There’s a saying which goes something like this: “Shilla stone masons managed stones as if they were like clay.” If there was a time travel machine, I’d interview a stone mason from the Shilla period who was directly involved in the building of Bulguksa.
Interesting interplay between rough and shaped stones
I wouldn’t want to interview, though, poor Asadal, the craftsman from the Baekjae Kingdom who was tasked with creating a three-storey pagoda. Legend has it that he wasn’t allowed to see his wife until he had completed his work. How long does it take to carve a stone pagoda? Long enough to drive Asadal’s wife to such misery that she drowned herself in the Yeong-ji ( pond) just below the main staircase leading to the main hall. Let the poor souls rest in peace - they’ve been through too much already.
Shilla achievement in arches
Here are some of the questions I’d like to pose the Shilla mason:
1. Where did you get your building materials from – a local quarry or some further source of stone? What other kinds of stone were used besides granite?
2. What tools or techniques did you use to shape the stones so evenly?
3. How did you manage to put the stones together without using mortar?
4. Why were the bridge cum stairways fronting the temple built at a 45 degree angle?
Not so easy for modern-day pilgrims to climb up to Enlightenment
The main façade of Bulguksa is dominated by two pairs of double-sectioned staircases which are curiously called bridges. There used to be a small fishpond which represented the pure land of Buddha or the river demarcating the division between the earthly and heavenly worlds. So once upon a time, the staircases were real bridges but now they can only be regarded as symbolic of the connection between the tainted world of humans and heaven. Another explanation is that the bridge cum stairways stand for the life of a young man growing older.
A big stone jigsaw puzzle - how to fit the stones without benefit of mortar?
On the east side, you can see Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge or Bridge of Azure Clouds, 청운교) and Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge or Bridge of White Clouds백운교). The Blue Cloud Bridge comprises 17 steps and continues onto the White Cloud bridge which has 16. Together they represent National Treasure No 23 or for the Buddhist pilgrim, the 33 steps to enlightenment and the pathway to Jahamun (Golden Purple Gate/ Mauve Mist Gate, 자하문) which leads to Daeungjeon (Sakyamuni Hall).
The Lotus Bridge and Bridge of Seven Treasures
On the west side, you can see National Treasure No. 22 Yeonhwagyo (Lotus Flower Bridge, 연화교) and Chilbogyo (Seven Treasures Bridge, 칠보교) leading to Anyangmun (Peace Enhancing Gate/ Pure Land Gate 안양문) which in turn leads to Geuknakjeon (the Hall of the Pure Land). This pair of staircases are smaller and have fewer steps than their counterparts on their right. The Lotus Bridge was given the name on account of the flowers carved into the steps but unfortunately they’ve faded under the heavy tread of countless pilgrims making their way up to the main temple grounds. Modern-day devotees or secular-minded tourists have to find other routes to enlightenment as the bridges have been blocked off to protect the frail granite blossoms.
Stone platform for prayers - hope they didn't have to do the 108 prostrations here!
http://wikitravel.org/en/Gyeongju
http://his.hallym.ac.kr/site/user_up/file/2006_s4.doc
http://www.koreanculture.org/06about_korea/symbols/08bulguksa_temple_seokguram.htm
http://www.mct.go.kr/html/symbolImg/eng/bulguksa/sec01.html
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Bulguksa
http://eng.buddhapia.com/_Service/_Contentview/ETC_CONTENT_2.ASP?clss_cd=0002203146&pk=0001449636&top_menu_cd=0000000750&image_folder=color_10&bg_color=7A6B20&line_color=887925&menu_type=&Menu_code=0000008787
http://www.ekoreajournal.net/upload/html/HTML41215.html
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bifyu_3.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamgn/4011466215/
No comments:
Post a Comment