4 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010 퉐팧 Court musicperformance at Jongmyo Shrine 퉐팪 SeokguramGrotto 퉐팦 Tripitaka Depository in Haeinsa Temple The photoshows a bird’s-eye view of the depository that has preserved theTripitaka Koreana perfectly for over 500 years byachieving harmony withnature and applying scientificprinciples. Photos: Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea 퉐팫 Changdeokgung Palace By Lee Kwang-pyo thethree areas were built 2,000- 3,000 years ago. Theyopenwindows The UnitedNations Educational, ontoBronze Age life and death, and Scientific and Cultural Organization the beginnings of political power (UNESCO) has beendesignating and economics. mankind’scultural and natural 퉐팱 Royal Tombs of the Joseon legacies as “WorldHeritage” since Dynasty 1972 topreserve assets considered Ofthe42royal tombs ofJoseon tobe of outstandingvaluetohumanity. dynasty kings and their consorts The designation applies to “territorial” on the Korean peninsula, 40, excluding assets, meaningthose thatcannot two inNorth Korea, have been be moved,suchas buildings or named WorldHeritage properties. geographical features, rather than TheJoseon royal tombs, which 퉐팭 Hwaseong Fortress works of art. As of2010, 911 assets embody Korea’s Confucian tradition, in 151 countries have beennamed retain their original forms and WorldHeritage; Korea is the proud surroundings astheyhave been possessor of 10. free of any ornamentation;itis 퉐팫 Changdeokgung Palace 퉐팮 GyeongjuHistoricAreas strictly managedandpreserved grand but austere. Central Seoul’s Changdeokgung - Gyeongju, a mid-sized city in since their founding. UNESCO Cultural World Heritage The music and dance forroyal “The Palace of ProsperousVirtue” - southeast Korea, wasthecapital of 퉐팲 Hahoe and Yangdong Historic 퉐팦 Tripitaka Depository in Haeinsa ancestral rites have alsobeenpassed is a Joseon palace builtin 1405. It the SillaDynasty for a thousand Villages Temple down and continueto take place exhibits an outstanding harmony years; rarelyhasthecapital of any Hahoevillage and Yangdongvillage, InHaeinsa Templein Korea’s deep atJongmyo, whichhasexisted in withnature; its buildings stand on kingdom flourished forso long. both in thesoutheast, are rare south stand two elongatedwooden its presentform since the 16th hillstopreserve the area’s natural Known today as “a museum without examples ofvillages that have buildings. These buildings, dating century. Both the hardware and topography. Its pastoral Secret a roof” Gyeongju is a treasure trove preserved thetraditional architecture from the 14th century,stand alongside software ofJongmyo are recognized Gardenwastheresting place for ofrelics thatcontinueto inspire and Confucian culture oftheJoseon one another on a north-southaxis by UNESCO. royaltyandfeatures ornamental Korean artists today. dynasty for more than 600 years. 퉐팮 Gyeongju Historic Areas and appear outwardly simpleto 퉐팪 SeokguramGrotto and Bulguksa ponds, pavilions and trees that are Gyeongju’s Historic Areascontain Clansthat have lived there for theeye. However, thescientific Temple hundreds of years old. cultural relics includingsculptures, generations are still in residence, brilliance oftheir designandtheir Nearthesoutheastern cityof Changdeokgung wasthefavorite reliefs, pagodas, and theremains and both villages boast intangible harmony withnature have preserved Gyeongju,stand the Seokguram palace ofthe monarchs ofJoseon - oftemples and palaces that date cultural assets suchasthe Hahoe the Tripitaka Koreana,the most GrottoandBulguksa Temple, both adynasty that didnotstint on back to legendarySilla. The South mask dance, which exists here in complete collection of Buddhist texts built duringthe8th century. These palace building. The last, elderly Mountainarea is scatteredwith its original forms. Thevillages are in the world,engravedupon80,000 cultural relics, embody a deep remnants ofthe dynasty, which Buddhist art, the Moon Fortress clusters oftraditional Korean cottages, woodblocks, inperfect condition for devotion to Buddhism and the fell when Japan seized control of area containsthesiteof apalace notablefortheir graceful curved more than 500 years. prosperityofthe SillaDynasty Korea in 1910, resided in this palace and the Great Tumuli area is roofs and enclosed courtyards. The buildings’ windows are so (BC57-AD935), thekingdom that until the 1960s. where thetombs of Silla kings and designed thatthe blocks are well unified the peninsulaandwhich is 퉐팭 Hwaseong Fortress other royaltyare concentrated. UNESCO Natural World Heritage ventilated, but minimal moisture sometimes known as “Korea’s Hwaseong, “The Shining Fortress” The Hwangnyongsa Temple area 퉐홣홢 Jeju Volcanoes and Lava Caves enters the buildings, and what does Golden Age.” Thegrotto,containing inSuwon,southof Seoul, was is ahubof Buddhist art, while In Jeju,the holiday island off 퉐팯 Dolmen enter, easily exits. Moreover, the a sitting Buddha statue, is a constructed in 1795 atthecommand the MountainFortress showcases Korea’ssouth coast, UNESCO has architects alsoburied charcoal, masterpiece of architecture, built of KingJeongjo, an enlightened Silla’scommand of defensive namedMount Halla, Seongsan powdered lime, salt and sand under with mathematical and geometric monarchwho ledalate Joseon architecture. Sunrise Peak and Geomun Lava thefloors ofthe buildings to control precision,reflectingthe highest renaissance. Upon enthronement, 퉐팯 Dolmen Sites Cave areanatural WorldHeritage humidity. ideals of both thereligion and art theking moved thetombof his Prehistoric cemeteries inGochang, sites. Mount Halla is a shield-shaped 퉐팧 Jongmyo Shrine ofthe period. father to the most auspicioussite Hwasun and Gangwha on Korea’s volcanic edifice, popular withhikers. Jongmyo,in central Seoul,isa Bulguksawas designed to realize in the land.relocatedhis capital there, western coast containdolmens - tombs Seongsan Sunrise Peakisa volcano shrineforthe ancestral worshipof the blissfulland ofthe Buddha in thenbuilt abeautiful fortress around constructedof large stoneslabs resembling a massive fortress. The deceased kings and queens ofthe the human world. Gazing atthe the booming new town. This was duringthe Bronze Age. Artifacts, Geomun LavaCaves were formed Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910); as stone balustrades, thecurves of Hwaseong. Today,thefortress is stoneware and earthenware have 100,000-300,000 years ago. These such,itembodies the most refined theroof and thecolors on the stunninglypreserved: Its gray, been found insidethe dolmens. natural heritage sites provideinvaluable and statelyarchitecture oftheera. elaborate eaves, one might be gatedwallscurve around theedge There are about 30,000 dolmens insightinto theformation ofvolcanoes Because it is aplace for Confucian tempted to say thatthe designer ofthe modern cityof Suwon like in Korea-around halfthe number and related eco-systems. 퉐팱 Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty ancestral rites, the architecture is succeeded. thespine of a running dragon. found worldwide. The dolmensin [email protected] Foreign Correspondents’ View Indeed, North Korea-arogue Still,thecorrespondents added Korean Hopes too High for G20 Summit? state withnuclear weapons, a thatevents are slowly convincing gruesome human rights recordand editors to take more interest in a leader who is almost a cartoon matters southofthe 38thparallel. By Lee Jung-eun that mark South Korea’s preparations workedup, asifitgotsome undeserved caricature villain-is one ofthe They cited theever-increasing fortheevent, which is beingtreated good fortune.” hottest stories on earth.Withaccess global reachof Korean multinationals, “G20 again? Everybody is talking here like the Olympic Games and “Financial Times” correspondent to thereclusive “Kimdom” limited, technologies and pop culture - film, nothing butthe G20!” saidMark theWorldCup. Christian Oliver echoedHakoda’s Seoul, hometoalarge community television dramas, computer games 퉐팲 Hahoe Village Mask Dance McDonald, Seoul correspondentfor Theyalso expressed interest in remarks. “Many peoplein the U.K. of defectors and North Korea experts, and music. “The New York Times.”“Itseems the nitty gritty. didn’teven know there was aG20 is the best place to cover it from. Theyare fond of local barbeque thatthe whole of Korea is centering “The Chinese government and its summit in London,” Oliver noted. “An editor once said to methat restaurants, fermented stewand- around the G20.” peopleregard this summit highly,” “The atmosphere here is totally North Korea is ‘the last big newsstory being journalists - enjoy South “It’squite surprisingto see almost saidCCTV’s LuXinghai. “I expect differentsince the South Korean on earth,’” said AndrewSalmon of Korea’s unique drinkingculture. every TVcommercial mention theexchange rate dispute tobe governmentistryingtouse this “Forbes” and “The Times.”“North And theyall mentioned thecountry’s something aboutthe G20,” added discussedheatedly.” meeting as a legacy toprop up its Korea is one ofthekey reasonsforeign dynamism and rate ofchange. another reporter, SebastienFalletti Butthecorrespondents pointed national brand image.” journalists are stationed inSeoul.” McDonald first visitedSouth of “Le Figaro.” outthatthe nation may be harboring Yet several reporters pointedout Like his colleagues, Salmon has Korea to cover the 1988 Seoul Seoul-based foreign correspondents excessive expectations. “South that many foreigners know little about been kept busy coveringthe March Olympics. After 22 years, heisback have local insightthatthe 1,700 Korea is more than qualified to this country. “Whenyoumention sinking ofthe South Korean naval as a correspondent. “I’m amazed reporters visiting Korea forthe brief host the G20,” saidHakoda Tetsuya Korea inEurope, thefirstfewwords vessel Cheonan and Pyongyang’s and happy to see how much it has summit lack, and all remarkedupon ofthe “Asahi Shimbun.”“Butit people usually say are North Korea recentthird-generation power changed,” McDonald said. 퉐홣홢 Jeju LavaCaves the national passion and keen interest seems a little awkward to see it so or Kim Jong-il,” Falletti said. succession. [email protected].