Haeinsa Temple
The Haeinsa Temple or “Temple of Reflection on a Smooth Sea” also belongs to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is one of the more important temples in Korea as it houses the historical Tripitaka Koreana – Buddhist scriptures that are carved into approximately 81,258 printing blocks. Those blocks have stayed in the Haeinsa Temple since 1398.
The construction of this temple has 2 legends. The first one mentions that Haeinsa was built in gratitude of Buddha’s mercy after two monks have successfully cured King Aejang’s wife.
The second legend by Choe Chi – Won accounts that the same monks have won the support of a wealthy dowager who converted her religion to Buddhism.
Just like other important structures in Korea, this temple has survived several political revolts and arsons. In fact, the structure that we see now is a result of no less than eight major reconstructions and renovations. This temple is located on the Gaya Mountain, south of the Gyeongsang Province.
Places to See:
1. Janggyeong Panjeon (also known as National Treasure Number 52)
This is the oldest part of the temple that holds one of Korea’s national treasures – the Tripitaka Koreana. Given the fact that this structure is mostly made of wood, it has miraculously survived fires and bombings during the Japanese and Korean Wars.
This storage facility is also one of the reasons why UNESCO included the temple in the list of World Heritage Sites. Its architects have found natural and ingenious ways to preserve the wooden blocks.
2. Daejeokkwangjeon (also known as the Hall of Great Silence)
This hall is special because it is mainly dedicated to Vairocana – the Buddha that is the embodiment of Dharmakaya who is one of the forming parts of the Trikaya doctrine.
Hourly tours are given to locals and foreigners who are interested to see the place. These can be arranged by contacting travel agencies that are locally based. Some of the guests are also given the option to stay overnight and appreciate the tranquility of the place at a meager rate. The stay is best recommended for people who wish to meditate and stay away from the hustle and bustle of the city even for just one night.
Mt. Sorak
Mt. Sorak is the tallest mountain in the Taebaek Mountain range. It approximately takes a 15–minute drive from Seokcho City to reach the main entrance of the National Park. After the short drive, be ready to stretch your legs as they will become your main means of getting inside the facility.
Places to See
1. Yukdam and Biryeong Waterfalls located on the left side of the valley, these are two of the many breath taking sights that can be reached by walking approximately 40 minutes from the car park.
2. If you are up to more challenge, the view to look for next is the rock formation called “Ulsanbawi.” To see this, you have to climb 888 manmade steps up the mountain. The trek may feel like hell to your feet, but it may all be worth it. This is because on the way there, you will be able to pass interesting by two small temples and one more rock formation that the locals call Heundeulbawi. The Heundeulbawi is a 16–foot spherical rock that is mounted on another boulder.
3. Had enough? If you have not, there are two more things that you need to see: the Biseondae (a rock platform in a stream) and the Valley of a Thousand Buddhas. To reach both, you would have to walk a difficult trail towards the end of the Sorak Valley.
Best Time to Visit
According to locals, the best time to visit the place is during the autumn season. The view of the falling leaves and the colors that it brings with it is just absolutely stunning. The lack of rain during this season also guarantees a safer hike on the way to destinations.
What to Wear and Bring
Since you will be doing a lot of hiking and in turn sweating, it will be best for you to wear jogging pants, a light shirt and a jacket to serve as your protection from the sun, cold and insects. In terms of things to bring, you can put a change of shirt in your backpack, some energy bars and enough water supplies for hydration.
Sokkuram at Bulguksa Temple
If you were someone who knows South Korea by heart, then you would know that there are hundreds of Buddhist temples that are scattered all around the country. But despite their huge number, only a few only manage to stand out, one of which is the Bulguksa.
The Bulguksa Temple is special because it houses seven of South Korea’s national treasures, one of which is the 24th treasure called the Sokkuram (sometimes spelled as Seokguram). UNESCO recognized both structures in 1962 by adding them to the List of World Heritage Sites.
Here are more interesting information that you may want to discover about Sokkuram.
• It has been said that the original Sokkuram was commissioned by King Gyeongdeok of the Unified Silla (the conglomeration three main Kingdoms of Korea) in 742. Rumors say that the design was greatly influenced by several religious structures in India.
• This grotto depicts the image of Buddha that is constructed to symbolize the spiritual journey towards the Buddhist heaven called Nirvana.
• The structure is situated at the foot of Mt. Tohamsan, which is a sacred mountain to the Silla. Back then, pilgrims and other monks from all sides of the world frequented it.
• The inside of the grotto is composed of an antechamber and a rotunda that represented earth and heaven respectively. In the middle of the structure is a Buddha sculpture whose identity is still debated.
• Several depictions of Indian gods and goddesses and a few more symbolical figurines surround the Buddha. These figurines were said to represent Buddhist principles and teachings.
• After several failed restorations, political and religious battles, President Park Chung Hee finally ordered the restoration of the historical site during the 1960’s. Today, the structure is again open to be admired and studied by the public. One of the more important additions during the recent restoration is the glass panel that protects the antechamber from the harsh elements of weather.
Given those facts and its significance in Korea’s culture, perhaps it is safe to say that the Sokkuram is indeed one of the most important religious destinations of South Korea.
Pulguksa Temple
One of the more important places of worship in Korea is the Pulguksa Temple (Bulguksa). This site is special because it houses seven of the following national treasures of South Korea:
1. Treasures Number 20 and 21
These are Dabotap and Seokgatap respectively. The Dabotap is said to be 10.4 meters tall and it was built during the year 751. This structure is special because the architecture of this stone pagoda is unlike any that is seen in any other Buddhist countries of its time.
Directly across the Dabotap is another pagoda called the Seokgatap. It is a structure that stands approximately 8.2 meters high. Compared to its counterpart, the Seokgatap is simpler and basic that emphasized the combination of three aesthetic elements namely: balance, stability and symmetry.
2. Treasure Number 22
The Yeonhwagyo and Chilbogyo are considered to be South Korea’s national treasure number 22. These two bridges rise into a 45–degree incline and lead to the Anyangmun (Peace Enhancing Gate) and Geuknakjeon (Hall of Pure Land) respectively.
3. Treasure Number 23
Like the previous treasure, number 23 is also a pair of bridges called Cheongungyo and Baegungyo, (Blue and White Cloud Bridge respectively). The steps of the two bridges combined are said to represent the 33 heavens of Buddhism.
4. Treasure Number 26
Number 26 is a seated Buddha statue that depicts Vairocana embodiment of the Buddhist concept of emptiness. This statue is 1.77 meters in height and is made of gilt–bronze material.
5. Treasure Number 27
Like number 26, the 27th national treasure is also another gilt–bronze Buddha, this time a depiction of the Amitabha Buddha.
6. Treasure Number 61
The sarira pagoda is known to be 61st treasure of South Korea. Situated on the front garden of Pulguksa, the sarira is often mistaken to be a stone lantern. This sarira is significant in the country’s history, as it is known to hold the remains of royalty and significant priests as well. Although it cannot be confirmed, rumor has it that the sarira displayed in Pulguksa, contains the remains of 8 queens and or priests.
Popchusa Temple
The Popchusa or Beopchusa Temple is one of the sights to visit in Korea as it is said to be the head temple of Jogye, the Order of Korean Buddhism. This temple is situated in the Boeun City in Chungcheongbuk do.
Built by the monk Uisin in the year 653, the structure was said to be dedicated to the Maitreya Buddhism a worship of a future Buddha who is awaited in the modern wall. During the Goryeo Dynasty, it played home to some 3,000 Buddhist monks. Its decline started in the Joseon dynasty when the rulers withdrew support from the religion.
Important sites to see:
1. Palsangjeon a wooden pagoda that was torched during the Imjin Invasion. To those who may not be familiar with it, Imjin is the collective term the locals use to refer to the Japanese invasion that lasted from 1592 to 1598.
Here is another cool trivia. Did you know that Bruce Lee originally chose the pagoda to be the location set of the movie “Game of Death”? He chose this because he wanted to use the five floors of the pagoda to represent the five types of martial arts. Unfortunately, he died before the film was even completed. Since the screenplay was changed after Bruce Lee’s death, the scene in the pagoda was edited out.
2. Another structure to visit is the Golden Maitreya statue that is approximately 33 meters tall. This is a recent addition as it was only completed last 1990. It was meant to replace an old and unsteady concrete structure.
The tall statue is originally made of bronze, but this was later on covered with gold leaf and powder.
3. The original 2.7 meter pot is another important sight to see. It was said that this same pot was used to cook approximately 80 sacks of rice that were enough to feed the 3,000 monks and some pilgrims.
4. The Daeungjeon Hall, this is known to house one of the largest Buddha Halls in the country. The statues found in this hall depict the three deities namely Vairocana, Sakyamuni, and Rochana.
Korean Desserts
To the Westerners, desserts usually conclude a meal, the last bit of greatest sweet satisfaction, be it a slice of cake, ice cream, cookies or pies. On the other hand, the Koreans perceive dessert as a part of their tradition and for the most part comprise mainly of a couple slices of fruits. For instance, a Korean dessert could be an Asian pear, watermelon, a mandarin orange, or probably a somewhat sweet beverage such as sujunggwa, which is a juice of persimmon and cinnamon.
Other delicious desserts are sweet teas; also made of fruits and sweetened honey. Mee-shil cha is composed of apricots. Mo-gwa cha, which is made with a quince and the honey teas such as ggool tae chu cha and ggool cha. Korean desserts may also include some nibbly-snack like such as narungji, which is the term used to refer to a sheet of crispy, unsalted rich layer derived from the bottom of a rice cooker. Korean desserts are not meant to overcome a meal and are often very light.
Korean desserts can also be very sweet. They may include cookies, rice cakes, ice creams as well as some sweet pastries. Songpyeon, a famous rice cake is served during a festival at autumn called Chuseok. This rice cake is decorated with seeds and nuts. Another rice cake called Ddok, which is typically formed into different sizes and shapes and are also soft and chewy. Other common desserts in Korea are rolls such as ho-ddok, which comes with a cinnamon and honey filling on the inside. Pot-bingsu is the Korean version of the ice cream, which is made of mainly sugar sauce, red beans, crushed ices, and fruits. A dough composed of sweet red beans called boong-aw bbang is another popular dessert.
Unlike its Western counterparts which are eaten as a final heightened experience in taste, desserts from Korea are simple and soothing to the stomach.
Korean Cuisine
Korea is a country known for its rich cultural and historical heritage. Rarely does one hear of a country that has managed to preserve its root traditions and has successfully passed them down from generation to generation. Though beset with internal conflict, Korea has still managed to retain its long standing culinary traditions with few influences from other countries. In fact, Koreans can proudly say that their cuisine is distinctly their own and even include it as part of their national identity.
With very little outside influence, Korean cuisine has evolved from the dishes and techniques of the common populace as well as from that of the royal palace. This can be seen in the choice of ingredients, the method of preparation, and on how the dishes are served. Royal palace foods are known to be very elaborate and carefully prepared by women who are trained specifically for the task. There are different palace positions solely reserved for overseeing the different aspects of food procurement and preparation. The cuisines are varied and do not reflect seasonal changes, unlike those eaten by the peasants. Each of the cuisines of the eight provinces is represented in the meal, making for a huge feast. This grandiosity contrasts with the common man’s food, typically consisting of steamed rice, kimchi, and fish.
But whatever the differences are in royal and common food they share the basic characteristics of the abundant use of spices, the application of the process of fermentation, and the inclusion of a wide variety of side dishes. Spices are in the form of red peppers, garlic, onion, and a number of spice pastes that Koreans prepare themselves. Fermentation is a common process involved in food preparation especially in Korea’s popular side dish, kimchi, which is a common side dish made from cabbages, daikon, and a number of spices. The process of fermentation gives food a distinct taste and packs in nutrients that would otherwise be absent. This interplay of taste and nutrition can be best seen in the kimchi. Kimchi is a national dish and has also grown popular outside the country.
