Buddha is Big
On Sunday, I dragged myself out of bed and had one of the most lovely cultural experiences yet. Diane and I took the subway and then a short cab ride to the only sea-front Buddhist temple in Korea, Yonggungsa. The crowd was large since the weather was the best it had been in weeks.
The short walkway down to the temple was lined with Koreans selling their wares of food, drinks, and trinkets. A man who seemed to be e
xtracting a liquid from giant roots par
ticularly intrigued Diane and me. We saw other Koreans tasting it, so we decided to have a go ourselves. The drink, not so surprisingly, tasted very oaky and dry, much like a tree would. We forced down a few sips and then had to chuck the rest. I asked my co-workers later what it was, and they said it is called Chick Gee, a traditional drink that is good for the liver. Hm, maybe I should have drunk a whole bottle!
Statues of gods and goddesses guided the way down to the temple, and it was interesting to see the people pay their respects with repeated bows. Coins were also placed strategically on the statues themselves (over the eyes or nostrils or other parts) or even balanced on the tiny crevices and cracks of boulders. D and I were both lucky and balanced our coins on the first try!
The temple itself was majestic, resting on the rocky East Sea shoreline. Dozens of people lounged on the rocks and gazed out at the open sea or at the temple itself. Diane and I took a mini break and sat for 45 minutes, reflecting and chatting. It was very relaxing, and one of those heave-a-great-sigh-of-happiness moments.
Diane and I partook in every ritual we observed. For example, we rubbed the Buddha’s belly, nose, and finger. We also bowed before
approaching any of the shrines, out of respect for the devout worshippers. We poured the water over the statues’ heads, though we weren’t sure of the significance and lastly, we took the stairs that led to an underground well, where the people squatted and dipped a ladle into the water for a taste. As there was no English explanation, we assume the water was considered holy. It was certainly treated with reverence. Lastly, we made a few little stacks of white rocks. From what I understand, it is lucky if you can get the rocks into stacks without having it fall over. We stuck with groups of three, and had much success! We also took turns hurling change over the bridge at Buddha’s bowl. I managed to bounce one off the rim, which was better than the Korean boys beside me. I guess all those games of darts are paying off!
After wandering around and taking a ridiculous amount of pictures, we headed back to Songjeong beach, which is a smaller beach in a cove just down the road from the temple. There were many families there and it was nice, but a little boring. I much prefer Haeundae and Gwangali Beaches, both of which are nearer to my house. It was a delightful afternoon, and I really want to go back there with a book. It is so funny to think that such a peaceful place exists right outside the city. It seems so other-worldly! I guess that’s the point, right?
See more pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/k.a.sheridan01/YonggungsaTemple#
The short walkway down to the temple was lined with Koreans selling their wares of food, drinks, and trinkets. A man who seemed to be e
xtracting a liquid from giant roots par
ticularly intrigued Diane and me. We saw other Koreans tasting it, so we decided to have a go ourselves. The drink, not so surprisingly, tasted very oaky and dry, much like a tree would. We forced down a few sips and then had to chuck the rest. I asked my co-workers later what it was, and they said it is called Chick Gee, a traditional drink that is good for the liver. Hm, maybe I should have drunk a whole bottle!
Statues of gods and goddesses guided the way down to the temple, and it was interesting to see the people pay their respects with repeated bows. Coins were also placed strategically on the statues themselves (over the eyes or nostrils or other parts) or even balanced on the tiny crevices and cracks of boulders. D and I were both lucky and balanced our coins on the first try!The temple itself was majestic, resting on the rocky East Sea shoreline. Dozens of people lounged on the rocks and gazed out at the open sea or at the temple itself. Diane and I took a mini break and sat for 45 minutes, reflecting and chatting. It was very relaxing, and one of those heave-a-great-sigh-of-happiness moments.
Diane and I partook in every ritual we observed. For example, we rubbed the Buddha’s belly, nose, and finger. We also bowed before
approaching any of the shrines, out of respect for the devout worshippers. We poured the water over the statues’ heads, though we weren’t sure of the significance and lastly, we took the stairs that led to an underground well, where the people squatted and dipped a ladle into the water for a taste. As there was no English explanation, we assume the water was considered holy. It was certainly treated with reverence. Lastly, we made a few little stacks of white rocks. From what I understand, it is lucky if you can get the rocks into stacks without having it fall over. We stuck with groups of three, and had much success! We also took turns hurling change over the bridge at Buddha’s bowl. I managed to bounce one off the rim, which was better than the Korean boys beside me. I guess all those games of darts are paying off!
After wandering around and taking a ridiculous amount of pictures, we headed back to Songjeong beach, which is a smaller beach in a cove just down the road from the temple. There were many families there and it was nice, but a little boring. I much prefer Haeundae and Gwangali Beaches, both of which are nearer to my house. It was a delightful afternoon, and I really want to go back there with a book. It is so funny to think that such a peaceful place exists right outside the city. It seems so other-worldly! I guess that’s the point, right?
See more pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/k.a.sheridan01/YonggungsaTemple#
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