Vol. 5 No. 3 5 No. Vol. Autum 2012 Autum Autumn 2012 Vol. 5 No. 3 1 | 1 Quarterly Magazine of the Cultural Heritage Administration Autumn 2012 Vol. 5 No. 3 Cover White Symbolizes autumn. The symbolism originates from the traditional "five direc- tional colors" based on the ancient Chinese thought of wuxing, or ohaeng in Korean. The five colors were associated with seasons and other phenomena in nature, including the fate of humans. The cover design features gat, the fine horsehair hat for Korean men. For more stories about this, see p. 44. KOREAN HERITAGE is also available on the website (http://English.cha.go.kr) and smart devices. 2 | 3 CHA News Vignettes Korean Folk Customs East Asia’s First Neolithic Farm Site Found Hand-turned Millstone The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage held a briefing on June 26 at A traditional Korean-style hand mill, called an excavation site assumed to be the first Neolithic farm field ever found in East maetdol, typically consists of two flat, round Asia. Presumably dating to 3600-3000 B.C., the locale at Munam-ri, Goseong stones: a stationery bed stone and an upper County, Gangwon Province has yielded fragments of comb-patterned pottery, stone stone that has a vertical wooden handle arrowheads and a dwelling site. Further analysis of the findings is planned for more to spin it on a steel pivot, crushing grain. precise dating of the site, which shows more primitive traces than Bronze Age This ancient household item evolved from agricultural sites. grinding stones of earlier times. A large wooden bowl or a gunny sack is CHA Signs MOU for Cooperation with ICCROM attached to the millstone. One holds the The Cultural Heritage Administration signed a memorandum of understanding handle with the right hand and rotates it for joint work with the International Center for the Study of the Preservation while pouring grain in the hole in the upper and Restoration of Cultural Property in Rome on May 18. The MOU calls for stone with the left hand. Sometimes, two cooperation on conservation, education, and training and research to expand persons such as a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law, or a mother and her institutional and professional capacity in preservation of Asia-Pacific cultural child, work together, singing to keep the beat of their motion. Beyond the practical heritage. The CHA will establish a trust fund to undertake the cooperative projects. purpose of preparing food, the millstones thus helped strengthen emotional bonds between family members. CHA to Host Conference on Community Involvement While electric blenders have replaced the traditional millstones at most homes The Cultural Heritage Administration and the UNESCO World Heritage Center nowadays, some farming households continue to use these simple old devices will host an international conference on community involvement in heritage to grind grains like buckwheat or beans in small quantities. The millstones were conservation on September 10-12. The conference will be held at Buyeo, an old ubiquitous everyday articles in the old days, which resulted in the popular idiom capital of the Baekje Kingdom, marking the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage “eocheoguni eopda,” which is still widely used to describe an utterly incredible Convention. They will seek ways to more actively incorporate communities in situation, like when one cannot find the handle (eocheoguni) on a millstone. decision-making and conservation activities. 4 | 5 Vol. 5 No. 3 Autumn 2012 CONTENTS 06 Pilgrimage to Buddhist Temples 24 Photo Gallery The Land of Buddha in this World Fall Foliage Tour to Mt. Naejang A Stroll inside the Temple Grounds Nature Produces Vibrant Show of Colors 10 Special Report 32 Foreigner’s View Crude Ceramic Bowls of Joseon Candles and Beeswax in Korean History Masterpieces Created by Nonchalance 14 Human Heritage 38 Korean Heritage in the World The Most Revered King in Korean History Millennium-old Cultural Capitals Sejong the Great Ruled over Golden Age Gyeongju of Korea, Nara and Kyoto of Japan 20 Modern Heritage 44 Intangible Heritage Jejungwon Revisited Fine Horsehair Hats Korea’s First Western Medical Institution Joseon Men’s Status Symbol Pilgrimage to Buddhist Temples 6 | 7 Past a series of gates that have neither door panels nor walls on either side, one The Land of Buddha in this World enters the inner temple grounds. From the four percussion instruments in the A Stroll inside the Temple Grounds bell pavilion to the stone pagodas and lanterns, the halls and the pavilions, the visitor will find all the basic components Text by the Cultural Heritage Administration of the blissful Land of the Buddha, each Photos by Eurocreon & Simong Agency with its unique and resonant symbolism, and then will eventually encounter the 2 3 Buddha and the Bodhisattvas enshrined in the dharma halls. As such, a temple is not a mere place where monks live and practice. It is a symbolic representation of Buddhist thought and cosmology. The Four Musical Instruments The bell pavilion is usually found near the entrance to the inner temple grounds. The pavilion houses four 4 5 percussion instruments, or samul ― symbolized the eternal earthly presence 1. The Precious Hall of a temple bell, a dharma drum, a of the great teacher. Early Buddhist the Great Hero is the fish-shaped wooden clapper and a main hall at Yongjusa pagodas in Korea were built of wood in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi cloud-shaped gong. They symbolize but granite eventually became the Province. all sentient beings residing on earth, in primary material, whereas the Chinese 2. The temple bell (beom- heaven and hell, in water, and in the sky, jong) at Hongcheonsa in traditionally preferred brick pagodas Seoul. respectively. Playing these instruments and the Japanese favored wooden 3. The dharma drum means echoing the Buddha’s teachings pagodas. Compared with the pagodas (beopgo) at Geumsansa for all these creatures in the universe to in Gimje, North Jeolla in the neighboring countries, Korean Province. awaken their souls and thereby liberate pagodas are said to project sturdy them. At most temples the instruments 4. The fish-shaped wooden inner strength housed in a gentle outer clapper (mogeo) at Seo- are played to signify the morning and nunsa in Gochang, North appearance. Most pagodas typically evening services and major ceremonial Jeolla Province. have a square, hexagonal or octagonal- events. The bell is struck 28 times in the 5. The cloud-shaped gong shaped foundation, and have three, five, (unpan) at Hwabangsa in morning and 33 times in the evening seven or nine stories (sometimes ten Namhae, South Gyeong - sang Province. stories standing for ordinal perfection). Stone Pagodas and Lanterns This means the pagodas symbolize the A pagoda represents the Buddha’s harmony of heaven and earth, and yang presence. The first known Buddhist and yin, represented by odd and even pagoda in history was erected to numbers, respectively. A stone lantern ensconce the sarira from the cremated has the ritual role; it emits the light 1 remains of the historic Buddha; hence it of truth. A stone lantern standing in Pilgrimage to Buddhist Temples 8 | 9 revered in Korean folk beliefs and later or Yonghwajeon); the Hall of 8. Gilt-bronze Pensive Mai- accommodated by Buddhism, such as Bhaisajyaguru (Yaksajeon or treya (National Treasure No. 83) at the National the Mountain Spirit, the Seven Star Yurijeon); the Hall of Avalokitesvara Museum of Korea in Spirit and the Dragon King. (Gwaneumjeon or Wontongjeon); and Seoul. the Hall of Ksitigarbha (Jijangjeon or The Hall of the Great Hero Myeongbujeon). There are also the (Daeungjeon), enshrining Sakyamuni, Pavilion of Mountain Spirit (Sansingak), the historical Buddha, is the highest the Pavilion of Seven Star Spirit form of the dharma hall; it is the center (Chilseonggak), the Hall of Lonely Saint of not only a temple but also of the (Dokseonggak), or the Hall of Three 6 universe. The historical Buddha is Saints (Samseonggak), a combination 6. The Hall of the Great front of the Dharma Hall represents the called the Great Hero because he taught of the other three pavilions, all rooted in Hero and a stone pagoda wisdom of the Buddha lightening up the at Cheongamsa in Gim- how to overcome suffering and attain Korean native religions. 8 cheon, North Gyeongsang darkened minds of sentient beings. awakening to reach nirvana. The Hall of Province. the Great Hero usually has an image of Iconography in Sculpture and Painting index fingers of each hand touching one Dharma Halls and Pavilions Sakyamuni Buddha with two attendant another, the left palm turned inward and Sculpted or painted images of the Bodhisattvas: Manjusri, the Bodhisattva the right palm outward; bhumisparsha The dharma hall, or beopdang, is the Buddha or the Bodhisattvas are the of Wisdom; and Samantabhadra, mudra for calling upon the earth to centerpiece of a temple, where the centerpieces of the dharma halls. Some the Bodhisattva of Great Conduct. witness enlightenment by pointing to the Buddha resides along with his words. dharma halls enshrine a single image Some temples have the Precious Hall earth with the right hand, hanging over Generally regarded as the abode of a of the Buddha, but far more common is of the Great Hero (Daeungbojeon), the knee, palm inward, while placing statue of the Buddha, the hall carries a troika that features the main Buddha which has the Buddhas of the Three the left hand in the lap, palm upward; deeper meaning than an architectural flanked by two attendant Bodhisattvas. Realms: Sakyamuni of the present and vajra mudra for supreme wisdom, structure intended to house the Buddha’s The iconic images in the main dharma world; Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine forming a fist with the right hand, index image.