The middle of nowhere seems the best place to place a Buddhist temple. Far away from the distractions of the world and sounds of the city is this fine example, neatly divided into two sections for your viewing pleasure. The first half seems a bit older compared with the immaculate condition of the second half - and the connecting road is a bit... incongruous.
Before even entering the temple, you've already begun seeing the Buddhist symbolism of white elephants.
A wonderful treat, if a mysterious one - literally hundreds of different monks are immortalized in statue form. Each one is different, although the tags underneath each statue show their name and the address of their temple. There's no sign around to indicate who these people are, and what they did to be enshrined here, however. This one is only partially hidden by the foliage; others are almost invisible from the gravel path unless you know where to look beneath it all.
A very new front gate - curiously, it welcomes the guests with Chinese characters.
The juxtaposition of these two elements is priceless.
Presenting one of the four deva. There are plenty of other symbols of the deva around the temple area, but this three-meter-tall statue guards the entrance from evil spirits.
Another sort of mystery - why on earth were these monks in a plastic box with an open back is beyond me...
A dragon of fortune (?), holding a pearl in its mouth. Not pictured in this stretch is a dirt path through the village. The temple feels rather rich, while the connecting village seemed little more than a third-world country.
Start counting the tiers in the pagoda. The symmetry is beautiful, to say the least, but there's no English signage anywhere to explain things.
The pièce de résistance - the biggest Buddha in Korea. At 36 meters tall, he sits about 110 feet tall, is made of bronze, and weighs quite a bit.
He's not alone, of course - literally hundreds of other statues are around in sizes small and large. Again, no explanations of any kind.
Traditional prayer wheels, complete with a Buddhist prayer in Sanskrit and four Chinese characters at the top of every wheel. They surround the giant Amitabha Buddha statue. Turn each prayer wheel and go around at least three times for the full effect.
Definitely feels different from any other Korean temple I've been to before. I'll admit to knowing very little of its history, but there sure seems to be a lot of international influences. The shiny marble floor led to a hall's entrance.
I love these characters - returning just to see these guys may need to be arranged at some point in the future.
It's beautiful, serene, and definitely large enough to keep you busy for a couple of hours. Getting there is half the trick (see the directions below!), but it's definitely worth the trouble to reach.
Ratings (out of 5 taeguks):
Ease to arrive:
Foreigner-friendly:
Convenience facilities:
Worth the visit:
Directions to Nammireuksa: Get to Gangjin in Jeollanam-do. Buses leave from Seoul six times a day, and take about 4 1/2 hours to arrive. Alternatively, take a train from Yongsan station to Gwangju (9 times a day) and catch a frequent intercity bus to Gangjin from there. Once at Gangjin Bus Terminal, catch a local bus to Nammireuksa / Pong-dong (seven buses a day, about 20-25 minute ride, 1,300 won fare). The local bus schedules DO NOT mention the temple by name, but the ticketing staff know where the temple is. From where the bus stops on the main road, walk about 700 meters on the road perpendicular to the white elephants pictured earlier. Free admission; no opening / closing times seen. Bring your water bottle - there's at least two places to refill it along the way.
© Chris Backe - 2010
This post was originally published on my blog,Chris in South Korea. If you are reading this on another website and there is no linkback or credit given, you are reading an UNAUTHORIZED FEED.
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