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

Apsaras - Heavy or Heavenly Maidens? - Gyeongju, Part 6

Was browsing through the website of  the Gyeongju National Museum  the other day and was tickled to find an amusing blunder.

On the page which describes the famous Emile Bell or the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok, the description refers to the four apsaras as "heavy maidens sitting on the lotus flower cushion".

I've got a small reproduction of the Emile Bell, my one souvenir from Gyeongju which I couldn't resist splurging money to acquire and when I had a second look at the patterns on the replica bell, the ladies didn't look overweight to me.

Editing lapses aside, I'd say this website is a great introduction to would-be visitors to this famous museum and historic city. It has also been a great way for me to revisit Gyeongju to appreciate more fully its cultural legacy. I don't recall if there were the same explanatory notes in English for the artefacts on display when I visited the museum years ago but this website provides some useful and interesting information about some treasures in its vast collection ( it has over 210,000 items but only displays about 3000 artefacts).

Just click here  and then click on Exhibition Halls at the top bar. Look out for the famous Gold Crown and ornamental sheath for a dagger in the Archaeology Hall. Read carefully as well the description for a jar with clay figurines. Happy Exploring!

A Millennium-Old "Star-Watching Tower", Gyeongju Part 5

  Cheomseongdae's graceful profile is more beautiful at night

Cheomseongdae, according to one source, means “star-gazing tower”. Yet experts still are arguing about the actual functions of this striking structure in Gyeongju, according to Sang Sang-yong’s article in the Korea Journal. I’d take Song’s claim that it’s one of “the hottest in the history of debates in Korea” with a thimbleful of salt but let’s have a quick look at the options.

Was it built to read the sun, the stars, the clouds or something else?

Was this granite tower, shaped like a bottle, which was built during the reign of Queen Seondeok ( between 633 and 647 A.D.) intended and used as...
a. an astronomical observatory?
b. a meteorological observatory?
c. a symbolic monument to Shilla science?
d. a sacrificial altar to worship the god of agriculture?
e. an expression of the Shilla concept of religion?
f.  all of the above?

Two models  showing how people got to the top.

Frankly, I’d echo Rhett Butler’s parting words to Scarlett O’Hara but I’m more impressed with the fact that it’s remained standing for over 1,300 years and has barely shown any stress from seismic shifts. If indeed Cheomseongdae  is an astronomical observatory, it may  be the oldest one existing in Asia. I guess its longevity and its apparent nod to the scientific, cultural and architectural achievements of the Shilla Dynasty are reasons enough for national pride.

National Treasure No. 31 - A national symbol and a source of pride

At the same time, it's also interesting how the twelve stones at the base reflect the months while the 30 layers may represent the days in the month while apparently the position, angles and directions of the tower corners are aligned to some stars, according to the Lonely Planet.

Sauna at Pension Cheomseongdae - does it really look like the tower?

The next time I visit Gyeongju though, I think I'll go to Pension Cheomseongdae , situated near the Gyeongju Folk Handicraft Village instead. Its sauna, supposedly shaped like its namesake, is  heated naturally with pine logs and is open 24 hours so one could even bed down there for the night and dream instead of Hallyu stars.

Sources:http://www.ekoreajournal.net/archive
http://english.triptokorea.com/english/UserFiles/Image/daily%20tour/Gyeongju/Cheomseongdae%20Observatory.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYR1uOXyymdzw7DjcVnwIeorZxNycHfpLEuUyH7oyzP1_19mcQ0S0uAVev-Ud9ROaNPGTQgtVL_8e8c7Z8Jmnajc1xlUk5rJY7d8XIY1wkbgm5zoGZ0c8WSpcHWdhUNoUsc7rF0Yu98zw/s1600-h/SDC14828.JPG
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2832171984_8189b35ef7.jpg
http://i70.servimg.com/u/f70/12/80/22/63/para1010.jpg

The Long History of the Shilla Millennium in Three Paragraphs, Gyeongju Part 3

Eight years short of a millennium, the Shilla Dynasty enjoyed an impressive run of 992 years  (57 BC – 935 AD) under 56 kings. The birth of Park Hyeogeose, the originator of the Park clan, which dominated in the early years, has acquired mythical proportions. Legend has it that he was hatched from an egg laid by a white horse. Clashes between the main clans eventually saw the Kim clan emerge as the most powerful family and the unification of the three kingdoms ( Shilla, Baekjae and Goguryeo) marked the start of the Unified or Later Shilla period. The Shilla kings allied themselves to the Tang Dynasty in China at first but  had to defend their country against Chinese territorial ambitions and succeeded in denying the Chinese after a decade-long struggle. At the same time, the name “Shilla” became known along the Silk Road as far as Arabia and Persia.

                Map of the Three Kingdoms before unification under the Shillas

The power-sharing arrangement among the leading clans gave way to a hereditary monarchy under King Naemul (356–402) of the Kim clan. The kings strengthened their position by military might and by red tape.. First they put down armed revolts and got rid of their strongest rivals in the aristocracy Next, they tried to undermine the power base of the nobility by introducing a system of salary payments ( jikjeon) to replace the old practice of granting them land which entitled the yangbang to impose taxes on the peasants. But the nobility didn’t take kindly to this and they spent much of the latter period of the dynasty opposing the monarchy and fighting amongst themselves.

Queen Seondeok, the TV drama version

Buddhism became the state religion and during the reign of Queen Seondeok, ( 623-647 ), Son, a.k.a. Zen Buddhism, was developed. There were many achievements in the cultural and religious life of the kingdom under her rule, including the construction of Chomsongdae, the distinctive stone observatory. Earlier on, the kings had assumed the lofty position as Buddha-kings but their status was weakened ironically after the unification of the country as the nobility challenged their authority under a new system modelled after the Chinese government. The assassination of King Hyegong in 780 A.D. ended the succession line, reduced the king to a figurehead and intensified the internal strife between the upper and lower branches of the aristocracy. Finally, exhausted by the civil wars, the Shilla Kingdom fell into the hands of its rivals, the Goryeos in 935 A.D.

For info on the shooting locations for the MBC drama, Queen Seondeok, click here.

  Buddhist art and architecture thrived during the Shilla Dynasty

Sources:

http://www.godogyeongju.com/bbs/board_view.php?bbs_code=util_bbs4&bbs_number=3&page=
http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/history/unified_shilla.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silla
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_history101_detail.htm?No=16
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_history101_detail.htm?No=7
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kingdoms_of_Korea
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Cloth/Hanb115.jpg
http://www.dragontortises.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Queen-Seon-Deok.jpg
http://static.newworldencyclopedia.org/thumb/7/7e/Seondeok.jpg/230px-Seondeok.jpg

Exploring a Fortress Before Dawn - Gongju– Part 6

For some perverse reason I find myself waking up before dawn and making my way to the Gongsan-seong. Don’t fancy bumping into strange creatures or spooks in the darkness so am relieved to see a jogger pass by and hear a group of people playing badminton. O-ho. So am not the earliest bird in town. The good thing about coming out so early is that the place isn’t crowded with tourist groups and I get to see what the fortress is like in a more intriguing atmosphere.

I follow the clear footpaths and signposts to the Yougeun-sa (temple) near the riverside only to be greeted by not-so-friendly barks of the resident dog. It’s more peaceful at the Manharu pavilion which has great views of the Geumgang. Just next to it is Yeon-ji (Pond). Supposed to be a lotus lake but more likely to be a communal watering-hole as it’s too small and deep, with steep stone steps around the perimeter leading down to the water’s edge. I try to imagine what it was like for ajummas of the Baekje times to gather here to collect water and the latest gossip but am also careful not to trip and fall into the pond. The low railings here don’t offer much protection for either the pond or the curious visitor.

About 2 hours is recommended for a leisurely stroll around the grounds of Gongsan-seong. Other features of the fortress include Gongbukru, “a classic example of gate architecture of the Joseon Dynasty” and Imryugak, “used as a banquet hall for the king’s subjects”. ( Quotes from tourist pamphlet). I get back to the main entrance at Geumseoru and climb to the top of the watch-tower in time to see the sun emerging like a rich egg yolk from the dark woods in the distance.

Source of pics

1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Gongju-Gongsanseong-02.jpg

2. http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/image_view.cgi?name=Fortress%20Wall%20of%20Gongsanseong%20Fortress&f_dir=history_site&f_name=c0012000034004.jpg

3. http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/image_view.cgi?name=&f_dir=history_site&f_name=c0012000034014.jpg

Fasting Buddha & Remembering Manhae, Seonunsan Part 2

How do I End Up Sipping Tea with Some Monks in Chongam?

In the autumn of 2005 I stumble upon Dosol-am, a hermitage in Seonunsan Provincial Park. The main temple is under renovation, it was impossible to find accomodation in the minbak village outside the park and I count myself fortunate that I'm allowed to stay at Dosol-am.

One of the seonims ( monks)  invites me for a ride in the hermitage van to visit his friend at the Chongam ( hermitage) for more coffee, courtesy of the ajumma who works in the kitchen and some nokcha in the seonim’s room when he finally emerges from wherever.

First time I’ve a privileged peek into the quarters of the monks – are female visitors allowed? It’s more messy and cluttered that I thought – another stereotype busted. Seonim seems pretty restless for a monk and I wonder whatever made him join the order. Doesn’t seem very Zen like to me and his agitated or excited tone suggests some dissatisfaction. Even in these remote places, there’s probably monastic politics. Sigh.

His friend seems a little more at peace ( cluttered quarters notwithstanding ) and his few possessions catches my eye. A laptop ( they have Internet connections even here?), a small replica of the Fasting Buddha ( the original is in Pakistan), a pine tree tea table with slats to drain away the unwanted hot water or cold tea. And an exquisite and very expensive tiny teapot with an anthurium-shaped spout.Another surprise: a small library at Chongam with a book of poems by Manhae a.k.a. Han Yong-Un ( married monk, poet & freedom fighter) who died in 1944. Fortunately I have enough time to copy these two poems ( with apologies to the translator!)

“PARTING CREATES BEAUTY”

Parting creates beauty. No beauty of parting
is in the substanceless gold of the morning.
Nor is it in the threadless dark silk of the night.
Nor is it in the unfading blue flower of heaven.
My love, if there is no parting, I would not be
reborn with a smile after I die in tears.
Oh parting, Beauty is created by you.

"MY WAY"

There are so many ways in this world.

There are stony passes in the mountains;
There are waterways on the seas;

and there are the courses
for the moon and stars

to follow high up in the sky.
A fisherman leaves his footsteps

on the sand by the river, and
a woman collecting herbs leaves her

traces on the green grass.

A wicked man follows the ways of sin.

A man with justice doesn’t hesitate to
step on the edges of a sword

for the sake of what is right.
Over the western hill, the setting sun

treads on the glow of the sky.
In the spring morning, the crystalline

dewdrops slide off the petals of flowers.

Yet I only have two ways –

If I were denied the way to the bosom of my love,
I would follow the way to the bosom of death;

without the way to my love,
other ways will be more depressing

and painful to follow than the way to death.
Ah, who has opened my way? Ah, there’s no-one

but you, my love, who could open my way.

But, my love who has opened the way to you,

why have you also opened the way to death?

Extract from my travel journal ( At Dosolam, Seonunsa Provincial Park, 5th Nov 2005)

For an earlier posting on Seonunsan,  click here.
For more on Manhae, click here.

One of the Top Three Pavilions in Korea

Jinjusanseong has a large pavilion which is supposed to be among the Top 3 on the list of beautiful pavilions to check out in the country. Chokseongnu is a big pavilion, that’s true. But to my untutored eye, it didn’t look aesthetically superior or inferior to other pavilions I’ve seen. However, the determination of the people to keep this cultural asset going as a symbol of the city is perhaps what makes it impressive. Built in 1241 during the Goryeo Dynasty, this pavilion has been repaired or rebuilt at least eight times.

Moreover, Chokseongnu has very decent views of the river and city. Perched on higher ground and overlooking the river, it served as a command post for generals on the lookout for the enemy during times of strife. In less turbulent times, groups of scholars studying ancient classics used the pavilion as an open-air study-room. In these more placid days, photographers, school groups and tourists are its regular visitors.

Source of photo: http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A38&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00008315&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=921&v_disp_type=4

Tomb of Noses - Roald Dahl would've loved this one!

Part 4 A GRIM & BIZARRE FOOTNOTE OF HISTORY

“It is said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered his troops to kill Koreans and send their noses, packed in salt, back to him to prove that they were killed. Japanese soldiers frequently exaggerated their success in battle.

The Japanese started by first sending back severed heads but the heads were heavy and took up too much space, so it was changed to ears.

However, the Japanese troops began cutting off both ears to double their number of kills. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi realized this, he was forced to change the order from ears to noses…..According to one record, the Japanese sent back 6006 salted noses in 6 large jars….” Apparently, they were kept at the ‘Tomb of Noses’ at the Toyokuni Temple in Kyoto, Japan.
Source of extract: Jinju National Museum brochure

The Lonely Planet reports that in an effort to improve Korean-Japanese relations, the latter returned 20,000 noses to the former and the noses were buried again in a formal ceremony. That’s comforting to hear but could anyone please tell me where the noses are now buried in Korea?

Did the Japanese invade Korea for teabowls?

By the 16th century, the tea ceremony was already the rage in Japan and the Japanese were mad about tea-bowls imported from Korea. If you were a Japanese in those days, you could spend between 10,000 and 50,000 bags of rice to buy your own fiefdom or splurge on the latest Korean tea-bowls.

Small wonder that the Japanese thought it made more economic sense to Iaunch a war against its neighbour across the waters. Not only could they seize as many Korean teacups as they pleased, but they could also assure themselves of an endless supply by kidnapping Korea’s finest potters and taking them back to Japan.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the Japanese warlord who hatched the plan to invade Korea and it just so happened that he was the pupil of the great tea master, Sen No Rikyu. Unfortunately Sen No Rikyu had a falling-out with the warlord and committed hara-kiri before the Japanese invasion of Korea. Wonder what the tea master would’ve said if he had known of his student’s plans.

Source of pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bric_uk/407135262/

A Museum Dedicated to An Invasion?

Part 2 The Jinju National Museum

Source of photo: KNTO webpage

 Not surprisingly, a museum dedicated to the story of the 1592 invasion can be found on the grounds of this fortress. The Jinju National Museum (open all days except Mondays and New Year’s Day) should please those interested in history, particularly military history and, those who are not so fond of the subject but are blessed with imagination, may find themselves drawn to the different folding screens which portray the different battles and how the Korean fortress was besieged by the Japanese armies.

There are many other exhibits to engage the young and the young at heart; you can learn more about the the military campaigns through the audio-visual presentation; you can put on the fake gold crown and pose as royalty for the digicam; you can collect an ink stamp of the famous turtle ship ( geobukseon) invented by Admiral Yi shun-shin who defeated the Japanese at sea.

You could also take advantage of the free access to the Internet available in the museum gift shop to email an update of your travels to friends and family.

"The Most Beautiful City in Korea"

JINJU, Gyeong-sang-nam-do Part 1 “The most beautiful city in Korea!”

The tourist brochures proclaim JINJU to be “the most beautiful city in Korea” but I didn’t hear about that until I reached the place. Having seen it though, I would say that it is a pretty place. Part of its attractiveness is that it is built on a river, the Namgang, to be precise in this case. Its most attractive spot is the rebuilt fortress with its walls outlining the contours of a little hill overlooking the Namgang.

However, what makes Jinju special is its place in the national history. Its fortress at the northern end of the Namgang has many tales to tell of a terrible time when the Japanese invaded Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The Jinjusanseong ( Fortress) was the site of one of the main battles and it was here that about 70,000 Koreans died in defense of their country.

Walking around the grounds of the fortress in the spring of 2007, the spring flowers distracted me from the past. Creamy magnolias, yellow dogwood flowers, scarlet camellias, pots of decorative pansies and the occasional cherry blossom tree were all vying for the attention of my camera. It was peaceful and calm, particularly as it wasn’t the weekend and the spring weather was showing its sunnier side.

It was hard to imagine this was once the scene of some fierce battles which involved soldiers, civilians, and even monks who turned soldiers. Standing on the edge of the cliff near the Chokseongnu Pavilion and looking down into the calm waters of the Nam River lapping innocuously around the famed Uiam Rock, I struggled to picture how a Japanese army general could be hurtled to his watery death by a zealous kisaeng.

Photo source:http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/thumb/1/13/Jinju_Fortress_River_View.JPG/400px-Jinju_Fortress_River_View.JPG

My Fav K sounds - Part 1

The elegant profile of the bronze bell which stood at the reception counter of Mr Kwon Young –joung’s Hanjin-jang Yeogwan ( aka Hanjin Hostel) in Gyeongju first caught my eye. Then it caught my ear too as it produced a delightful ‘ting’ that seemed to linger in the air. It turned out to be a small replica of the famous Emile Bell which is on the grounds of the Gyeongju National Museum.


The original was cast in 771 A.D. Standing beside it, it was the first time I felt dwarfed by a bell; indeed the log suspended beside the bell used to strike it ( goodness knows when, if ever) seemed more like my size. The outlines of celestial beauties are seen on its surface, besides other floral motifs. One way or another, it is an impressive creation. According to the Lonely Planet, it’s “one of the largest and most beautifully resonant bells ever made in Asia. It’s said that its ringing can be heard over a 3 km radius when struck lightly only with the fist.”

The Emile Bell legend recounts how a child was thrown into the molten bronze during the casting process to appease the heavens. Apparently the bell sounds like a child crying out for its mother. Unfortunately we didn’t have a chance to hear the bell and I didn’t have the guts to strike it with my fist. I didn’t want to waste my holiday in some police station explaining my juvenile actions in sign language and very limited Korean.

So I had to be content with purchasing a dimunitive version of the Emile Bell and listening to its crystal tinkle. Small as it may be, it still produces a beautiful sound, evoking a Zen-like atmosphere whenever it is struck and nothing, thank goodness, remotely like a heart-rending cry of a sacrificial child.