Buddhism.
He is thought to have founded Korea's only riverside temple, Silleuksa or Shilleuksa, located in Gyeonggi-do. Today Silleuksa is a sacred pilgrimage site and a repository of seven Treasures. A 500-year-old aromatic juniper tree and a 600-year-old ginkgo tree stand on the temple grounds. It is worth a visit as it is not far from Seoul, (only about an-hour’s trek from Seoul.) Don’t worry you can even go there by car or bus. In 1977, the temple land was developed for tourism and development. Public establishments and other tourist conveniences are now in place and ready for use. There are many other establishments nearby, including shops, convenience facilities, rest areas, arcades and an amusement park. The Silleuksa Temple tourist resort makes board and lodging possible and offers tours to the Royal Mausoleum of King Sejong and the Moka Buddhist Museum.
While Wonhyo was staying at the Bunhwangsa temple located in Gyeongju, he wrote a number of books. A research center and a shrine, the Bogwangjeon hall, dedicated to Wonhyo's legacy, are located at the Bunhwangsa, due to its strong association with Wonhyo,
Seol Chong was a great scholar during the middle of the Silla Kingdom. His other name was Chongji. He was the son of Wonhyo and Princess Yoseok. He belonged to the aristocracy, the 6th bone-rank order. According to the Jeungbomunheonbigo, he was the founder of the Gyeongju Seol clan. He is also known as a great scholar who compiled and perfected the Idu writing system. He is regarded as one of 10 sages of the Silla Kingdom, one of the three finest writers of the Silla Kingdom, and one of 18 Korean Confucian sages who have been enshrined in the Korean National Confucian Shrine. He left Hwawanggye, a satirical writing about a king, and inscriptions on a Buddha statue. His memorial shrine was built at Hadae-ri, Namsan-myeon, in 1923.
Ilyeon (1206-1289) was born in Jangsan-gun, Gyeongsan. He was the most revered priest in the Buddhist circle during the intervention of the Mongols. He won the confidence of King Chungryeol and became a kukjon, the supreme head of the Buddhist hierarchy, in 1283.
Although he was a priest, he was a filial son to his mother. Always, he wished to stay close to his mother in Gyeongsan even while staying at Kwangmyongsa in Gaeseong, capital of the Goryeo Dynasty, as the kukjon. During his life, he stayed long at temples on Mt. Biseul and Mt. Unmun close to Gyeongsan.
He left such writings such as the Samguk Yusa and Jungpyeonjodongowi. A memorial pagoda stands at Ingaksa where he spent his last years. After his death, Gyeongsan-hyeon, his birthplace, was elevated to the chief eup from a branch eup of Donggyeong Gyeongju in 1317.
Don’t these dogs look cute? Do you know that the Sapsalgae are the oldest endemic dogs in Korea? Sapsalgae are the representative indigenous species of dogs widely distributed in the south-eastern region of the Korean peninsula and are designated and protected as Natural Monument #368.
Sapsalgae are medium sized and slightly longer than tall. Their adult coat is long and abundant, and comes in various colours including solid and/or mixed shades of black, golden yellowish-blonde, reddish-orange, browns, and salt-and-pepper greys. Their hair falls over the eyes. Their ears are drooping and their muzzles aren’t as sharp-pointed as the Jindo dogs. Their tails are raised, and they have big heads.
The dogs have bold and brave natures, and are faithful to their owners. They appear to have been bred exclusively as house dogs; their 'work' spiritual rather than physical. Traditionally, these dogs were believed to dispel ghosts and evil spirits and even misfortune.
During the Silla dynasty, the nobles raised Sapsalgaes. The dogs were pets for aristocratic families of the Silla Kingdom. General Kim You Shin took them as military dogs to wars. Sapsalgae were the noble dogs in the palaces.
During the Joseon period, they appeared in songs, folk tales and paintings, thus sharing the joy and sorrow with the Korean people. During the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945) even these dogs were victims to the Japanese policy to annihilate Korean traditional cultures and their numbers were greatly reduced. Consequently the Sapsalgae were in danger of becoming extinct.
Many Koreans themselves thought that the Sapsalgae were little long furred imported foreign dogs when in true fact they were the native dogs of Korea. That was why veterinary Professor Tak Yeon Bi and Kim Hwa Sik from Gyeongbuk University, wanted to correct this misconception by giving the Sapsalgae the true recognition due to them.
They collected 30 pure breeds of Sapsalgae in the Gyeongbuk area and the Southern Gang won mountains from the late 1960's and presented the results of the study about them. The group of Sapsalgae now existing are descendents of them. These Sapsalgae were raised and kept in farms in Daegu in 1972. At first there were 7-8 dogs only, but after they were moved to farms in Gyeongsan, they managed to search for more Sapsalgae, the number of Sapsalgae increased in the tens in 1989. An effort was made to make the Sapsalgae a Natural Monument 'endemic dog', and it proved fruitful because it was designated Natural Monument #368 on March 7, 1992. To look after the interests of the Sapsalgae, with regards to their breeding and preservation etc. the “Association for Sapsalgae Conservation of Korea," was formed.
As pure breeds among 200 dogs, the Gyeongsan Sapsalgae were found to be good, skilled and intellectual individuals; and comparable to the German Shepherds, big and handsome, very impressive like lions when running, expressing their warm hearts through their bodies and eyes when they see their masters.
Recently, the number of Sapsalgae has reached approximately 500 dogs. At present, the original species of this dog is collectively raised in the Hayang-Eup area of Gyeongsan.
The Sapsalgae is planned to be elevated to a world class dog, and to be able to enter an event for famous dogs of the world. Although the Sapsalgae has been identified and recognized by both leading Korean dog societies, the Korean Canine Club (FCI affiliate) and the Korean Kennel Club, the only Korean dog that has official international recognition is the Jindo.
Let us now visit one of the famous houses in Gyeongsan. Nanpogotaek, Tangible Cultural Asset #80 in Gokran-ri, Yongseong-myeon, was built in 1546 by Choe Gongcheol, an official who defended Jeonju during the Japanese Invasion of 1592-98. It is recorded in his biography that the house survived the invasions. The style of construction, however, suggests that it was remodeled around the 17th century. One of the end tiles on the roof is inscribed with the words "the 14th year of Gagyeong," which indicates the house was renovated in 1809. The house once consisted of a main living area, a men's quarters, a master's quarters, a servants' quarters, a mill house, a stable, and an ancestral shrine but only the main living area, the servants' quarters and the shrine remain. The roof of the main building is a rather imaginative variation of a hipped-and-gabled roof. The hall has paneled doors and an attic extends over the rooms at both sides of the hall.
The Hayanghyanggyo(Confucian School in Hayang) in Gyo-ri, Hayang-eup, Cultural Properties Materials #107, consists of eight buildings. On the sloped land, Waesammun Myeongryndang, Naesammun, and Daeseongjeon were built in a row, and at the back of the Myeongryundang, are Dongjae and Seojae and in front of the Daejseongjeon, are the Jeonsacheong and the Gimulgo.
The Dongjae and·Seojae (the student dormitories) are usually located in front of the Myeongryundang in the Jeonhakhumyo-type of construction, but at Hayang Hyanggyo they are located at the back of the Myeongryundang. The Daeseongjeon has 3-rooms in the front and 3-rooms at the side, whereas the Myeongryundang has 5-rooms in the front and 2-rooms at the side. There are tablets for Gong Ja and other sages from Korea and China in the Daeseongjeon.
But now, only the Daeseongjeon, the Myeongryundang, the Naesammun and the Waesammun remains.
Stromatolite is the accumulative structure where small deposits piled over and over on the earliest living organisms on the earth. It is very rare geology information and it is very hard to be seen in Korea. Groups of stromatolite fossils in Eun Ho Li, Gyeong San has been very well preserved and it is very rare even in the whole world. Stromatolite fossils are the oldest fossils in the world, about 3 billion years old, and it lived on the planet in the precambrian era. It can be found in many places in the world but not like Eun Ho Li where it has groups of it with well preservation.
Gyeongsan Guyeonjeong, Treasure #415 in Nae-ri, Jinryang-myeon was a pavilion built by Jikhae Kim Ik-dong and located on the cliff of the Geumho riverside, at the back of Daegu University.
It is a ‘2-rooms in the front, 2-rooms at the side’ scaled Paljak tile-roofed house. On the map, the front faces the Northeast, which is overlooking the Geumhogang (river). The front part is the main floored room, and the back part is an underfloor-heated room. At the back of the underfloor-heated room, a narrow wooden veranda was built for easy access to the pavilion.
Now I would like to tell you about the Sanggam Chohwamunbyeong (Bottle with inlaid grass design) Treasures #239 which belongs to the Yeongnam University and is kept in the Yeongnam University Museum in Dae-dong.
This relic has a Maebyeong-type appearance with a round body, a slender waist, and wide legs. It has a grayish and glossy texture and the inlaid work is transparent.
On the body, the vine flower pattern has a white inlay accented with a black inlay. The shoulder has a thick band of dark green and white inlay. The mouth has a lotus pattern in black..
Goryeo celadon gave way to Buncheong ware on which designs were being inlaid with techniques further advanced using the surface method not the thin- line method.
On the swollen surface of the main body, with a vigorous and daring touch, patterns of flowers and bindweeds are being inlaid in white, while the open spaces in between them in black, which make vivid contrast with each other.
This explains clearly the transition process from Goryeo to the Joseon Era. This valuable porcelain was found among the ashes of a burnt house belonging to Jang Taeksang, the first Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Another item of great value is the saddle of Choe Mun-byeong (1557~1599) who played an active part in the resistance against the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. It is kept at the (Daegu National Museum.) in Gyeongsan.
When the Japanese invaded Joseon in 1592, he gathered resistance troops at Hyangri, and defeated the enemy at Cheonjangsan, and in cooperation with another leader, Park Gyeong-jeon, he defeated the enemy at Dugok, Seonam, and Gajihyeon.
As a result, he was appointed superintendent in 1593.upon the recommendation of Park Jin, a senior government official titled Dongjijungchubusa, He was posthumously honoured as the Mayor of Seoul.
The saddle has been kept in an unusually good condition and has all the accessories such as the Deungja, Baeddi, and Godeulgae and is of great value. Angyo, the part that sticks out on both the front and back of the saddle, is framed by wood and covered with Bongnyun (two-fold screen for saddle), which is made of carved bone and tightened with metal pieces around the margin. The outer part of the Angyo is covered with porcupine skin and pieces of bone made into flower shape are attached on three locations. Underneath the Angyo is carved out in a round shape and the pieces of bone are attached around its frame. The seating area is made of leather. The footrest is made of metal and the footrest is made in a circular shape. Both sash and whip are made from jute and cotton fabrics.
The Apryang relics, Historic relics #218, is located at Seonhwa-ri, Jinryang-eup, Gyeongsan-si, on a low hill that overlooks Apryang field.
This was the military drilling ground used by General Kim Yusin(595-673)when he was the military commander of Amnyangju.
There were three military drilling grounds, one in Amnyang-dong, another in Nae-dong and a third in Seonhwa-dong.
Silla established its forward base in Amnyangju and General Kim Yusin gave his soldiers military and spiritual training here in preparation for the unification of the three kingdoms.
Gyeongsanimdangdonggobungun(Ancient tombs in Imdang-dong, Gyeongsan), Historic Site #300, is located on the north-western hill of ‘Daedong’ village. The old tombs on the hill of Imdang-dong are what was built in the early Three States.The mounds scattered about this hill are tombs that are believed to have come from an ancient tribal, walled-town called Apdokguk.
It has been recorded in the Samguksagi (the History of Three States written by Kim Busik) that the king of Apdokguk State surrendered Silla in the 23rd ruling year of King Pasa.
The Apdokguk State is estimated to have been located in the neighbourhood of Amnyang-myeon where the tombs of Imdang-dong exist.
After some grave robbers were caught in 1982, the Yeongnam University Museum excavated the tombs. The excavation revealed that some of the tombs consisted of vertical holes cut into the rocks and some of the chambers created out of piled up rocks. Some of the mounds also showed that large jars had been used as coffins.
Many burial items including personal ornaments like hat decorations and gold rings and earrings, earthenware vessels and horse equipment were excavated from the tombs. At the same time, pieces of Mumuntogi were retrieved that were recognized as the relics belonging to the Bronze Age.
As the remains of more than one person were found in the tombs, the tombs are believed to be that of tribal chiefs or other leaders since it was a custom to entomb living people with the remains of high-ranking people.
One of the tombs has been restored in such a way that its interior can be viewed.
The more than 2,000 items excavated from here are housed at the Yeongnam University Museum.
Gyeongsanjoyeongdonggobungun(Ancient tombs in Joyeong-dong), Historic Sites #331, consists of the whole area of Bujeok-ri, Amnyang-myeon, Gyeongsan-gun, Joyeong-dong Gyeongsan-si.
About 10 tombs are scattered in the low and flat hill area around Joyeong-dong, Gyeongsan-si. Yeongnam University Museum performed two excavations here in 1988 and 1989 and 6-7 tombs were restored after the excavation.
Various types of tombs such as the jar coffin tombs where the dead were put into jars, the pit type stone chamber tombs and the tunnel type stone chamber tombs were found here. Most of the excavated tombs were the pit type stone chamber tombs.
The excavated relics included earthenware, ornaments such as gold and bronze crown, belt, earrings, weapons, and horse gear.
Considering the inside structure of the tombs and the excavated relics, it was presumed that these tombs were built between the 3rd and 5th centuries.
Presently, there is a grass field around the tombs and they are protected by a fence.
It has been more than 40 years since the cultivation of grapes started in Gyeongsan, in the sixties. With good soil and abundant sunshine the grapes produced are very big with high sugar content. The M.B.A. grapes, cultivated in the Namcheon area, have been recognized all over Korea for its superior quality. The Geobong grapes, produced in the Namsan area, is fully delivered to large department stores across the country by contract and it cannot be tasted even at the original production site.
The peaches cultivated in Gyeongsan are a kind of Cheondo peach and the cultivation area is expanding thanks to the proper climate and natural features for peaches.
Especially, in the Yongseong region, a mountainous back land with a big temperature gap, the peaches are very sweet. The Namsan region has abundant sunshine and fertile land, so its peaches are big and have good colour and flavour.
Gyeongsan has a heavenly climate that has almost no natural disasters such as typhoons and floods etc. with plenty of sunshine, so it is the best place to cultivate jujubes. The large fruit with rich mineral contents is well known across the country.
It started out as an apple alternative in the early 1970s, and has been produced at such an enormous rate that it has been recognized as the largest jujube producing district in the country. Most of the jujubes are grown in Apryang, Jinryang, Jain and Hayang, where the climate and soil are most suited.
And with this we have come to the end of today’s visit to Gyeongsan. So till we meet again, good-bye.
Special thanks and appreciation to the following:
Photos and articles © courtesy:
http://www.gbgs.go.kr/eng/main/main.htm http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english
http://biz.gbgs.go.kr/eng/index.html http://museum.gbgs.go.kr/open_content/eng/gs/cultural01_view.jsp?no=2 http://english.tour2korea.com
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