The Janggyeong Panjeon in the Temple of Haeinsa
The temple complex here, on Mount Gaya, is home to the
Tripitaka Koreana. The Tripitaka are 80,
000 woodblocks carved in the early 13th century. They contain the most complete collection of
Buddhist texts, laws, and treaties that exist.
The Haeinsa Tripitaka woodblocks were carved in an appeal to the authority of the Buddha in the defense of Korea against the Mongol invasions. They are recognized by Buddhist scholars around the world for their outstanding accuracy and superior quality.
UNESCO
The buildings which house these engravings were built in the
15th century. The construction
is such that a constant temperature and humidity is maintained, and the
carvings are safe from rodent and insect damage. For over 500 years the monks of the Jogye
Order have cared for and protected these national treasures. The site was designated as a UNESCO World
Heritage site in 1995.
We’ll also be going to Yangdong village, another UNESCO site. This Joseon dynasty village was founded in the 14th-15th century. The Neo-Confucianism of the Joseon dynasty is reflected in the siting, layout, and architecture of the buildings.
The village is a clan village, which
developed and flourished in the Joseon dynasty which consolidated its absolute rule over Korea, encouraged the adoption of Confucian ideals in Korean society, (which had been introduced to Korean Peninsula in the first century), absorbed Chinese culture, and, through prosperity founded on trade, fostered classical Korean culture, science, literature, and technology.
UNESCO
Pungsu,
or geomancy, is evident in the layout of the village. The Wind-Water-Earth Principles theory was
first developed in Korea in the late 900s by Doseon-guksa, a Buddhist master in
the Seon, or Zen, tradition.
Pungsu-jiri-seol can be defined as the Korean style of divination performed according to topography, or as a Korean theoretical system that evaluates various features of land, mountain, and water, and then connects them to human fortune / misfortune, peace / calamity, and advancement / decline.
This ancient
system is connected to the old mountain gods of Korea. Emphasis is placed on the spiritual and
material energies of mountains and their effects on the destiny of families,
communities, and nations.
Four Goryeo-Dynasty Confucian scholars of the 12th Century (an era when concern over and speculation about the national identity was very popular), led by Kim In-jon and Bak Seung-jung, wrote a book entitled "Haedong-Pirok" [Secret History of Korea] that repeated and extended Doseon's theories, and that remains the oldest Pungsu-jiri text we now have. In the middle of the Joseon Dynasty, scholar Yi Jung-hwan (1690-1752) surveyed the entire peninsula in both geographic and geomantic terms, and then wrote Taengni-chi, a book giving advice on the best places to live -- both social morality and the Pungsu-jiri ideas were clearly central to his Neo-Confucianist judgments.
Another important place we will visit is
Pan Mun Jom. I was there on my first visit
in 2009, and I am looking forward to returning.
This is the site of the armistice signing that ended the fighting in the
Korean conflict. A peace treaty has
never been signed.
The small building on the left was where the armistice was signed. The large building in the background is in North Korea.
The scary-looking soldier came out and stood on the covered porch as we climbed the observation tower.
I known there are many more places I will see during my fellowship. I intend to take numerous pictures, and write about as many as I can. It's a beautiful country, and I want to share it with you.
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