Misplaced Pages

#52947

28-576: Gurye County is a hiking destination during the spring and autumn seasons. The county hosts a number of yearly festivals such as Sansuyu Flower Festival, the Royal Azalea Festival and the Piagol Valley Maple Festival. Gurye is also home to Korea's first national state park, which houses some of Korea's most important temples such as Hwaeomsa , Cheoneunsa, and Yeongoksa. Gurye is located in the southwest portion of Korean penisula, and

56-420: A silk thread to Sinseodae Terrace. Seosandaesa then hid himself behind a rock to watch. At around 1 am, an imugi anaconda, which was sorry not to have turned into a dragon, slithered up from the valley below Sinseondae Terrace to the sound of roaring water. The imugi jumped upon the praying monk, bit him in the mouth, and disappeared into the water. Seosandaesa returned to the temple, and waited until dawn. Early in

84-676: Is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism . It is located on the slopes of Jirisan , in Masan-myeon, Gurye County , in South Jeolla Province , South Korea . Hwaeomsa was established in 544 by Ven. Yeongi Josa. It was expanded in 643 by Ven. Jajang Yulsa, when the Sakyamuni Relic Pagoda, Seven-Story Pagoda, and a stone lantern were added. During the reign of King Munmu , by royal decree, Ven. Uisang Daesa inscribed

112-525: Is a mountain located in the southern region of South Korea . It is the second-tallest mountain in South Korea after Jeju Island 's Hallasan , and is the tallest mountain in mainland South Korea. The 1915m-high mountain is located in Jirisan National Park . The park spans three provinces ( North , South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang ) and it is the largest in South Korea. The largest proportion of

140-594: Is easily accessible from Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, as well as other major cities. During the Samhan period, Gurye was part of Gorap, one of the 54 statelets of the Mahan confederacy . As the domain of Baekje Kingdom expanded during the Three Kingdoms period, Gurye was absorbed as one of the kingdom's counties, where it was known as Gucharye (or Guchaji ). During the reign of King Gyeongdeok (r. 742–65) of Unified Silla ,

168-524: Is held every mid-March and takes place at the hot springs tourist site at the foot of Mount Jiri . The festival features a wide variety of programs including an exhibition of local products made from sansuyu (cornus fruit), performances, hands-on events and fireworks. Sansuyu blossoms produce a uniquely favored tea and fine liquor. In 2007, more than 500,000 tourists visited during the four-day festival. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of South Korea chose Gurye's festival as an excellent culture-tour event for

196-596: Is offering tea out of deep filial piety. Other cultural objects of Hwaeomsa include: Scroll Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly (National Treasure No. 301); Eastern Five-Story Stone Pagoda (Treasure No. 132); Western Five-Story Stone Pagoda (Treasure No. 133); Daeungjeon Hall (Treasure No. 299); Lion Pagoda in front of Wontongjeon Hall (Treasure No. 300); Reliquaries from the Western Five-Story Stone Pagoda (Treasure No. 1348); Scroll Painting of

224-536: Is only available from streams beyond the temple grounds. This peak can also be climbed from the back of Cheonghak-dong Village. During the Korean War , North Korean troops occupied the region in 1950. After the United Nations forces took the area in 1951, a considerable number of North Koreans remained in the mountains, where they continued a guerrilla war , until they were finally beaten in 1955, two years after

252-523: Is the largest and best-known temple among these. It contains several national treasures, mostly stone artworks from about 600–900 CE. The mountain is also home to the Cheonghak-dong (Azure Crane Village) alpine valley, which includes the Samseonggung (Three Sages Palace), which is a site celebrating one of Korea's foundation myths. Every year more than 280,000 people visit Jirisan. Summer and autumn are

280-495: The Korean Armistice Agreement was signed by the belligerents. South Korea issued an "Anti-Guerrilla Warfare Service Medal" for its troops who fought in the area and a movie about the fighting was later produced. An earlier film, Piagol , about a group of North Korean soldiers in the area, was released the year the fighting ended. Jirisan is known to grow about 1,500 kinds of plants, many of which are endemic. This

308-726: The Vairocana Buddha Triad in Daeungjeon Hall (Treasure No. 1363); and Seated Wooden Vairocana Buddha Triad (Treasure No. 1548). Two trees here have been designated natural monuments: the Winter-Flowering (Natural Monument No. 38) and the Plum Tree (Natural Monument No. 485). Seon Master Buyong Yeonggwan composed a poem about this plum tree. It also offers temple stay programs where visitors can experience Buddhist culture. Jirisan Jirisan ( Korean :  지리산 )

SECTION 10

#1732855374053

336-498: The Chilwolbaekjung holiday (full moon day of July by the lunar calendar) wherein they selected the most pious monk and prayed earnestly for his safe passage to paradise as a deity. In a certain year, the then highest monk Seosandaesa visited the temple, heard about this Buddhist rite, and guessed that there must be a secret behind it. Seosandesa allowed that year's chosen monk to pray wearing a silk robe anointed with poison, linked by

364-585: The Eighty-Fascicle Avataṃsaka Sutra, on stone tablets and preserved them here. In 875, Ven. Doseon Guksa expanded the temple again. In 943 during the Goryeo era, honoring the deathbed wish of Ven. Doseon Guksa, the state began to first establish 500 Seon temples, followed by 3,800 “Bibo-sachal,” at sites where bad geomantic energy needed to be transformed. Hwaeomsa was the first temple to be renovated. There were four more renovations thereafter during

392-551: The Korail website for specific bus routes, times, and fares. Suncheon is the nearest city, and it takes about 20 minutes by car. Gwangju is the closest metropolitan city, which is approximately 1 hour by car. Gurye is known for the Sansuyu (Cornus Fruit) Flower Festival . Sansuyu is the fruit of the Cornus officinalis (산수유) which has yellow flowers in early spring. The Sansuyu Flower Festival

420-501: The buildings, including the Main Buddha Hall (1630-1636). In 1701, in the 27th year of King Sukjong's reign, the reconstruction of Hwaeomsa was completed, and the king designated it the great temple of the combined schools of doctrine and meditation . Buildings and gates completed at this time were: Daeungjeon, Gakhwangjeon, Bojeru, Myungbujeon, Wontongjeon, Yeongsanjeong, Eunghyanggak, Jeongmugdang, Geumgangmun and Cheonwangmun. Of

448-563: The closest city with theaters and large department stores (approx 30 mins away) and to Gwangju , the closest metropolitan city which is 1.5 hours away. There is a train station at the opposite end of the Bus Terminal operated by Korail . The Guryegu Station is part of the Jeolla line and is located near Sinwol-ri, approximately 10 minutes by car from the Gurye Bus Terminal. Please refer to

476-757: The first time. Sansuyu is a well-known medicinal item from ancient Korean history. The Dongui Bogam , a Joseon Dynasty medical book, said it has several effects such as protecting liver and skin. The flowers are effective in curing inflammations of the liver, diabetes, high blood pressure, cold hands and feet, and can help enhance the immune system. Several elementary, middle schools, and high schools are located in Gurye county. 35°12′34″N 127°27′52″E  /  35.2094444544°N 127.464444454°E  / 35.2094444544; 127.464444454 Hwaeomsa Hwaeomsa ( Korean :  화엄사 ; Hanja :  華嚴寺 ; lit.  Flower Garland Temple)

504-525: The king took care of official business. Gakhwangjeon was built on the former site of Jangnyukjeon, which had been burnt down, and King Sukjong gave the name of “Gakhwangjeon” to the newly built hall. In front of Gakhwangjeon stands a giant Stone Lantern (National Treasure No. 12), befitting the size of Gakhwangjeon. Thought to have been sculpted during the United Silla era , it is 6.4 meters (21 feet) high, and 2.8 meters (9 feet) in diameter. Slightly up and to

532-481: The left of Gakhwangjeon stands the Four-Lion Three-Story Stone Pagoda (National Treasure No. 35) carved in granite. Among non-standard pagodas, it is considered to have a higher degree of completeness, along with Dabotap Pagoda at Bulguksa Temple. Four lions make up the foundation and support the whole pagoda. In the center of the four lions stands Ven. Yeongi Josa's mother to whom, on his knees, he

560-424: The morning, he, together with the villagers, went to Sinseondae Terrace to find that the imugi had died , having failed to swallow the whole body of the monk. Seosandaesa discovered Songnimsa Temple's secret of sacrificing a monk to an imugi every year. Thereafter, the valley was named Baemsagol, which means the valley where an imugi, which failed to become a dragon, died. The village at the entrance to Baemsagol Valley

588-524: The most popular visiting seasons. The mountain is advertised as having ten scenic views. These are ‘Sunrise from Cheonwang-bong peak’, ‘Nogodan Sea of Clouds’, ‘Banyabong’s Nakjo’, ‘Full moon at Byukso-ryung’, ‘Piagol Autumn Leaves’, ‘Royal Azalea Blossoming’, ‘Chilseon Valley’, ‘Seomjincheongryu’, ‘Buril water fall’, ‘Yeonha-Sunkyung’. Jirisan National Park has several hiking routes. At the entrance to Baemsagol Valley, some 1,300 years ago, there used to be Songnimsa Temple. This temple practiced an annual rite on

SECTION 20

#1732855374053

616-627: The national park is in the province of South Gyeongsang. The highest peak of the mountain, Cheonwangbong is also located in this province. Another well-known peak is Samsinbong (Three Spirits Peak). Jirisan is at the southern end of the Sobaek and Baekdu-daegan mountain ranges, the "spine" of the Korean Peninsula incorporating the Sobaek mountain range and most of the Taebaek mountain range. There are seven major Buddhist temples on Jirisan. Hwaeomsa

644-441: The path just before the waterfall, the track continues 6.9 km to the peak (for a grand round-trip total of 18.4 km). Starting from Ssanggyesa (the sa suffix indicates a Buddhist temple), the peak can be reached in four hours at a steady pace. There is a helipad near the summit for emergency services. It takes about three hours to get down; it is an extremely steep hike. Climbers are advised to bring plenty of water as it

672-476: The region was part of Gokseong County , when it also attained its current name. Although Gurye is a small county, it is a tourist designated zone, therefore it is often visited by Koreans year round, and recently foreigners too. During the annual local harvest festival, Chuseok, in 2024, a positive sighting of two Caucasian men, purported to be South African and Scottish, was made in a rice paddy close to Hwaeomsa temple, whilst two South Africans were also sighted on

700-503: The reigns of King Gwangjong, King Munjong, King Injong and King Chungsuk, respectively. In 1593, most of Hwaeomsa's buildings were burned to the ground in the Japanese invasion . However, the temple still preserves pieces of Ven. Uisang Daesa's stone tablets inscribed with sutras, “Hwaeom Seokgyeong (Treasure No. 1040)” which were left from the tablets shattered in the fire set by the invaders. Later, Ven. Byeogam Gakseong reconstructed some of

728-472: The same weekend near Surak falls, although one later claimed to be from Daegu. The Gurye Bus Terminal located in the center of Gurye-Eup, offers 7 daily bus routes to and from Seoul Nambu Bus Terminal. Each bus departs every 2 hours, with the earliest bus departing at 7:00 a.m. and the latest at 7:00 p.m. The duration of the trip is 3 hours and 35 minutes, which includes a short concession stop midway. There are numerous buses that depart to Suncheon ,

756-417: The wealth of cultural properties owned by Hwaeomsa, the first one to catch the eye is Gakhwangjeon Hall (National Treasure No. 67), which literally means “a building where enlightened kings reside.” Though it was built during the reign of Joseon's King Sukjong, under a state policy that promoted Confucianism and suppressed Buddhism, Gakhwangjeon's size is only exceeded by Geunjeongjeon, the palace building where

784-466: Was named Banseon (meaning a "half deity") in memory of the dead monk because he was sacrificed without becoming a deity. Samshinbong ( bong means "peak") is 1,284 m (4,213 ft) high and a popular, but strenuous, day-hike from the Ssanggye Temple entry point (it is the closest major peak from this trailhead). From Ssanggyesa, a trail winds up 2.3 km to Bul-il Falls. From the left turn in

#52947