Free Rides From Seoul To Gyeongju and Jeonju

The Visit Korea Committee is certainly spoiling visitors - tourists can now enjoy free and comfy bus rides from Gwanghwamun area in downtown Seoul to Gyeongju and Jeonju.

1. Where?

• Gwanghwamun area in downtown Seoul (Donghwa Duty Free Shop),
• also free shuttle buses from Busan to Gyeongju ( from July 1)

2. When?

• Every day of the week except Monday

3. How long does this offer last?

• June 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010 ( so hurry! Make your weekend plans for day-tripping now!)

4. What times?

• Click here for details

5. How do I get it?

• Apply now at http://english.visitkoreayear.com (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
• "Sign up in advance through the Visit Korea Committee official home page at www.visitkoreayear.com (two tickets per person). If more than 28 people make reservations for any given day, there will be a random drawing to decide the winners of the free tickets. Winners will be announced on the homepage or individually notified by phone."
• For more details on the free tickets, please email to qhyuni130@yahoo.com.
• Inquiries: +82-2-6272-7301 (English) 

6. What are the perks beside the free round-trip ride?

• The buses are comfortable 28-seaters, equipped with Internet connection, DVD systems with personal earphones, and various tourist guidebooks.
• You also get free guidebooks of Gyeongju and Jeonju, a booklet about Korean culture and tours, a welcome-kit and a souvenir of “Visit Korea Year"

7. What are the drawbacks?

• It seems to be only for day-trips and I can't imagine squeezing all the attractions of either city into a single day.
• It's only for non-Korean nationals so if you planned going with a Korean friend, that would be tricky.
• The drop-off and pick up point for Gyeongju doesn't seem very convenient as it is at the Bomun Lake Resort (Hyundai Hotel-Hilton Hotel-Concord Hotel) which is a distance away from the main attractions of Gyeongju. You'd have to get a bus or taxi to places like the tumulis, the museum, Seokguram Grotto or Bulguksa.

sources:
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1037293
http://www.visitkoreayear.com/
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=996963
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=794336

A YouTube Tour of Bulguksa and Seokguram

Here's an NHK production featuring Bulguksa and Seokguram in Gyeongju. The video clip is a bit too short for my liking especially the abrupt transition into the interior of Seokguram but there are some nice angled shots and close-ups. Better than amateur hand-held cam videos that give one a headache from all the reflective glass in the grotto and jerky camerawork.

Click here for another video on Seokguram and Bulguksa. It's older - judging from the older spelling i.e. Pulguksa and Sokkuram  and the sound quality isn't good but it's even more enlightening.

A Longer, Closer Look at Seokguram, Part 1

1938 picture of Seokguram - my favourite pic of the grotto

After reading So Jae-gu’s essay, “Stone: The Mirror of Our Soul”, I’d like to revisit Seokguram Grotto and pay closer attention to this remarkable structure. During my first visit to the place, I was more taken by the freshly-fallen snow as it was my first experience of winter. Moreover, I hadn’t done my homework as a tourist.

The shuttle bus stops here and your short walk to Seokguram begins here

Instead of reading up on the place beforehand, I had mistakenly thought Seokguram was a shrine built into a natural cave like many of the Buddhist shrines and statues carved out of the softer rocks in India but I now realise the cave itself is a man-made grotto made up of hundreds of granite stones. What’s even more impressive is that they were joined, not by mortar but by stone rivets. That’s almost like a wooden house built without using nails.

From this distance, Seokguram looks like a tumuli lurking behind a shrine

Taking the shuttle bus from Bulguksa may be a convenient way to get to Seokguram but I hope I can do it the hard and long way the next time. By walking the full four kilometres up the steep and winding path up Tohamsan, I’d be able to appreciate better those labourers who had to haul blocks of granite up 750 meters above sea level to erect a hermitage for the Buddhist devotees of the past. Moreover, Tohamsan was regarded as a holy mount so to rush up to Seokguram in fifteen minutes or so by bus seems a little unsporting or even sacriligious.

Follow in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims and skip the shuttle bus up Tohamsan

Some experts believe the tiny hermitage was specially built as a private chapel for the Shilla royalty while ordinary pilgrims prayed in Bulguksa. Some think Kim Dae-Seong who oversaw the building of Bulguksa, wanted to dedicate the larger temple to his parents of his reincarnated life while Seokguram was intended as a memorial to the parents of his previous life. A third theory suggests it was meant as a supernatural or spiritual bastion to ward off possible invasions from Japan by positioning Buddha to face the east. Apparently it’s possible to glimpse the East Sea ( Sea of Japan) from inside the grotto.

Chapel, memorial or national defence?

The year in which construction began is also debatable – either 742 or 751 A.D. but it was completed in 774. Seokguram was initially named Seokbulsa ( Stone Buddha Temple) and it’s not clear when it was given its present name. The royal chapel fell into hard times and was abandoned and forgotten by all save local devotees during the Joseon Dynasty (1392- 1910) as the Joseon kings favoured Confucian ethics. It was only in 1909 during the Japanese occupation of Korea that Seokguram was rediscovered when a Japanese postman took refuge from the rain in what seemed like a cave. Unfortunately for him, Koreans don’t care much to keep a record of his name so the humble Jap who stumbled upon one of the most important symbols of Korea remains nameless.

Cut-away model of the man-made grotto

Even more unfortunate for Seokguram was the timing of its rediscovery. The Japanese colonial government actually decided to take it apart to repair it between 1913 and 1915. In doing so, the original arrangement of stones which allowed the grotto to “breathe” was disturbed. The use of cement and iron to cover the whole structure led to leaks and erosion as the natural ventilation of the cave was compromised.

Doesn't that crack in the capstone look like the ...?

Worse still, hot steam was used to clean the moss off the granite surface. One writer aptly described the whole fiasco during the Japanese occupation as a case of “torture in the name of preservation”. The Japanese also did another great disservice to Seokguram by promoting it as a cave temple that was part of the Buddhist architectural heritage from India instead of the man-made grotto which it is.

Admire the immaculate paving on the floor

Only when proper studies of the structure of the grotto were made in the 1960s, the problems of high humidity and botched waterproofing could be resolved. Still, thorny issues remain unresolved – a wooden façade was added to the antechamber upset many for two reasons.

A necessary evil - to protect Buddha from tourists

The superstructure blocked off views of the sunrise, thus denying to future generations brilliant photo-opportunities and inspiration of enlightenment. Secondly, the passage of air into the grotto was cut off which again disrupted its natural ventilation. Another barrier- this time, a glass one, was put up between the Buddha and visitors. The glass wall was intended to protect Buddha from graffiti and vandals as well as to control the temperature within.

Study the models in the Shilla Science History Museum

to appreciate fully the achievement of the Shilla artisans

One other thing I’d like to do is to visit the Shilla Science History Museum in the Folk Craft Village of Gyeongju. Its cutaway models of Seokguram illustrate the ingenuity of its engineers and artisans and the beauty of its design. For more pics, click here but a word of warning: the English notes on this page are as tortuous as the early attempts to conserve Seokguram!

sources:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/south-korea/images/seokguram/resized/buddha-wc-gfdl.jpg

http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/asis/wallpaper/0707/paper0707_03_1024.jpg
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/AK/AK_EN_1_6_4_5.jsp
http://english.cha.go.kr/
http://211.57.113.1/jsp/vr/cybertour_main.jsp?codeid=01010602&eflag=E
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Gyeongju-Seokguram-12.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Gyeongju-Silla_Art_and_Science_Museum-Seokguram_model-03.jpg
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/cms/content_travelGoods/41/676641_images_4.jpg
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/cms/resource/54/156354_image2_1.jpg
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/40/37/89/gate-of-seokguram-grotto.jpg
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/south-korea/images/bulguksa/resized/path-from-seokguram-cc-martinroell.jpg
http://koreanhistory.info/Shilla.htm
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264260
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seokguram
http://english.triptokorea.com/english/UserFiles/Image/daily%20tour/Gyeongju/Seokgurm%20Grotto2.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Gyeongju-Silla_Art_and_Science_Museum-Seokguram_model-02.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/2831368349_559a774cc7.jpg
http://stone.buddhism.org/eng/seokguram/
http://www.buddhism.org/board/read.cgi?board=WhatsNew&y_number=26

Asadal's Troublesome Twins, Bulguksa Part 5

Two of the many treasures of Gyeongju

The master craftsman, Asadal whose job it was to oversee the construction of two pagodas within Bulguksa, must have regarded them as his own children. Considering the time and personal sacrifices he must have made to realise these national treasures, I’d like to think of them as his twins.

The pagodas take on an ethereal beauty at night

Whether or not they were a labour of love or just a job he did to put the bap in his bowl, whether or not Asadal grew to hate or love even more the pagodas after the suicide of his wife, no-one will ever know. But what is clear is that his pagodas have survived over 1200 years to keep the memory of his name alive.

Asadal's unidentical twins in Bulguksa's main courtyard

The two pagodas stand side by side in the main courtyard which represents the “impure land” of Seokgamoni Buddha which, interestingly, has been made more prominent than another courtyard which stands for the “pure land” of Amitabha.

Lion on sentry duty in Dabotap

Apparently this was to acknowledge the greater nobility and compassion of Seokgamoni who chose to remain in the world of dust. It’s also unusual to find two pagodas on one temple site – due to an excess funds or virtue?

Shilla mastery of stone at its peak

These twin pagodas are both “outstanding examples of 8th century Unified Shilla architecture” and “skilfully balance the square, octagonal and circle in one design” but they’re not identical siblings. The first to be completed was National Treasure No. 20, Dabotap or the Pagoda of Many Treasures.

A hexagon on a circle above a square - Shilla stone masons play with geometry

It’s the more fanciful, decorative one that stands, 10.4 m tall, on a raised square with four staircases on each side. Each staircase has ten steps signifying ten great virtues ( paramitas). The lower four-sided levels become an octagonal roofed structure at the top. You can also check out its image on one face of the ten-won coin.

A great souvenir - Dabotap as a 3-D puzzle

In the 1920s, the Japanese took it apart and put it back together again – presumably looking for its many treasures but what they found remains a mystery.

The simple lines of Seokgatap are a striking contrast to Dabotap

Seokgatap or Sakyamuni Pagoda is a dramatic contrast to its sibling. Shorter at 8.2 m, its clean and unshowy outlines recall the wooden pagodas of China. Its three-storey design with eight stone lotus flowers at the top has been admired for its graceful appearance.

Who would've guessed this plain structure housed so many precious artefacts?

Restoration work during the 1960s revealed that this pagoda held a number of treasures such as a paper scroll sutra, printed between 706 and 751 A.D. and some gilt bronze boxes containing holy relics. For more on these treasures, check out this article from KBS.

While the ornateness of Dabotap reflects the complexity of the world, Seokgatap’s simplicity suggest a Yin-Yang balance of opposites. But others see them instead as “architectural manifestations of the Buddha’s simultaneous contemplation and detachment from the world”. Still sounds like Yin and Yang to me.

Click here for more of the Asadal legend.

source:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Korea_bulguksa_temple-2005-08-23.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Bulguksa_3.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Gyeongju-Bulguksa-Dabotap_Pagoda-01.jpg

http://gratefulseoul.com/?cat=3

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Bulguksa_3.jpg

http://www.busannavi.jp/go/bbs/board.php?bo_table=gj_2&wr_id=16

http://www.mediathai.net/module/travel/travel_article_technic_detail.php?article_id=76

http://www.3d-puzzle.ru/zadmin_data/goods.image/149.jpg

http://dream.eng.uci.edu/isorc2006/images/seokgatap.gif

http://202.232.86.81/b_menu/hakusho/image/hpae200001/xb1040502.gif

http://www.prkorea.com/photo1/upfile/e1205c82b01df70df3ecf720e30241bf

Reconstructing Bulguksa, Part 4

Reconstructing Bulguksa was a tricky challenge - with most of its 80 buildings destroyed by fire and overrun by Mongol and Japanese invader and local robbers, much of the planning ( between 1969 and 1973) for rebuilding this historical temple depended on excavations as reference points. Historical literature was another vital source of information and comparisons with other buildings which belonged to the same period were made as well. There's also a tug-of-war between the desire to replicate the experience of the past and the need to preserve the relics for the future.

So here are three compromises made in the reconstruction of Bulguksa:

First, as Kim Bong-Gon, Director-General for the National Institute of Cultural Heritage pointed out, "Although the existing stone structues in Bulguksa belong to the Unified Shilla Period, ( structures like)  Museoljeon, Gwaneumjeon and the corridors were reconstructed in accordance with the style of the Joseon Dynasty".

A firm decision was made as well to limit the reconstruction to the bridge staircases in the facade and exclude the original pond that was under the bridge staircases.

Finally, to ensure that National Treasures No .22 and 23 remained in good condition, the bridge staircases have been cordoned off and tourists can only gain access to the main temple grounds by a side entrance.

Conscientious tourists who want to reduce their carbon footprint may console themselves by enjoying the reconstruction of Bulguksa with cyberview tours here. ( Scroll down after the jump till you see the pic below and click on the red arrows). Happy armchair travelling!

Sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264261

http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english/world_heritage_new/Bulguksa.jsp

http://211.57.113.1/jsp/vr/cybertour_main.jsp?codeid=01010501&eflag=E

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulguksa

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/koreasouth/gyeongju/bulguksa.php

http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=1912

Saluting the Shilla Stone Masons, Bulguksa Part 3

Bulguksa is an epic poem in stone which sits snugly on the slope of Tohamsan. Much of it is built from granite – its coarse grains don’t make it the easiest of materials to manipulate but its hardiness will ensure the temple will continue to withstand the ravages of time and acid rain. If I get a chance to revisit Bulguksa, I’ll pay closer attention to the actual structure of the temple to appreciate the skill of its craftsmen.

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!

Source:
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/

Cinderella Story for A Temple, Bulguksa Part 2

It’s ironic how the humble Bulguk-sa which was never intended to be a big name among the Shilla temples turned out to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the main temple featured in KNTO posters. While little remains of its contemporaries like Hwangnyongsa and Bunhwangsa, the major temples, Bulguk-sa, the underdog or Cinderella of Buddhist temples in Korea, has managed to rise like a phoenix from the ashes of the Japanese invasions in the 16th century and catch the imagination of President Park Chung-hee ( 1961-1979) who supported its restoration.

Its origins seem to offer a clue as to its resilience – the architect and prime minister responsible for the the original temple had his own rags to riches story. Kim Da-seong was born poor and so ugly that he was given the moniker “ Big Wall” on account of his flat forehead. Religion proved to be a great comfort to the young Kim and according to legend, he was reincarnated and when he was born the second time, he was found with a seal bearing his name in his fist. The second Kim eventually became the prime minister and personally designed the temple to honour his parents according to one legend which doesn’t state which set of parents – the first, the second or perhaps both.

However, others don’t believe Kim had any such intention in mind. Another version has it that it was built by King Pob-hung for his queen. Shilla kings used to depict themselves as rulers of a Buddha land so this theory of the origins of Bulguk-sa seems plausible. A third explanation maintains that the temple was designed to symbolize “the happy land where mortals found release from all the heartaches and pains of human life by following the enlightened path as taught by Buddha.” As a result, a lot of effort was put into making the small temple beautiful.

Sources:

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264261
http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english/world_heritage_new/Bulguksa.jsp
http://211.57.113.1/jsp/vr/cybertour_main.jsp?codeid=01010501&eflag=E
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulguksa
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/koreasouth/gyeongju/bulguksa.php
http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=1912

When Bulguksa Played Second Fiddle to the Snow, Bulguksa Part 1

There we were - our second day in Gyeongju during our first ever trip to Korea. My friend and I had planned an early start to see both the famous Bulguksa Temple and the Seokkoram Grotto. We'd just made our way into the first courtyard when it started to snow. No big deal to folks who live in temperate climes but it was my very first experience of real snow and to have the snowflakes drift down so gently in such a setting was sublime.

Unfortunately we weren't quite prepared for the cold and found ourselves taking refuge in the temple where a kindly ajumma invited us to draw closer to the electric heater. She even poured for us some herbal concoction from a kettle kept warm by a stove. It was so peaceful watching the drifting snowflakes framed by the wooden portals of the temple.

On second thought, it wasn't a case of nature over the man-made. The scene was a harmonious yin-yang balance between the two worlds. What better place to be witness to the beauty of the Shilla temple being enhanced by the serenity of the wintry landscape?

source:
http://koreajourney.com/About-Korea.html

Gyeongju Revisited, Part 1

On hindsight, I realise that I have done Gyeongju a great disservice. It was our  first visit to Korea so my travel companion and I unwisely planned a whirlwind tour of the country and allocated very little time to this city known as a “ museum without walls”. It does seem sacriligeous somehow to attempt to appreciate its 1000- year history in two measly days.

 So how much time should one spend in this ancient capital appointed by the Shilla kings? After going over the literature that I managed to collect while there, I think at least one week, if not a few months, should be devoted exclusively to this place because there’s really so much to see – from royal tombs to Buddhist relics to UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Of course, if you’re really strapped for time and you have 10,000 won to spare, there’s a private bus which departs twice daily from the Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal twice daily to the main attractions. Stops on the seven-hour long tour include Bulguksa Temple, the Folk Craft Village, Poseokjeong Pavilion, the Gyeongju National Museum, the Cheomseongdae Observatory and the Cheonmachong Tomb. ( tel. 054-743-6001)

A word of caution though - people assume from the claim that Gyeongju is an open-air museum that the whole place looks like some ancient city. The reality is that its many cultural treasures are scattered around the edges of the present urban centre. It's advisable to read up on the history of the Shilla Dynasty to appreciate more fully the sights.

source:
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=312887
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=312750