The Korean’s Bucket List, Ganwolam Hermitage(간월암) by the West coast of South Korea

The ebb and flow of the tide,

The island where becomes to be a floating lotus thanks to the gravitation of the moon every day.
A single photo in the newspaper led me up to this small island. In fact, I had been good image about this island for a long time ever after read in some long novel. It was left to me as the image of distant longing must to go in sometimes.

Long long time ago, at first this was called as the name of ‘nirvana temple’, temple of having the eternal truth in this imperfect suffering world. After that this got new name of Ganwolam hermitage(600 years ago). The name was originated from that Zen master Muhak(1327-1405) who was the royal master of King Taejo who was the founder of Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). He got enlightenment to see the moon at this temple according to the historic record. 'Ganwol' means ‘looking the moon’. What romantic scene it was! Ironically, this temple was closed due to the depreciation of Buddhism of Joseon Dynasty until 1941 when the grand Zen master Mangong (만공선사) rebuilt this one. This is located in, West coast of Korea, Ganwoldo-ri, Seosan-city, Chungcheongnamdo Province(충청남도).

This hermitage was situated on the big rock and looked like just the foot of the Ganwoldo island(간월도) which became to a land in 1980 by the reclamation project in Cheonsu Bay, the largest migratory bird habitat in Asia. This was so famous for fresh oyster that the Zen master Muhak laid these oysters at King’s foot with gifts. Still there are many famous restaurant where cooks meal with oyster at the entrance zone. Each year, people use to have village ritual to pray a good harvest on the date of 15^th January (lunar day) at the front of oyster memorial tower in this village. This was very tiny and cozy hermitage on the small rocky islet as you can see. This bottom of the rock was submerged by the sea when the tide is high every day as if it, with a good grace, isolated from the bustling human world.

The rusty bronze roof tiles

Each one composing this temple was tiny up to its hermitage size. Those bronze roof tiles turned into rusty color by the sea winds. Even what the colors on it looked natural enough to match to this hermitage. When I saw this roof, I figured out something different on its' position compared with other temple. In general, the wishes on the each tile(people bought the tile and wrote their wishes on the tile) were written on the bottom side. But in here it was up- side down. So I asked the monk whether something special reason was in or not. The answer was so simple.“When received from beginning, we got a mistake to write on the upper side. So we laid it as it was.” Foolish question, smart answer !!!  Everything should be natural as it was. Beyond the stereotype. This has attracted so long time not only many people but also monks. Island has been regarded as the symbol of the absolute solitude and the site of training for the eternal truth to the monks. At addition, Especially here is famous for not only the beautiful sunset shooting spot but also moonlit reflects off the sea.

Novelist Inho Choi, 1945-2013, being loved to Korean reader even after his death, the famous notable one in Korea, got Eungwan Order of the Cultural Merit for the high artistic recognition, wrote famous novel ‘Road without Road’. In this novel, hero reminded of some Buddhist wording in the Dhammapada (법구경), a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures, in the front yard of this temple. Those are as follows.

The night is too long for a person who is not able to sleep

As if the road is too far for a wayfarer who is tired

To a fool who don’t know the truth

The road of live and death is long and far.

 Please check the time of tide when you are planning to visit. Here is not good to go by the public transportation. Despite of this inconvenient condition, I want to strongly recommend this place you must go in Korea for the enchanting sunset. Photographer said that winter is the best season to take a picture of sunset.
  How to get there; Seoul Cental city terminal >>Seosan(서산)
.                            >>Ganwoldo-ri bus stop by bus #610 (total 3hrs 30 mins at least)

The Korean’s Bucket list, the Maisan Mountain Provincial Park in South Korea(마이산 도립공원)

The Maisan mountain (Horse Ear mountain; 마이산) 
The top two peaks rise side by side, which connected each other, so looks like the ears of horse, and thus people said this mountain as the name of Mai(Horse ear) -san(mt.).  The two ears are called each by Sutmaibong(means male horse ear peak (678 m)) and a Ammaibong (means female horse ear peak (686 m)). 
After we visited the Hanok village in Jeonju(전주한옥마을) we headed to the Maisan temple on the next day. It was apart around one hour from Jeonju city by car.This mountain is located in Jinan-gun, Jeonllabukdo province(전라북도) which is a province in the southwest of South Korea.

The Maisan Tapsa( temple)

This mountain was formed of conglomerates which looks like gray pebbles hardened in cement , very unusual case in Korea, was supposed to be rise up from the lake or river 70 million years ago which proved by the fish fossils and shells they left behind in the rocks. In addition, on the south side of the mountain it shows very unique features called by ‘tafoni' which  having honeycomb structure, small cave-like features found in granular rocks and forming by salt weathering, differential cementation, wetting-drying, freezing-thawing cycles and so on. The holes are sized for few centimeters up to some meters. Yes, that' right. Nobody could make the holes like on the wall of gigantic rocks. What a amazing nature ! 

 There is a myth about these two peaks from long long time ago. There was a couple gods had been come down by the punishment from the heaven. They had two children and lived on earth in a while waiting for going back up to the sky. Eventually as the time had come to rise up to the sky, they were ordered to rise up to sky without reaching the public eyes. But just as the moment to going back up to the sky, a village woman saw they were ascending and screamed out enough to reach to the sky. As this reason  they were trapped on earth and transformed into a mountain having the shape of face-to-face two rocks. Many people said that one is the father and his two children peaks (Sutmaibong,male peak) and the opposite one is the mother peak (Ammaibong,female peak). 

Fortunately on the day before I visited there, it snowed. How lucky I was! I put a steps as slow as I can on the snowy path while enjoying the snow-covered scenic beauty. The road from the parking lot to the foot of this mountain, I was told, shows spectacular scenes on April with the splendid cherry blossoms and famous festival opens annually in the spring. Whenever it is, on the way to see the Tapsa temple(pagoda temple) in the winter it was good for me also with full of tranquil air.

 We got an opportunity to see the great creatures mixed so well with the nature by tenacity and effort of one person. This Tapsa (pagoda temple) flanked by dramatic tafoni-riddled cliffs.Generally most of people have lived in citing for truth and justice of the world. However we know that  sometimes it is needed for someone numerous sacrifices, endurance and calm acceptance of whatever comes their way until the big picture changes in one's life. Right, all of us recognize that it is much smart choice to change myself  rather than the world. This is the just case which shows how to change for a person the way of his life when he and his mother country were in deep trouble( during the Japanese occupation), under a bad plight. Here is the amazing place showing the greatness of human being.

The Maisan Tapsa( pagoda temple)

It was erected over 120 of these pagodas, but was left only about 80 pagodas today. It is mystery no matter how the weather was bad, even during the storms that it did not sway or fall such a for long time over 100 years. To one’s amazement, these pagodas were made by the one person only during 30 years in the early 1900 s’ under Japanese controls.

He was Lee-gapyong(1860-1957), hidden hermit, a member of declined royal families of Chosun-dynasty, the last dynasty in Korea(1392-1897), made straight or conically shaped stone pagodas through in a surreal clasp of stacked rock without any aid of mechanical devices or assistance or mortar. He used the bulk of the stone comes from Mt. Maisan itself and some stones were collected from famous mountains throughout the Korea by the hermit Lee.

He stacked the pagodas according to the eight progressive positions of Zhuge Liang in China and a yin and yang order after receiving the message from the God of mountain when he was 25 years old. Actually these pagodas are not typical shape of Korean one. It is rather closed to the shape of ancient pole erected to honor to the sky. Some people let the meaning that Lee maybe got a pain of losing his country by the Japan and wished the independence of country so deeply, had completed pagodas one by one so long times( till the day of independence) despite of the popular belief that he was the weird person far from worldly affairs.

The Main hall of this temple and Cheonji pagoda on the rear side

The most highlight pagoda is maybe the Cheonji pagoda which is located at the top site behind the temple, up to 13.5 meters tall, was divided into two pagodas from the half layer, originally was one piece at the beginning base.

The Eunsusa

 Eunsusa(은수사), the small hermitage located in foot of Sutmaibong and is situated on the left side of main temple, is the matrix as well as important motivation spot of Chosun dynasty. King Taejo, the founder of Chosun dynasty, dreamed that he was given a gold ruler in here. It means the person having this gold ruler should be a king in the future. After he dreamed he regarded here as ‘Soul Mountain’. From few years ago people hold a Sansinje, God memorial ceremony wishing for national prosperity and welfare, on 11^th October annually in this small hermitage with these reasons.

How to get there;
*** There is one city tour bus from Jeonju city(전주시) leaving at 8;30am from Hanok village(Lewin hotel르윈호텔). ***They just operate from April to November only.*** If you have a plan stay one night in Jeonju city, it will be more convenient for you to use this bus. The bus stops local food market and beer factory without additional charge. You can call the travel agency and make a reservation if you want.It is Nambuk tour(남북투어 nambuktour.com, Korean only,Tel 1588-1466 , mobile 010-6364-7500 Fee KRW 9000)

**** There is no direct public transportation to  Maisan mountain(마이산) from Seoul.
Seoul >>Jeonju by express bus or train >>Jinan Maisan mountain by bus...better choice
Seoul >> Jinan by express bus from central city terminal >>Jinan Maisan mountain...infrequent case
Soft course..from southern parking lot, Hard course..from northern parking lot of Maisan mountain 
 So you should be Jeonju(전주) or Jinan(진안) at first and take a bus or a taxi. I recommend taking a taxi because buses do not operate so often in case of Jinan route.  Don't forget to get a name card or mobile phone number of taxi driver for your return.
 

The Korean’s Bucket List. Mountain, sea and my mind became one!!! Naksan Provincial Park (낙산 도립공원) in Gangwondo province

Whenever I visited, I always had a feeling something new. The place was Naksansa temple(낙산사), Hongreonam hermitage(홍련암), Uisangdae(의상대) in Yangyang(양양), Gangwondo, South Korea

The Hongreonam hermitage(홍련암)

It seemed like that winds took a rest in here, clouds softly floated around and waves sang a song having in many ways of feeling. What all I had done in their was to become one with the nature. As usual as just like nature itself. In spring, summer, fall and in winter, it always shows indescribable beauty and the comforts. Absolutely  this is one of the bucket lists must to go to the Korean. When I grew up, I visited here so many times for the educational experiences in elementary school, the summer vacation and for the rest times together with family. Maybe many Koreans had same experience as me

.This is located on the slopes of Naksan mountain (낙산) midway between Sokcho-city(속초 )and Yangyang-gun(양양) and mid-spot between Seorak beach and Naksan beach also in the East coast of South Korea. Naksan means the place where the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy(Gwanseum bosal;관세음보살) stay. The goddess of mercy is so familiar with the human that she help them comfortable and happy according to the record of Buddhism.

Naksansa temple(낙산사) was built in AD 671 by great master Uisang-daesa who was a priest of high virtue and studied in China of ancient Dang kingdom and also famous master in the China at that time. After return from China and arrived at here, he got treasures of Buddhist prayer beads made of crystal and magic dazzling pearl. And he received a divine revelation about the site of temple after the praying of 27 days. Through the long time this temple had been several procedures of reconstruction and expanding due to severe damage by fire, foreign invasions and the Korean war(1950-1953). Regretfully, the biggest damage of this temple recently that almost parts of one and treasures being destroyed was done by the fire in the spring of 2005. This one was restored through historical research and reopened to the public in 2007 by the efforts and donations of all across the nations’ Buddhists. Fortunately, Hongreonam hermitage, Uisangdae pavilion and Haesugwaneumsang statue did avoid the misfortune of the big fire in 2005.

The Uisangdae Pavilion(의상대)

down side of roof-tile written donators' names and wishes

The Uisangdae pavilion(의상대)

Uisangdae pavilion(의상대) is the place that  Zen master UIsang-daesa(의상대사) sat and meditated. Monk Manhae reconstructed this pavilion to honor the Zen master Uisang as the shape of present in 1925(about 90 years ago) on top of the cliff by the sea. This has renowned for blending harmony with surrounding sea pines, the steep coastal cliff and the East Sea. This is the particularly famous for superb impressive attractions with the scenery of sun-rising. So many poets and writers wrote poems and left their records of  beautiful sightseeing for a long time.

The Hongreonam hermitage(홍련암)

Hongreonam hermitage (홍련암), red lotus hermitage in the literary meaning, was named after that  Zen master Uisang-daesa(의상대사) saw the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy standing on the red lotus, was built above on the stone cave in AD 676(almost 1300 years ago). There is a 10-centimeters hall in the floor that people can see the waves by peeping through the hall, It is located on a cliff at the edge of east coast.

The Bodhisattva of Mercy

15 meters(49 feet) of the height, 700 tons of white granite statue, over-looking the southeast sea, built in 1977, the biggest Buddhist statue among the same sorts at that time, although the short history this Haesugwanemsang(해수관음상; Bodhisattva of Mercy) was adding the meaning to the people with her warm great image. The pond in front of this statue had many coins wishing fortunes. So many wishes as many as coins.  This area was left nothing on the right side of this mountain filled with just black burned land by fire since few years ago. To see the new-born greens was very delightful thing after big tragic fire. Now it was keep going to recover their natural life fortunately. I felt the greatness of time and nature. No fire again, please. 

 Naksansa temple operates various program of temple stay that gives people the temple life, Buddhist culture, experience a temple food, Korean traditional tea culture and attempt to look over ones' mind. There website is consisted on Korean language only as follow. >>click here !! It is better to sending your questions or application to their e-mail address stated on their official home page. 

captured by temple stay of Naksansa temple(낙산사) official home page

BoMunSa Temple (보문사) where you must to go with your lover

As I look back on my first memory about Bomunsa temple(보문사), the most impressive one was the marvelous Buddhist Goddess of mercy engraved on the rock at the high top in this mountain. As I heard, this is the one of three seaside sacred places for Goddess of mercy where believers in Buddhism must to go in their life in Korea. However just in case of tourist like me, I was only in awe the big size statue and the enchanting sunset view to the West sea from this point. Interestingly, there is a romantic groundless theory that if lovers pray for their love in here,it will be come true.

500 Buddha's follower
This historic temple in Seokmodo island (석모도), accessible from Ganghwado only by the ferry takes 10 minutes, located the west side of Seoul, was established almost 1400 years ago by the West sea in the era of Queen Seondeock of ancient Silla dynasty (AD 635). Through the Iljumun gate(one pillar gate) next to ticketing office, the steep ascent led up to the  500 Buddha’s disciples (followers of Buddha, 오백나한), sitting around the  33 Goddess of mercy tower(Sarira pagoda) which preserving relics of the Buddha. Each disciples  shows 500 different unique characteristic figures in their face and gesture like impish-looking children interestingly. They even gave me some familiarity with their unpretentious appearance. Back of these followers, there was a big lying Buddha in the small hermitage.

Through the three arched gate, there was famous natural stone grotto where 23 statues of small Buddha stand in the wall side-grooved. How amazing it was that it was built in AD 649, in the ancient Silla dynasty (almost 1400 years ago ) ! Fishermen took out of the net in the sea these 23 stones resembled after people in old time.When they moved these stones, they could not walk forward a single step when they reached just in front of this cave. So they made a chamber in this cave for these stone statues and  let stood them since then.

The three arched gate(Hongyemun;홍예문)

23 stone statues in the grotto

This big granite millstone used for preparing meals over 300 priests and monks shows

the flourishing for the past time of this temple.It is also registered in cultural monument of local area.

Buddhist drum and wooden fish shaped drum 
Beopkko (Buddhist drum ; 법고) and Mogeo(a wooden drum in the shape of fish) showed  me as if  it brought  the spiritual cries of the ascetic in torment to me. There was a corner where people buy the roof tile and put their wishes on it. This a general kind of donation in the temple.  People pay for it by 10,000 Korean Won(about 10 US dollars), then write their names,address,wishes such as wealth,health,love,employment,success in examination,promotion and so on. These tiles will be used for the replacement of temple roof being needed. Many people willingly used to pay and write their wishes regardless of their religion.  

Roof tiles are piled high one over another in the front court yard.

Dragon platform

wish bottles

On my way I saw the dragon platform hanging wish bottles which the colorful paper is inside. It use to going to be hung during 100 days, sheets shall be pull out from the bottle and burn by the monk. 

The Goddess of Mercy

The statue was engraved in 1928(almost 100 years ago, under the of Japanese colonial era) on the NunSeop-Bawi (eyebrow rock;눈썹바위),as you see, protected by the attached rock as like a shape of roof safeguarding this statue and gets the height of 920 centimeters.This statue has gained publicity that he makes come true people’s wish just for one time at least. With this reason, here is always crowded by the people on weekend or special Buddhist ceremonial days such as Buddha’s birthday. On the day, as ever, people prayed for something in front of this god. It is hardly easy to visit this temple because it is located some far away from my city and the road is heavy traffic jam on weekend in all time. And thus, I always used to feel something left behind when I get back.

 

On my way to home, we got aboard on the ferry to the Ganghwado(강화도) and then drove to my city. Some controvercy which there is need to build the bridge between the Seokmodo island and Ganghwado island is undergoing. If it comes true, the pleasant on boarding on the ferry will be disappeared someday. It was a long journey.

ferry between the Seokmodo island and  Ganghwado
People usually use to board with their car. 

seagulls chasing the shrimp flavored snack 

 How to get there ;

Seoul Subway Line2 ShinChon st. Exit 4 ->ShinChon bus terminal No.3000(2Hrs)
Take off GangHwa bus terminal ->opposite site,No#31,#37 (20Min.) to OePo-ri
-->walk to take a ferry to SeokPo-ri dock(7 Min.)->take bus to temple

 ************Please check bus time table for your rerurn .                 
                  Bus is the only resource for public transportation.
                  NO Taxi service
for more detail, refer their official website(Korean only) >> click here !!!