Buddha Labyrinth, Manbulsa Temple, Yeongcheon
If you’ve ever taken the bus from Gyeongju to Daegu, you might’ve caught a fleeting glimpse of a giant golden Buddha off in the mountains to the north. No, this isn’t some apparition induced by sleep deprivation or soju poisoning. This huge Buddha actually overlooks Manbulsa (만불사), or literally “Temple of Ten-thousand Buddhas,” nestled at the foot of Mt. Gwansan (관산) on the way to Yeongcheon (영쳔).
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By Don Baumhart
Boseong Tea Plantation (from www.absoluteshinhwa.wordpress.com)
Harvesting Tea
Unlike the powdered tea used in the Japanese tea ceremonies, the Korean ceremonies use loose leaf green tea. Traditionally, this tea is referred to as “Jakseol-cha” (작설차) which literally means as “sparrow’s tongue tea,” as the small curled leaves resemble the tongues of sparrows. This “sparrow’s tongue” tea is well known for its exquisite flavor but, like everything involved the Korean tea ceremony, this depends a lot on timing. In his written guide to the tea ceremony, the 19th century monk Cho Ui (조의) noted that the flavor of the tea is adversely affected if the leaves are not picked at exactly the right time. It’s for this reason that Korean green tea is harvested in 4 different stages, which in turn determine the quality and thus the price of the tea.
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Hwangnam Shilla Crown (image from Gyeongju National Museum)
6. King Munmu the Great (문무왕r. 661 – 681 C.E.): King Munmu wasn’t dubbed “the Great” for nothing. A nephew of the famed general Kim Yu-shin, Munmu was the Shilla Emperor responsible for finally defeating both the Beakjae and Gogoruyeo kingdoms (with some assistance from Tang China) and uniting the Korean peninsula under one flag in 668 C.E. (for which he built the pleasure Palace at Anapji Pond in commemoration). If this fact alone didn’t already make him worthy or greatness, upon his death he ordered that his ashes be scattered in the East Sea (at present day Daereungwon) so his spirit could become a great dragon and defend the coast from marauding pirates and invaders.
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Poster for MBC's Historical Drama: Queen Seon Deok
Okay, so maybe I’m going a bit gaga with this whole “Top 10” thing here, but it seems like a quick way to sift through a lot of information and hit a few key points in just a post or two. In keeping with a method tried and true, here’s my personal top 10 list of the most important Shilla Dynasty Kings and Queens. With over 56 to choose from, I’m sure I’ll be skipping some key players in the scheme of things. But here, in chronological order, are some of the most legendary, powerful, innovative and eventually corrupt and tragic figures that made the millennium of the Shilla Dynasty what it was.
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Bonsai Tree, Botanical Gardens, Gyeongju
In the eastern shadow of Mt. Namsan (남산), just a few minutes up the road from Tongiljeon Shrine (통일전), is one of the more unique tourist attractions in the area: the Gyeongsangbuk-do Botanical Gardens (경상북도산림환경연구소). Even though it has nothing to do with ancient tombs, stone Buddhas or the Shilla Dynasty, the Botanical Gardens are well worth a taking a few hours to explore. With over 100 acres of woodlands, trails and gardens, it’s a great spot for a romantic walk or an afternoon picnic. And if you’re traveling with kids, it’s the perfect place for them to run around and get some energy out. It’s got enough curious attractions that they won’t get bored either.
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Tongdosa Temple, South of Gyeongju
Not to become a broken record or anything, but most tourists just bounce down to Gyeongju for a long weekend, hit up the big tourist sites, and head home Sunday night. It’s a shame really. You can barely even scratch the surface of what Gyeonju has to offer in 2 days. To finally prove what I’ve been harping on so long, I’ve cooked up a 10 day itinerary for visitors to Gyeongju. That’s right: over a week and a half of things to see and do in the area. If you don’t have 10 days, feel free to pick and choose what suites your liking. But here are some ideas for exploring a deeper side of Gyeongju and Korea as a whole.
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By Paul Lawley-Jones
Koreans who take up wood carving often seem to develop an obsession with certain parts of the body, particularly the penis. Indeed, the penis appears in many places from ancient petroglyphs, Shilla pottery, Shamanic shrines and modern bottle tops and cups. There is also a lesser obsession with the breast. The carved faces on the trunks of trees are seen everywhere around Korea as the male and female protective spirits at the entrance to a village. I still wonder, though, what the significance of the mildly stupid looking expressions is.
A wood carver in whose house we stayed on Seokmo-do one summer informed us that the curved shape of the end of the penis was quite challenging to carve, and consequently demonstrated a certain level of skill. I guess the same goes for the shape of the breast as well.
These carvings inhabit the car park of the Doridon (도리돈) restaurant on the way to Bulguksa.
My apologies for the lack of updates this month. We’ve been experiencing some technical difficulties with the bogging platform, web server and other technical mumbo-jumbo that you probably don’t give a rat’s patootie about. Believe me, it has been the cause of much consternation and gnashing of teeth. But fear not, gyeongjublog.com has not yet been abandoned. There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, so (fingers crossed) I hope to get a new post up here soon. Until then there should be more than enough informative reading material in the archives to keep you busy.
Thanks for reading 
Bonghwangdae Tomb, Gyeongju
5. Neoseo-ri Tombs (너서리왕릉): Once surrounded by houses, the half dozen or so tombs of Noseo-ri have been cleared of buildings and made into oasis-like park in the midst of downtown Gyeongju. Just across the street from Bonghangdae tomb, this park is a great spot for tomb watching, an afternoon picnic or to just relax in the cool of a Summer’s evening. And, just like Bonghangdae, the Noseo-ri tombs are lit up a night. A stroll through here after dark when the leaves are changing in the Fall is positively spooky.
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