Bulguksa's Cheongungyo and Baegungyo bridges, with the Yeonhwagyo and Chilbogyo

Buddhism

불국사 佛國寺

Bulguksa

“The land of the Buddha set down upon stone stairs and ponds”

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Photo: Unknown author · Public domain

Scenes

Dabotap, intricacy carved in stoneBernard Gagnon · CC0
Autumn light in the temple groundsBasile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Meaning

Crossing the stone bridge and passing through the gate, you hear the wooden moktak and the wind chimes at the eaves ringing in turn.

A temple of the Silla era, its Seokgatap and Dabotap pagodas and its Blue Cloud and White Cloud bridges are regarded as the Buddhist vision of the world given architectural form. Together with Seokguram Grotto it is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Field notes

Location
Gyeongju · Korea · N35.8° · E129.3°
Best time
Cherry blossoms in spring, autumn leaves in fall, or the early-morning service
Getting there
About forty minutes by bus from central Gyeongju, often visited together with Seokguram.
Etiquette
In the halls, quiet and courtesy are kept, following the path of worship.

Sources

  • · UNESCO World Heritage
  • · Encyclopaedia Britannica
Official site↗Wikipedia↗

Photographs are freely licensed works from Wikimedia Commons and similar sources; the author and license appear beneath each image.