| Donghwasa
Temple
other
sites in Daegu |
Daegu, Korea |
Click on an image to enlarge
During the Joseon era (1392-1910) Buddhism was heavily persecuted. Monks stayed out of sight to avoid persecution, hiding in remote mountain temples. Donghwasa is a good example. It sits deep in the woods where three small valleys come together. Originally dedicated Yukasa temple by the great priest Kukdal, it assumed the name Donghwasa when the monk Shimji, the great Buddhist teacher, saw the pawlonia (Oh-tong) trees blossoming in the valley. Like most Korean temples, Donghwasa is a cluster of buildings around a central courtyard with the main worship hall facing the center. Known as the Daeungjeon, the hall enshrines statues of various Buddhas flanking the Pharmaceutical Buddha at the center. Built by King Yongjo of the Goryeo dynasty, it exhibits unique architectural detailing such as curved wooden supports, which help harmonize the building with its environment. Colorful wall paintings share the interior with Buddhas poised in scholarly thought.
The eastern portion of the temple is the Geumdang-am hermitage hall, built alongside three small stone pagodas from the Unified Silla Era.
There are numerous hermitage sites scattered throughout the forest near Donghwasa, and many Buddhist images engraved on rocks. Look for them as you ascend the hill to the newer portion of Donghwasa: the National Reunification Temple.
Built in the 1980s by a Buddhist president of Korea, the temple is dedicated to the reunification of the country. Towering over the white marble complex is an enormous Buddha of Reunification, standing amidst a vast courtyard. From here one gets a spectacular view of Palgong mountain.
The entry ticket (below) shows the old temple in the upper-right background and the new temple in the lower-left foreground.
Site plan of the old portion
of Donghwasa (images 3-10, above).
Image from Daegu Yoksa Gihaeng
(Visiting Daegu's Historic Places, c. 1996)
Bibliography:
All images
copyright 1998-2000 Abe Ahn and Tim Ciccone
Text compiled
from http://www.metro.taegu.kr/engcityhall/index.html