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Meet treasures in Mt. Gaya
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on the way to Haeinsa temple
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By Kim, Bo-young, reporter, dafzzang@hanmail.net
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등록일: 2006-02-26 오후 5:23:23
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▲ Mt. Gaya
ⓒ photo by daum |
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The scenary of Korea has a variety of charm. Our ancestors designated several places and have kept the beautiful scenary since old times. There is one of Korea's eight most beautiful sites, Mt. Gaya where Heainsa temple is located. The name of Mt. Gaya has two opinions about its origin. One came from a old Korean language, garam or gae. The other opinion is that Gaya came from the Gaya mountain where Shakyamuni(Buddha) practiced asceticism in India. So Mt. Gaya is famous for its buddhist architectures as well as beautiful senary.
If you want to go to the Heainsa temple or Mt. Gaya, just go to the western Daegu bus terminal and take a bus to Heainsa temple. There is a comfortable bus every twenty minutes and the bus fare is 4,000 won. It will take you one and half hour to get there. However you should pay attention to prepare 3,500 won at least for an entrance fee. When you arrive in the Mt. Gaya, the first thing you see is touter. Some of them sell steamed corns, ornaments, diverse foods or several medical stuff. Others tout for their tourist homes. Their bustling actions have a vividness of humanity in the calm mountain. If you want to feel energetic, take part in their vividness just a moment. But be careful! You should not waste your money for touter's request because they quote a high price for their products. If you walk along the road, a beautiful valley near the road aroused your curiosity.
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▲ Hongnyudong Valley
ⓒ photo by Kim,Bo-young |
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This valley called Hongnyudong Valley because during fall, red autumnal leaves reflect on the water flowing through the valley. Hongnyudong Valley has a legend. The legend says that Choi Chi-won, a scholar of Shilla period, was entranced with a scene of Hongnyudong Valley. He could hear a sound of Hongnyudong Valley everyday because a sound of the valley was so sweet as valley's scene. Few days later, he lost his hearing and disappeared just leaving his shoes and a gat(a traditional Korean top hat. made of a reed). According to a legend, Choi Chi-won becomes an immortal. Like this even a legend reflects valley's beauty.
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▲ Iljumun
ⓒ photo by Kim Bo-young |
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When you follow the way continuously, you can find small information signboards. Explanations about several trees and ecology of plants are on these small signboards. So each will be a good interest to you. Besides resting places are on the way to Haeinsa temple. If you feel tiredness on your way, just take a rest and breathe fresh air. Once you arrive Haeinsa temple, Iljumun(entrance gate) welcomes you. The calligraphy on the board of Iljumun hanging in front of the pillar bears the Chinese characters for "Gayasan Haeinsa".
Put your step in the temple, then you will see a steep stairs made by stone. If you go up the stairs you will see the architectures of Haeinsa temple. Important architectures on your viewing are Daejeok gwangjen, Beomjong-gak and Janggyeong-gak. Daejeok gwangjen is the main hall of Heainsa temple. If you have a wish, how about you bow low to the buddha's statue? Who knows that buddha maybe fulfills your wish? Beomjong-gak is a building where a temple bell, a temple drum and a wooden fish are housed. The temple bell is rung for sentient beings in the hell, the temple drum beaten for transmigration of animals, and wooden fish beaten for sorrowful spirits in the land and water. Janggyeng-gak keeps Goryeo Palman Daejang-gyeong(the Tripitaka Koreana wood blocks) and cultural heritage of world.
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▲ Daejeok gwangjen/ Beomjong-gak
ⓒ photo by Kim,Bo-young |
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▲ Goryeo Palman Daejang-gyeong
ⓒ photo by Kim,Bo-young |
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The number of Goryeo Palman Daejang-gyeong is 81,340. Each wood block measures 70 centimeter wide and 24 centimeter long, weighting about 3.2 kilometers. It is the national aspiration to repel the Mongolian invaders with the power of the Buddha in Goryeo period. Goryeo Palman Daejang-gyeong tells the excellence in printing and publishing of our ancestores. Moreover it gives teaching about patriotism to us.
The way to Haeinsa temple is filled with beautiful nature and works of human. However these things are not offended but get joined together. In a word, these are all the real treasures in Mt. Gaya. In addition, the way to Haeinsa temple is only the tip of the iceberg among the charms of Mt. Gaya. It has a lot of cultural assets and picturesque scenary. If you feel a tiredness in your life, How about traveling to Mt. Gaya? Added to this, If you can afford to enjoy yourself in the bosom of nature, Mt. Gaya shows its treasures to you.
[No.307]
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 Review |
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 Book cafe |
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 Language Usage |
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 Reader's Letters |
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