Day 6: Cultural and Heritage Day in Gyeongju

By Nurhadaina Bte Ariffin

The day started at 8am in the morning with a biting cold temperature of 10 degrees, something us tropical kids are not accustomed to. All wrapped in layers of jackets, we walked into the tour bus, and got ready for a 4-hour ride to Gyeongju.

Also known as “a museum with no walls”, Gyeongju is a popular tourist attraction, known for its extensive historical remains. We started seeing lesser buildings and watched as the view outside our windows transition from city to nature in just the span of a few hours. The sight of leaves turning yellow and red hues, welcoming the autumn season, was breath-taking.

Finally, we reached our first destination of the day; Mount Tohamsan to visit the beautiful Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. Upon arrival at Seokguram Grotto, we hiked up the mountain and were pleasantly greeted by a sky of colourful lanterns that held wishes and prayers. The temple receives 100,000 Won for each prayer that the monks relay during the intensive praying period; in which the monks stay in the temple praying for 100 days straight.

The colourful lanterns made a beautiful background and became a popular photo spot for many of us!

Daniel having a drink of the fresh and cooling spring water from the well.

We had to climb up a flight of stairs to get to a temple and in there, there was a Buddha carved in granite. In order to protect the Buddha, surrounding it were two Devas, two Bodhisattva, eight Guardian Gods, Vajrapani and four guardian Kings intricately carved into the walls.

Designated as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995, the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple were constructed by Prime Minister Gim Dae-Song in the year 751. Based on Samgukyusa, a collection of Korean legends and folktales from the Three Kingdoms of Korea, Gim Dae-Song built the Seokguram Grotto for his parents from his previous life and the Bulguksa Temple for his present life parents.

A gold Buddha sat inside the temple, which was bigger than the previous one we visited at Seokguram Grotto. Outside were two pagodas, Dabotap Pagoda also known as the Pagoda of Many Treasures and the Seokgatap Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda Without a Reflection.

Our tour guide, Mr Peter Yoon, explained to us that the story behind the Pagoda Without a Reflection relates to the wife of Asadal, the builder of the pagoda. The wife, Asanyeo had travelled far to visit her husband but was denied entry into the temple until the construction had finished. She sat at a nearby pond, waiting for the pagoda to appear in the reflection of the water, signifying that the construction of the pagoda has finished and that she would get to see her husband. After several months of waiting, helpless and distraught, Asanyeo drowned herself in the pond.

The next stop was Cheonmachong, also known as the ‘Heavenly Horse Tomb”, which also directly translates to “Sky Horse Tomb”. This tomb belongs to an unknown king during the Shilla Dynasty. With a circumference of 157 metres and a height of 12.7 metres, the tomb was extremely grand and spacious. When it was excavated in 1973, around 11,500 artefacts were found including a gold crown and a two birch bark saddle flaps painted with a flying horse, thus giving the tomb its name.

We were very lucky to have the person-in-charge of the entire tomb preservation process, Mr Indiana Park, who is an old friend of Mr Douglas Kwon, take us around. He was very patient in sharing with us his knowledge and excited as well, to show us all the features he had installed.

The two childhood friends looking happy to have reunited!

Inside the tomb was a treasure trove of replicas of the artefacts that were excavated. Information about the artefacts were on an interactive screen that provided translations in English, Chinese, French and Spanish. These screens showed how the artefacts were restored and how intricate the entire process was.

To end off a wonderful day of sightseeing, we visited the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. The water was still and almost looked like a mirror until several ducks paddled through, creating ripples.

The place was especially beautiful at night with all the lights and architecture being reflected into the pond.

The excavation of the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond discovered wooden strips of documents and letter, Dokaebi designed roof tiles that featured a terrifying face that is meant to protect the house and more.

Through architecture, old folktales and excavated artefacts, we gained a lot of insight on Korean culture and design. The historical spots we visited hold a special place in Korean history and has made South Korea what it is today. It was truly a good experience staying in touch with Korea’s roots after being in the bustling city for the past few days.

"Our visit to Cheonmachong was very insightful although it was a little creepy. The ancient heritage site is truly a must-see for history lovers. Seeing all the mounds containing the tomb made the whole experience surreal and it was definitely something not to be missed!" – Ci En