| Gunwi
Grotto Hermitage (6th-8th century)
other
sites in Daegu |
Daegu, Korea |
Click on the above images for larger views
The Gunwi Grotto Hermitage, also known as the Second Seokguram Grotto, is an artificial cave cut into the rockface twenty meters above a small river. Containing three masterfully carved Buddha figures, this tiny cave is among Korea's oldest examples of Buddhist art, carved sometime between the 6th and 8th centuries. It is easy to see how the Gunwi Grotto could have served as inspiration for the more famous and magnificent Seokguram Grotto in Gyeongju, which was built at least a century later.
The inspiration for the design comes from India, where pilgrims carved Buddha figures from the living rock. Even today, many such grottos can still be found in India and western China. The Gunwi Grotto is extremely well preserved, probably because it is so hard to reach. Nowadays a modern marble staircase leads right up to the cave, but only monks are allowed to use it. Still, visitors to Daegu should not miss this seldom-seen treasure.
Bibliography
All images copyright 2000
Abe Ahn and Tim Ciccone