The Korean landscape looks just like the prototypical Asian
painting… meandering streams worshiping at the feet of sharply peaked mountains
veiled in mist. Climbing up the slippery
stone steps to Seokguram Grotto was like stepping into one of those paintings.
This site is unique because Buddha is found in a man-made cave or grotto, which
was constructed to protect the sculpture and the statues of disciples which
surround him. The Japanese evidently
tried to moisture-proof the grotto, which really only screwed it up, but now it’s
a UNESCO site and is protected. Located
at the peak of the mountain facing east, I can only imagine what it would be
like to stand in front of the grotto at sunrise with no tourists, no Korean
Foundation employee telling you to hurry up, no lecture coming over the
earphones. Just the Buddha behind me,
the sunrise in front of me, and the mountains and the mist. Ommmmm….
At the bottom of the peak is a temple and a huge bell used
to call Buddhists to prayer. Nowadays you can ring the bell for a mere 1,000
won (about 86 cents), so of course I did it.
After you swing the huge log back three times and then propel it into
the huge bronze bell you put your forehead against the bell to feel its
vibrations travel down your body. Some
of our group opted to walk down the entire mountain to the Bul-Guk temple, but
the slippery steps inhibited me and some others. We met our colleagues for a tour of the
temple – happily noting that the rain finally seemed to gone for good.
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| No photos allowed in the grotto... but my Korean guide buddy and I posed outside |
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| Lanterns left from Buddha's birthday |
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