Category Archives: history

Arts & crafts Buddhist culture history Stories, legends & people Temples & shrines

Zen Legends- Part 2: Bodhidharma (달마) and the Severed Arm of Dazu Huike

02/27/2011 – 10:26

Continued from part 1…

Painting of Bodhidharma and Dazu Huike, Heungryusa Temple

Painting of Bodhidharma and Dazu Huike, Heungryusa Temple

Usually built in the mountains, a lot of folks enjoy visiting Korea’s Buddhist Temples for their relaxing atmosphere and serene architecture.  Appropriately, most temple buildings are decorated with mystical portraits of Bodhisattvas, pastoral images of the Ox Hearder Parable, or scenes from the life of the Buddha.   Occasionally though temple visitors come across violent or gruesome paintings that clash with the otherwise tranquil vibe.  In one such image, you might find a monk bowing before a grumpy-looking figure seated in a cave, offering him a severed arm on a leaf!  This bizarre and unsettling image actually depicts a famous legend about the Bodhidharma (달마), the First Patriarch of Zen Buddhism (Kr. Seon or 선, Ch. Chan) and the awakening of his successor, Dazu Huike. read more »

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Arts & crafts Buddhist culture history Stories, legends & people

Zen Legends- Part 1: Why the Bodhidharma (달마) Came From the West

02/21/2011 – 16:35
Portrait of the Bodhidharma (from atlantica.hangame.com)

Portrait of the Bodhidharma (from atlantica.hangame.com)

In Korean Seon (선) Buddhism (Ch. “Chan”, Jap. “Zen”) practitioners often meditate on paradoxical or nonsensical riddles known as koans (공안 or “ kong-an” in Korean) to gain insight into the nature of thought, perception and reality.  One of the most famous of these riddles is “Why did the Bodhidharma (Kr. “Dalma” or달마) come from the west?”  The Zen master Zhaozhou answered, “The cypress tree in front of the hall.”  I‘m not sure about that myself, but thankfully the mundane answer is a bit more simple.  read more »

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Cycling Routes Gyeongju history Ruins & remains Statues & carvings Stories, legends & people Temples & shrines tips for tourists tombs

Exploring the Mysteries of Mt. Nangsan (낭산)

02/07/2011 – 00:01
Mt. Nangsan, Gyeongju

Mt. Nangsan, Gyeongju

If you’re visiting the Gyeongju National Museum and happen to look east over the highway you might notice the outline of a hill on the far side of the train tracks.  From the looks of it you wouldn’t guess this low ridge (often describe as looking like a silkworm) was in fact considered one of the most sacred mountains of the Shilla Dynasty. As such, it’s home to numerous ancient relics and features in a number of stories and legends from the Shilla Era. read more »

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Weird Gyeongju: Queen Seondeok and the Legend of Vagina Valley (여근곡)

01/08/2011 – 00:01

Map of Yeogeungok Valley, Mt. Obongsan

Map of Yeogeungok Valley, Mt. Obongsan

Yup, you read that right.  About 17 km west of Gyeongju on the north face of Mt. Obongsan (오봉산) is a little valley that goes by the name of Yeogeungok (여근곡).  This literally means “Jade Gate” Valley which, you might not have known, is actually a euphemism for female genitalia.  Just why the ancient Koreans dubbed this valley just that is clear to anyone with a basic knowledge of human anatomy and a bit of imagination. read more »

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Video: Chajeon Nori (차전놀이)- The Juggernaut Game of Andong

01/04/2011 – 21:03

To ring in the New Year I thought I’d share some video I shot at last year’s Andong Mask Dance Festival.  On its last Sunday the festival hosts a traditional folk game from Andong called Chajeon Nori (차전놀이) which literally means “Combat Carriage Game.”  It sometimes goes by the more impressive moniker “Juggernaut Battle Game” and it’s one of the cooler things I’ve seen in Korea. read more »

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Buddhist culture Gyeongju history Statues & carvings tips for tourists

Ancient Buddhas of the Shilla Dynasty: Part 2

12/26/2010 – 10:40

Continued from Part 1…

Avalokitesvara Relief, Mt. Namsan, Gyeongju

Avalokitesvara Relief, Mt. Namsan, Gyeongju

Avalokitesvara: The Bodhisattva of Mercy

One of the key differences that evolved between Mahayana (Northern School) and Theravada (Southern School) Buddhism is the former’s belief in Bodhisattvas, or “Bosal” (보살) in Korean.  These are highly enlightened beings who have vowed to postpone their final enlightenment until all sentient beings on earth have been awakened.  Most Bodhisattvas are simply humans who’ve taken the Bodhisattva vow.  However, some are considered to be god-like spiritual beings with great compassion and power, who Buddhists can petition for aid and refuge in times of suffering. read more »

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Buddhist culture Gyeongju history Statues & carvings tips for tourists

Ancient Buddhas of the Shilla Dynasty: Part 1

12/16/2010 – 17:11

Sakyamuni Buddha, Golgulsa Temple, Gyeongju

Sakyamuni Buddha, Golgulsa Temple, Gyeongju

Looking at the history of Gyeongju, it’s hard to underestimate the importance of Buddhism to the ancient Shilla Dynasty.  The acceptance of Buddhism by the Shilla in the 5th century C.E. brought an increased cultural exchange with China.  This coincided with the military rise of the Shilla Empire which ushered in the “Golden Age” of the Shilla Dynasty.  This cultural renaissance saw the construction of many architectural marvels, like Bulguksa Temple (불국사) and the nine-story Golden Dragon Pagoda of Hwannyeongsa Temple (황룡사), and creation of great artistic masterpieces, such as Seokkuram Grotto (석굴암). read more »

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Old Photos of Gyeongju on gjucc.or.kr

11/10/2010 – 11:07

Old Gyeongju (image from www.gjucc.or.kr)

Old Gyeongju (image from www.gjucc.or.kr)

One thing I forgot to mention in my last post on the Gyeongju Cultural Center (경주문화원) is that the Center’s website has a great archive of old, black and white photos of Gyeongju. Unfortunately, the website’s only in Korean, which makes it a little tricky to navigate, plus they’ve disabled hard links.  So, to get to the archive, go to the Center’s homepage: www.gjucc.or.kr.  Roll over the tab in the top right of the main page labeled “Publication발간자료.”  Two options will pop up directly underneath.  Right click on the option on the right called “경주의옛사진.” read more »

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The Quiet Beauty of the Gyeongju Cultural Center (경주문화원)

11/06/2010 – 20:07
Front Gate, Gyeongju Cultural Center

Front Gate, Gyeongju Cultural Center

Downtown Gyeongju can sometimes seem a mess of cars, cluttered streets and concrete buildings.  Yet tucked behind the Police Station, is the quiet oasis of the Gyeongju Cultural Center (경주문화원) with its lovely traditional architecture and serene gardens.  It has a relaxed, unassuming sort of beauty and, although it’s not quite Bulguksa, it’s home to a fair bit of local history in its own right. read more »

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Weird Gyeongju: The World’s Largest Silkworm (누에 체함학습관)

10/24/2010 – 21:07

Silkworm Experience Learning Center, Yeongcheon

Silkworm Experience Learning Center, Yeongcheon

Inspired by the “Weird America” books back home,  I’ve decided to start a series of posts on some of the quirky, cheesy or just plain strange tourist attractions that abound around here.  I could begin the with the wish-granting stone of Cheonwonsa Temple (천원사), or the legendary Vagina Valley of Mt. Obongsan (오봉산), but I figure it’s only fitting that I start with the giant silkworm statue of Oryong-ri (오룡리). It’s reputed to be the largest silkworm statue in the world (that is according to what little info I could find online).  Though, I don’t think anyone has phoned the kind folks over at Guinness about it yet. read more »

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