1 / 45

Korea Gyeongju Seokguram Grotto

Seokguram, located on Tohamsan Mountain, is the representative stone temple of Korea. Designated as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995, it is an stone temple made of granite. The construction was started during the Silla Kingdom, by Kim Dae-Seong (700-774)

sandamichaela
Download Presentation

Korea Gyeongju Seokguram Grotto

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. SOUTH KOREA Gyeongju Seokguram Grotto

  2. Known as the ‘Museum without Walls’ because of the vast number of cultural properties and archaeological sites of the city, Gyeongju was the former capital of the Silla Kingdom, which ruled Korea from the 7th to the 9th centuries. Many of the city’s buildings, including temple complexes, palaces and a royal observatory, are protected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Seokguram, located on Tohamsan Mountain, is the representative stone temple of Korea. The official name is SeokguramSeokgul and it is an artificial stone temple made of granite. The construction was started by Kim Dae-Seong (700-774). The Seokguram Grotto is a hermitage and part of the Bulguksa temple complex. It lies four kilometers east of the temple on Mt. Tohamsan, in Gyeongju, South Korea. The grotto rests 750 meters above sea level. In 1995, Seokguram was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Bulguksa Temple. It exemplifies some of the best Buddhist sculptures in the world.

  3. The bell tower

  4. The bell tower, market and parking area

  5. The Gyeongju National Park Seokguram Grotto The bell tower and the Iljumun Gate

  6. The Iljumun Gate

  7. The trail that leads up to the hermitage

  8. Koreans celebrate Buddha's Birthday on April 8 according to the lunar calendar. Preparations at Buddhist temples may begin several weeks in advance, with the stringing up of paper lantern decorations and displays

  9. The Seokguram grotto is symbolic of a spiritual journey into Nirvana. There was a fountain at the entrance of the shrine where pilgrims could refresh themselves. The mineral spring with name of ‘Gamrosu,’ which is bedrock water that flows down naturally and passes under Seokguram Grotto. It's a commonly-held view that Seokguram Grotto would not suffer from dew and moss if the flow of this water had not been artificially changed by installing drainage holes in the Japanese colonial era. This cold bedrock water reportedly keeps the inner stone cave dry by absorbing the humidity.

  10. It’s only up the hillside, with a set of uneven stairs to your left, that you’ll be able to visit the famous Seokguram Grotto

  11. Throughout the years, Seokguram Hermitage has undergone several major and minor renovations such as in 1703 and 1758. But due to the suppressive nature of the Confucian Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Seokguram Hermitage fell into disrepair. Except for locals, who probably still visited the grotto, the grotto wasn’t rediscovered until 1909 when a travelling postman found it. According to the tale, the postman was caught in a thunderstorm. He sought shelter in a local cave to get out of the storm. When he lit a candle, he rather surprisingly found the statue of at Seokguram Hermitage inside.

  12. The Seokguram Grotto

  13. Lantern shadow Relief of Lotus flower

  14. The problem of temperature and humidity control was resolved to an extent by using mechanical systems. The interior of the grotto can now only be viewed through a glass wall.

  15. The main Buddha of the grotto is a highly regarded piece of Buddhist art It is about 3.5 meters tall and sits on a lotus flower-shaped pedestal more than a meter in height

  16. Accompanying the main Buddha, in relief, are three bodhisattvas, ten disciples, and two Hindu gods (Brahma and Indra) along the wall of the rotunda

  17. Theeleven-headed bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion

  18. Ten statues of bodhisattvas, saints, and the faithful are located in niches above the bas-reliefs

  19. The Four Heavenly Kings guard the corridor. There are also images of Vajrapanis, which are guardian figures and they are on the walls of the entrance to the corridor, in the antechamber.

  20. Inside the grotto, the antechamber and corridor represented the earth while the rotunda with a domed ceiling representing the Buddhist heaven

  21. The grotto chapel, in spite of the diversity of icons ensconced, has a unique feeling of peace and unity, emitting an intense spiritual energy that never fails to impress visitors

  22. The Seokguram Grotto is now designated as National Treasure No. 24 and was listed, together with Bulguksa Temple, as Korea’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995

  23. The Seokguram Grotto

  24. The Seokguram Grotto

  25. The Seokguram Grotto bell tower

  26. Text :Internet Pictures: Nicoleta & Iulian Leu Sanda Foişoreanu Gabriela Balaban Internet All copyrights belong to their  respective owners Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu https://www.slideshare.net/michaelasanda https://ma-planete.com/michaelasanda 2023 Sound: Mantra of Light (Korean Buddhist chant) fragment

  27. Observatory of the East Sea at the parking lot of Seokguram Grotto

More Related