Friday, 03/28/2025
Oversea
Asia: Korea – Seokguram grotto and Bulguksa temple (1995)
Update: 19/03/2015
Seokguram is a national historical heritage of Korea and the\r\ngreatest historical heritage of Korea. Not only that, Seokguram grotto is also\r\nknown as the biggest Buddhist work of art. Seokguram in fact is a cave temple\r\nof Bulguksa temple. This temple was built during the most flourishing period of\r\ncave temple architecture, when cave temple were built in India, Central Asia,\r\nChina about 1000 years ago.
\r\n\r\nUnlike other Buddhist nations, Korea has no\r\nnatural cave temples. Seokguram was constructed from natural rock by the\r\ningenious and skillful hands of humans. Seokguram faces toward the east sea and\r\nlies at the altitude of 750 meters above sea level in Gyeonju\r\nnational park near Tohan summit, east of Bulguksa temple.
Seokguram was formed from hundreds of thousands of small and\r\nlarge stones with unique design that is both noble and delicate in style. The\r\nlarge Buddha statue placed in the middle of the room along with the Guardians\r\nsurrounding it are masterpieces of the art of engraving and considered the symbol\r\nof philosophy and Buddhist aesthetics.
Along with Bulguksa temple, Seokguram grotto built by King\r\nGyeong Deok (in the reign of 742-765) under Unified Silla. In later years,\r\nunder the reign of King Kim Dea Jung (765-780), Seokguram grotto and Bulguksa temple\r\ncontinued to be improved.
Seokguram grotto was formed by hundreds stones in all shapes\r\nand sizes. The grotto was designed and built in a noble and sophisticated\r\nstyle.
This solemn grotto worships a large Buddha statue placed on\r\na pedestal in the middle of the room, surrounding by statues of the Dharma\r\nGuardians to prevent the destructive effects of the weather. The roof is\r\ncrescent-shaped and has a large lotus engraved on it, covering the whole dome.\r\nIn the early morning, a lot of people come here or to the adjacent areas to\r\nwatch the sunrise, a wonderful masterpiece given by nature.
Seokguram grotto is a symbol of Buddhist philosophy and\r\naesthetics. Moreover, Seokguram grotto is also a work of art displaying the\r\ncombination of scientific calculation and aesthetic excellence of then Asian\r\nartists. Aestheticians, experts and researchers in art, architecture and\r\nBuddhism have exclaimed in amazement when directly visiting and witnessing\r\nSeokguram grotto. Numerous experts have also stated that this is an uncomparable\r\nwork of architecture in Korea.
Researchers and scholars said the sustainability of\r\nSeokguram is the historical proof under Silla. According legends, Kim Dae Seong\r\nbuilt Seokguram as a tribute to his parents. Looking closely at the position of\r\nthe statue directing towards the sunrise, bearing resemblance to King Mun-moo’s\r\ntomb built underwater, one can see that Seokguram was built with the purpose of\r\nshowing respect to King Silla and the royal family.
Bulguksa is the largest and most beautiful temple in Korea.\r\nThis temple was built on the stone steps that look like the base of a mountain.
Bulguksa temple was considered by Koreans as the largest and\r\nmost beautiful temple in the country. Since the whole project was built into\r\nrows on the stone steps, Bulguksa looks like the wooden base of Tohamsan\r\nmountain. Bulguksa was built in the early days of the Shilla dynasty, a\r\nflourishing dynasty for Korean Buddhism. Queen of Shilla dynasty wanted to\r\nbuild the temple to pray for prosperity and peace of her kingdom. The\r\nconstruction of the temple started in 528 but was then delayed. Until 751,\r\nunder King Gim Daeseong, who decided to continue the construction to pacify his\r\nparents’ souls. The temple was completed in 774 and named Bulguksa temple.
The temple was improved under the dynasty of King Goryo and\r\nKing Joseon. When the Japanese army invaded, from 1592 to 1598, the wooden\r\ntemple was burned down to the ground. In 1604, the temple was rebuilt and\r\nunderwent 40 times of reconstruction, which lasted until 1805. However, bearing\r\nthe same fate as other temples, it was largely ruined by time and revolution.\r\nIt is this historical fascination that attracts the Japanese researchers and\r\nthe interest of the current Korean government.
Besides Seokguram grotto, bulguksa temple was also\r\nconsidered a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art under Shilla\r\ndynasty. Sometimes, people see Bulguksa as a part of the land of Buddha.\r\nBecause this place holds a lot of precious national heritages. The temple has\r\ntwo main halls, which is unusual, one is used to worship Sakyamuni and the\r\nother is used to worship Amitabha Buddha.
Seokguram grotto and Bulguksa temple was recognized by\r\nUNESCO under criteria (i), (iv).
Criterion (i): Seokguram grotto along with a large Buddha\r\nstatue surrounded by Bodhisattva and disciples engraved from white granite are\r\nmasterpieces of East Asian Buddhist art.
Criterion (ii): Seokguram grotto along with high-valued\r\nworks of art and Bulguksa temple with unique wooden architecture is a prime\r\nexample of Buddhist architecture under Silla in Korea. Moreover, Seokguram\r\ngrotto and Bulguksa temple also represent religious beliefs for the past\r\ncenturies in Korea.
Translated into English by Doan Thanh Truc.
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