Hyangiram Hermitage Fire (from Joongang Daily)

I heard some rather sad news when I got home today.  It seems that Hyangiram (향일암), literally “Sunrise Hermitage”, in Yeosu burned down last night.  I used to live in Gwangyang, near Yeosu and first visited Hyangiram back in ’02.    I’ve been there twice since and I think it is (or sadly was) one of the coolest places I’ve been to in Korea.

Hyangiram Hermitage Fire (from Yonghap News Agency)

According to the JoongAng Daily “… the fire broke out at 12:24 a.m. yesterday. Three out of eight buildings on the temple grounds – the main building, belfry and office – burned.”  Fortunately no one was killed or injured, but the hermitage sustained half a million dollars in damages (probably due to the fact that the Buddha Hall had recently been covered in gold leaf) and several important cultural assets were lost.

Buddha Hall, Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

Hyangiram was founded in the 7^th century C.E. by the famed Shilla monk, Ven. Wonhyo and my friend from Yeosu told me that recent evidence has suggested that it was here that Wonhyo experienced his legendary awakening.  The hermitage complex itself is perched high on the cliffs of  Mt. Geumosan looking East over the South Sea.  From the village below, it’s a hefty 20 minute trek up over, under and through the rocky crags to get to the hermitage.  Unfortunately it was this inaccessibility that made it difficult to fight the fire once it broke out.

Trail to Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

I was last at Hyangiram last Lunar New Years (설날) and shot some photos.  I’m hoping the pictures below serve as a fitting reminder and memorial until the hermitage is (hopefully) rebuilt.

Buddha Hall, Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09

Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

Buddha Hall, Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

Buddha Hall, Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

Buddha Hall, Hyangiram Hermitage (Jan. '09)

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