Tag Archives: legends

Buddhist culture East Sea Gyeongju history Stories, legends & people Temples & shrines videos

Video: Seonmudo (선무도) Demonstration

08/23/2010 – 10:43

Last month my University asked me to help guide a tour of Korean-American students around Gyeongju for a day.  That afternoon we stopped by Golgulsa (골굴사) Temple for a short lesson in Seonmudo (선무도), or Korean Zen martial arts.  In all the times I’d been to Golgulsa, I’d never actually seen what Seonmudo actually is.  Luckily for us the monks gave a demonstration after the lesson and got to show off some of their top moves.  I had my handycam with me, so here’s a short 3 minute video of some of the highlights I’ve edited together. read more »

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Gyeongju history Stories, legends & people tips for tourists Top 10

Top 10 Kings of the Shilla Dynasty: Part 2

08/18/2010 – 17:53

Continued from Part 1…..

Hwangnam Shilla Crown (image from Gyeongju National Museum)

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. read more »

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Gyeongju history Stories, legends & people tips for tourists Top 10

Top 10 Kings of the Shilla Dynasty: Part 1

08/13/2010 – 20:01
Poster for MBC's Historical Drama: Queen Seon Deok

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. read more »

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Gyeongju history Sites to see tips for tourists tombs Top 10

Top 10 ancient Tombs of Gyeongju: Part 2

07/10/2010 – 21:52

Continued from Part 1….

Bonghwangdae Tomb, Gyeongju

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. read more »

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Gyeongju history Sites to see Stories, legends & people tips for tourists tombs Top 10

Top 10 ancient Tombs of Gyeongju: Part 1

06/30/2010 – 21:31
Shilla Tombs of Tumuli Park, Gyeongju

Shilla Tombs of Tumuli Park, Gyeongju

One of the things that make Gyeongju noticeably unique among Korean cities are all of the ancient Shilla hill tombs scattered about. Some of them are pretty darn impressive actually, as they range from one to two millennia old and most of them are at least a couple stories high. Not to mention there are over 150 of them around the area. Seen from above they look like mushrooms sprouting up all over the city after a rain. read more »

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Book Reviews Gyeongju history photography Stories, legends & people tips for tourists

Gyeongju Guide Books

06/20/2010 – 10:35
Gyeongju: a Field Guide to History (cover image)

Gyeongju: a Field Guide to History (cover image)

Over the last couple of months I’ve managed to collect a few really killer guidebooks on the Gyeongju, mostly through tips from friends and browsing through the Gyeongju National Museum book store.  If you’re visiting Gyeongju, you’d be doing yourself a big favor by picking up at least one of these books and giving it a read before hand.  I guarantee you’ll have a much more rewarding trip.  Unfortunately much of the on site information around Gyeongju is poorly translated or lacks coherence. read more »

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Buddhist culture Dongcheon-dong Gyeongju Ruins & remains Stories, legends & people Temples & shrines tips for tourists

The Four-sided Buddha of Gulbulsa Temple (굴불사)

03/30/2010 – 00:22
Four-sided Buddha of Gulbulsa, Gyeongju

Four-sided Buddha of Gulbulsa, Gyeongju

Just a few blocks down from City Hall in Dongcheon-dong is one of the lesser known historical gems in Gyeongju, the four-sided Buddha of  Gulbulsa Temple (굴불사).  The original Shilla era structures of Gulbulsa are long gone, but remaining is a striking four-sided Buddha, or samyeonseokbul (사면석불), chiseled out of a large boulder.  In fact, it’s the legend behind this carved rock that gave the temple it’s curious moniker: Gulbulsa, or “Digging Buddha Temple.” read more »

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Buddhist culture Dongcheon-dong Gyeongju Shamanism Stories, legends & people Temples & shrines

Ichadon (이차돈) Continued

03/29/2010 – 13:06

Martyrdom of Ichadon, Baegyulsa Temple

Martyrdom of Ichadon, Baegyulsa Temple

My wife and I went out for a short hike yesterday on Mt. Geumgansan (금강산) to get some exercise and enjoy a bit of the Spring weather.  As I’d just posted on the legend of of Ichadon (이차돈), I figured we’d take walk up to Baegyulsa Temple (배귤사), which was built on the spot where his head supposedly landed.   As we were walking past the temple bell, didn’t I notice that it had a cast relief image of Ichadon with his head flying off!  I’m posting it here for curiosity’s sake.  As Baegyulsa Temple deserves a whole post of it’s own, I’ll have more info on it up here soon (I hope). read more »

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Buddhist culture Gyeongju Shamanism Stories, legends & people Temples & shrines tombs

Shilla Legend: The Martyrdom of Ichadon (이차돈)

03/25/2010 – 11:05
Execution of Ichadon, Heungnyeungsa Temple

Execution of Ichadon, Heungnyeungsa Temple

If you visit enough Buddhist temples here in Korea, you might come across some pretty gnarly scenes painted on the sides of these hollowed halls, such as the gothic  tortures of the Hell Realms or the gruesome image of the 2nd Patriarch of Zen, or Seon (선) Buddhism, chopping off his left arm (but more on that fun stuff later).

Every so often you might see the macabre tableaux of the execution of the Korean Buddhist martyr Ichadon (이차돈).   Although he wasn’t the first Buddhist to lose his head during the Shilla Dynasty, it was the legendary miracle of his execution that finally led to Buddhism’s official acceptance by the Shilla Kingdom. read more »

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Buddhist culture East Sea Gyeongju Statues & carvings Temples & shrines tips for tourists

Golgulsa Temple (골굴사)

01/26/2010 – 01:38

Sakyamuni Buddha, Golgulsa Temple (골굴사)

Sakyamuni Buddha, Golgulsa Temple (골굴사)

Though it’s not quite Korea’s answer to the Shaolin Monastery of China, Golgulsa Temple (골굴사) is one of the more unique temples in the Gyeongju area and it’s pretty darn cool. If you’re on your way over to King Munmu’s tomb (문무대왕릉) on the East Coast, it’s well worth taking an hour or so to stop off here and check it out. read more »

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