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The Kimchi-ite: A 1000-Year-Old Temple In The Middle Of Seoul
Exiting Sadang Station in Seoul, you can immediately tell it is one of the busiest stations in South Korea; throngs of people are everywhere, pushing and shoving their way in and out. Outside the station are dozens of alleys with neon lights going up four stories, advertising barbecue restaurants, bars and karaoke rooms. Lines crisscross the sidewalk for buses that will take people home to the suburbs. It's near unimaginable that not far behind the station, up an unassuming hill, is a tranquil Buddhist temple.
This colorful door panel is one of many dragon pieces on the temple doors.
Gwaneum Temple (관음사) was established shortly before 900 A.D. by the Jongye Order in order to harness the power of the mountain's feng shui. It sits halfway up a mountain, amongst trees, streams and hiking paths. The only reason I even knew it existed is because a friend of mine found it accidentally when he was lost. While the temple was established well over 1,000 years ago, most of the buildings on the site were built in the 1970s, with a few dating to the 1920s.
The interior of the temple where respects are paid and people meditate.
A new statue sits atop a pedestal as a place for self-relection.
These ornate, carved flowers add amazing colors to the temple doors.
The colors used in the art and architecture of Korean temples are always striking, and separates them from temples in other parts of Asia. Almost exclusively, four colors are used: teal, blue, orange and red. The main doors are guarded by large, carved, wooden dragons – a theme here that would continue throughout the grounds.
Dragons are a continuous theme throughout the temple grounds, as seen in this artwork on a temple wall.
Carved dragon heads protect the temple entrance.
A view from the top with Seoul Tower in the distance.
After spending an hour slowly exploring the temple grounds, I turned to walk back to the station when I was presented with this magnificent view of the city. There are certainly many places to check out the Seoul cityscape from above, but this one was unexpected and without the crowds that too commonly accompany Korean attractions, making this perspective one of my favorites.
Be sure to check out all the other Kimchi-ite posts here.
[Photos by Jonathan Kramer]
Be sure to check out all the other Kimchi-ite posts here.
[Photos by Jonathan Kramer]
Filed under: Photos, Asia, South Korea
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Carol Perehudoff Feb 6th 2013 3:04AM
I lived in Seoul for years and never saw this. It looks beautiful. I'm writing a novel set in Seoul, and I wish I could use this as a backdrop. Well, it is fiction, I guess I could ... but I prefer to write about places I've been. Obviously it's time to go back.
Traveling Hawk Feb 23rd 2013 7:29AM
I'm preparing my second visit to Seoul, on May this year. Could you be more specific, please, about how to find this temple? I would appreciate this, as I'm intrested in visiting temples. I like your photos here.
If you want, take a look at my blog, where I have 41 posts from my last visit in Seoul, on 20122. http://travelinghawk.me
Jonathan Kramer Feb 23rd 2013 10:00AM
Good question.
From Sadang Station, take exit 4 and go straight out from there. Continue straight as the sidewalk and the side-road go up a hill and make your first right. Continue straight on this road, staying with it as it curves. After 10 to 15 minutes of walking you'll see a sign marking that you have entered the temple grounds.
Hope that helped!
2010blacksea Feb 24th 2013 4:05PM
Thanks a lot! This will help!