RAS hosts eastern Gyeongju tour
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The Oksan Seowon in Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang Province, is a confucian academy built in 1572. / Korea Times file
By John Redmond
Jennifer Flinn of the Royal Asiatic Society of Korea will lead special tour of eastern Gyeongju this weekend.
Gyeongju, Korea’s ancient capital for nearly a millennium, is one of the richest cultural and historic areas in all of Asia, including UNESCO World Heritage sites like Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, and the Yangdong Folk Village.
The group will be concentrating on sites in eastern Gyeongju and journeying all the way to the East Sea to visit many of the city’s lesser-known sites.
On arrival in Gyeongju, after a lunch break there will be a brief visit to the Gyeongju Sinsa, one of the few remaining Japanese shinto shrines left. This will be followed by a journey to the east to visit the Oksan Seowon.
While Gyeongju is most famous for its Silla Kingdom relics, the Oksan confucian academy is an example of the city’s continued relevance through the centuries.
Built in 1572, the academy is situated in an exceptionally beautiful valley, and houses many important texts, including a copy of the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms).
Just a few hundred meters away lies the Dongnakdang house, built in 1516 and renowned for its Gyejeong, a pavilion overlooking a nearby brook, and a 450-year-old tree brought to Korea from China.
After visiting the Oksan Seowon and Dongnakdang, the tour will continue to the newly declared UNESCO World Heritage site of Yangdong Village. As the largest of Korea’s designated folk villages, this village dates to the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and features several exceptional examples of domestic and village architecture from the period, with 160 residences, more than 50 of which are more than 200 years old.
The next morning will include a visit to the underwater tomb of King Munmu. King Munmu was the first king of the unified Silla Kingdom. Before he died in 681, he requested that his body be cremated and the ashes placed in the sea so he could become a dragon to defend the country from future invasions. Located at the pleasant pebble beach at Bonggil-ri, the site is also important to Korean shamans, who occasionally conduct ceremonies there.
The tour will include two extraordinary Buddhist temples and one ancient temple site on Hamweol Mountain, followed by Golgulsa Temple, the only temple cave in Korea. The sixth century temple not only contains seven out of the original 12 rock sanctuaries, but also an exceptionally beautiful Silla-era relief of the Maya Tathagata Buddha.
Finally, the group will visit Girimsa Temple, one of Korea’s largest and most beautiful temples.
The tour will last from 8:30 a.m. on Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday. The cost is 198,000 won for members and 238,000 won for non-members.
Participants are reminded to wear comfortable shoes for walking. You may wish to pack a lunch for Saturday, although lunch can also be purchased.
Departure will be from the front of the Yongsan Post Office (Sinyongsan subway stop) on Saturday.