The Legend of Asadal and Asanyeo (exterior of "Asadal" bar in Gyeongju)
If you’ve had the pleasure of visiting Bulguksa temple (불국사), you’ve probably admired the twin masterpieces of Seokgatap (석가탑) and Dabotap (다보탑) pagodas in the main courtyard (if you haven’t yet, Dabotap is on the face side of the 10 won coin). What you may not have known is that there is a tragic legend of Shakespearean proportions tied to these pagodas. In fact, it’s this legend that’s given them their nicknames of Yongtap, or “Shadow Pagoda”, and Muyongtap, or “No Shadow Pagoda.”
Seokgatap Pagoda on Buddha's Birthday
Back during the Shilla (신라) Dynasty the great stone mason Asadal (아사달) was brought in from the Baekjae (백제) Dynasty to carve the twin pagodas at Bulguksa temple, leaving behind his young and wife Asanyeo (아산여). After many years of waiting for her husband’s return, Asanyeo got fed up. Unknown to Asadal, she made the long trek to the Gyeongju to see him. But when she got there, she was bared from entry to the temple lest she disturb him from his sacred task. Instead she was told to wait down by Yongji pond (영지) where she might catch the reflection of her husband as he worked in the water.
Dabotap Pagoda (courtesy of Hiro Kobashi and Wikipedia)
After months of frantic waiting, without a glimpse of her husband in the pond’s surface, she finally became distraught and drowned herself out of desperation. Alas Asadal had been working on Muyongtap Pagoda, which was not visible from the pond. Some legends have that when Asanyeo flung herself into the water, Asadal heard her final cry and rushed down to the pond only to find her lifeless body on the shore.
Yeongji Pond, Bulguk-dong
Asadal was completely devastated. After weeks of mourning by the side of the pond, he hallucinated that he caught a glimpse of Asanyeo dancing on the far bank. As he ran to the other side of the pond, he realized what he saw was only a large rock. But, as he stared at this stone took, it miraculously the form of the Gwanseum Bosal (관세음) or the Bodhisattva of Mercy. His last act before disappearing into obscurity was to carve a 13 foot tall Buddha out of this rock. Legend has it that he carved the Buddha’s face as the spitting image of his dead wife’s. Unfortunately, 13 hundred years of history has not been kind to her likeness.
Asadal’s memorial to his wife: Yeongji Seokbulwasang
Directions: Asadal’s legendary final memorial to his wife still stands at Yongjiam Hermitage (영지암), located on the east side of Yongji (영지) lake. It’s just a minute or two south of N.R. 7 going towards Ulsan, just past Bulguk-dong (불국둥) not too far from Gwaereung tomb (괘릉).
