Korea's Hidden Gem

Jinju Namgang Yudeung ( Lantern 진주 남강 유등축제) Festival

Maybe this is the most favorite lantern festival loved by Korean. This floating lantern festival opens first weekend of October in general on the river of Namgang and Jinju castle inside in the Jinju city and has been hosted by Jinju Culture & Art Foundation annually. What I felt was they devoted all their energy for this festival. It was worthy to rush to visit, certainly.

The tunnel of wish lanterns

This floating lantern has long history dated back to 1592(over 400 years). Lantern in the river was used for military purpose to prevent Japanese troops from wading the Namgang-river. And for military signal with the army outside of castle another kind of lantern to the sky was used also when Japan invaded Korea(during Joseon dynasty in 1592-1598). Secondary, it was a kind of way to get in touch with family under being departed one in the chaos of war. After war, Jinju citizens had floated lanterns to tribute for the brave souls and innocent people sacrificed over 70,000 during the war.

Few couple of decade, Jinju city government shed new light on this historical event and recreated this custom into festival since 2000. Recently it is new trend to make their own local festival adopted the long historical story by the local autonomous entity. Many Koreans love this festival though its location is so far from Seoul. Lanterns illuminated in the river as well as in the castle. With this reason, the strolling was not limited only the river but could reach the time-honoured castle. Needless to say, I enjoyed the creative lanterns inside the castle. They composed it with the theme of present and traditional one,various types of all ages, diverse experiences for visitors, riding boat, temporary stage on the river and so on. They certainly did their best to hold big and creative festival, I felt.

The wishing lanterns

The creative lanterns

The pleasure boat, it runs into the floating lantern on the river

The stage on the river

lit up the castle

The creative lantern 'Angel and woodcutter' being inspiration from the Korean traditional fairy tale

How to get there;
1. Express bus from Gangnam in Seoul …3hrs/30mins
2. Inter-city bus from Nambu-terminal(남부터미널) in Seoul
3. KTX-train from Seoul station …3hrs/40mins

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 !!!

Region_Seoul Vicinity

Autumn of the Temple ( Yeombul-am/염불암)

AH’’’’ , Autumn is passing so fast beside me like an arrow.

There is a small temple in Anyang city(안양) where I live and sometimes used to go when I took a rest for the mind healing even though I’m not a Buddhist. In general in Korea, Buddhism is so familiar with the Korean from the child to adult generation that is so natural to go to the temple no matter how their religion is all round year. Moreover, most of temples are situated in the deep mountain and result in fine scenery at each season. With these reasons many people love the moment when visit that without any resist.

These letters on the rock are the name of this temple(Yeombul-am염불암) which is the meaning of enchanting Buddhist's great words. There are so many temples having same name in this country because the word was borrowed from the Buddhism. As I heard, this temple was built in 1000 years ago.

Bell Pavilion

This bronze bell has used for alarming the time and gathering the public in case of special public ceremony. And they say that it also has a role of purification of mind filled with greed and complication. An image on the bronze of a flying fairy on her knees above lotus flower surrounded by clouds of flower,as I heard, is the typical style of ancient Silla-dynasty of Korea.

The Daeungjeon

The Daeungjeon(대웅전), the hall of great enlightenment, Grand Buddhist sanctuary, showed the dominant colors with the ornate Dancheong(단청) like as usual type in Korean temple. Dancheong is the traditional multicolored paintwork on wooden buildings, especially in the temple or old palaces. It has five colors only;blue, red, yellow, white, black. How amazing it is to express just by using such simple five colors only! It has multi purpose of aesthetic value, preventing of wood decay, protecting from insects. On the front yard there was a 600 years old banyan tree which is symbolic tree of Buddhism since Goryeo-dynasty of Korea. It was true in the Buddhism that they has regard as symbolic tree because Buddha got a great enlightenment under this tree.

The relief on the stone lantern

The Physician of Soul holding on medical bottle

The smiling 8 meter tall Maitreya(another Buddha coming in the ideal future world)
People believe this Buddha will relieve mankind with his big mercy.

It is true that this temple has deep history over 1000 years. Maybe the most charming point is the smiling gentle statue Buddha like the uncle living next door at the rear side.

The platform for crocks for soy sauces,soybean paste and condiments

Region_Seoul

Eulalia(silver grasses) festival of Skypark(하늘공원) in Seoul

When the air gets colder in fall, many citizens used to visit to hear the song of wind and to see color of fall in this Skypark(하늘 공원;Ha-Neul gongwon) within the Seoul World Cup Park. Each year Eulalia( silver grass) festival in fall , on October, was held at this park by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. As it is located in Seoul, so many people visit here so easily all the year regardless with the season because they show each unique color of the season with different charming points. In spring, this was filled with various butterflies as well as unknown wild flowers. In fall, waving silver grasses are waiting us too.

Waving Eulalia ( Silver Grasses)

This is former site of the Nanjido Landfill that operated until 1993 for last 15 years. Massive disposal amount made a garbage mountain up to 98 meter of the height. After closing this field,there were filled with just bad smellsand enormous dusts only.This land was seem to be dead almost. However surprisingly, some years later greens and trees became to grow in this abandoned field. How amazing it was! Ecosystem had become alive by itself again as if laughing at foolishness of human being's behavior done to the nature. After seeing this astonishing recovery power of nature, Seoul city had managed to a big construction to live this ecosystem.In the year of World cup 2002 this field was revived and reopened into as the name of wonderful Sky Park next to World cup stadium. When I visited there, citizens enjoyed the full flavour of autumn in this massive field and the silver grasses as well as many sorts of autumn flowers were smiling at me.

Name of Nanjido, former this landfill name, was originated from that this is filled with colorful orchids and lingzhi mushroom. Every flowers blossomed from season to season,so people called this area as Flower Island also long time ago. At now here has gained again its' former role of mother of nature with the beautiful rest place as well as eco-friendly recycling system. This is a living lesson how human being should have a relationship with the nature.