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Sinheungsa, sometimes spelled Shinheungsa, is a head temple of the
The Great Unification Buddha, a 14.6-meter/48-foot, 108 ton gilt-bronze Buddha statue, called "Tongil Daebul", sits atop a 4.3-meter/15-foot high pedestal, of the same material, making the total height 18.9-meter/62-foot, excluding the lightning rod and nimbus.
The lotus pedestal is flanked with 16 delicately engraved panels and the forehead of Tongil Daebul is adorned with eight 8-centimeter/3-inch stones of amber, with a single piece of jade in the center that is 10-centimeter/4-inch in diameter.
Tongil Daebul sits with legs crossed and half-closed eyes in meditation, his lips displaying a perceptible smile. A flowing robe with gentle folds, revealing the right shoulder, drapes the Buddha's robust
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-Bronze Buddha-02.jpg, Bronze Buddha "Tongil Daebul" at Sinheungsa
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-Bojero-01.jpg, Bojero (pavilion) built in 1770 on the grounds of Sinheungsa
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-01.jpg, Sinheungsa in Seoraksan National Park
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-02.jpg, Sinheungsa in Seoraksan National Park
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-Deva Kings-01.jpg, Gate Guardian Deva Kings at Sinheungsa
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-03.jpg, Sinheungsa in Seoraksan National Park
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-Stupas-01.jpg, Stupas at Sinheungsa
Image:Korea-Sinheungsa-Hyeonsugyo-01.jpg, Hyeonsugyo
{{Commons category
Official site, in KoreanKoreaTemple profile
Religious organizations established in the 7th century Buddhist temples in South Korea Buildings and structures in Gangwon Province, South Korea Buddhist temples of the Jogye Order Sokcho Tourist attractions in Gangwon Province, South Korea
Jogye Order
The Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism (대한불교조계종, 大韓佛敎 曹溪宗), is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism with roots that date back 1200 years to the Later Silla National Master Do ...
of Korean Buddhism. It is situated on the slopes of Seoraksan
Seoraksan is the highest mountain in the Taebaek mountain range in the Gangwon Province in eastern South Korea. It is located in a national park near the city of Sokcho. After the Hallasan volcano on Jeju Island and Jirisan in the south, Se ...
in Sokcho
Sokcho ( ko, 속초; ()) is a city in Gangwon Province, South Korea. It is located in the far northeast of Gangwon. The city is a major tourist hub, and a popular gateway to nearby Seoraksan national park. Sokcho is home to the few lakes: Yeong ...
, Gangwon Province, South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
.
Sinheungsa is located in Seoraksan National Park, and many tourists hiking Seoraksan up to Ulsanbawi
Ulsanbawi, sometimes spelled Ulsan Rock, is a rock with 6 peaks. It is situated in Seoraksan National Park in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, South Korea. Ulsanbawi is one of the primary attractions of Seoraksan, along with Heundeulbawi, Biryeong water ...
(peak) pass by the temple on the way. Other temples with the name Sinheungsa are located in Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
, Samcheok
Samcheok () is a city in Gangwon-do, South Korea.
History
Ancient age & Three Kingdom
* It was called "Siljikguk or Siljikgokguk"
* 102 under the rule of Silla ( Pasa 23rd)
* 468 under the rule of Goguryeo ( Jangsu 56th)
* 505 The name changed ...
and Icheon
Icheon () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
Together with Yeoju, Icheon is known as a center of South Korean ceramic manufacturing and is a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art. Other famous local products include peaches and rice. Loc ...
.
Origins
Historical accounts vary as to whether this ancient Zen (Seon) temple was first constructed by Jajang in 653, first called Hyangseongsa (Temple of Zen Buddhism), or in 637 following his return fromTang China
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...
. It burned to the ground in 699, was rebuilt in 710, burned again in 1645 and was rebuilt in 1648 at its present location by Uisang
Uisang (625–702) was one of the most eminent early Silla Korean scholar-monks, a close friend of Wonhyo (元曉).
He traveled to China, studying at Mount Zhongnan as a student of the influential Huayan master Zhiyan (智儼) and as a seni ...
. This temple is believed to be the oldest Zen (Seon) temple in the world.
Bronze Buddha
The Great Unification Buddha, a 14.6-meter/48-foot, 108 ton gilt-bronze Buddha statue, called "Tongil Daebul", sits atop a 4.3-meter/15-foot high pedestal, of the same material, making the total height 18.9-meter/62-foot, excluding the lightning rod and nimbus.
The lotus pedestal is flanked with 16 delicately engraved panels and the forehead of Tongil Daebul is adorned with eight 8-centimeter/3-inch stones of amber, with a single piece of jade in the center that is 10-centimeter/4-inch in diameter.
Tongil Daebul sits with legs crossed and half-closed eyes in meditation, his lips displaying a perceptible smile. A flowing robe with gentle folds, revealing the right shoulder, drapes the Buddha's robust torso
The torso or trunk is an anatomical term for the central part, or the core, of the body of many animals (including humans), from which the head, neck, limbs, tail and other appendages extend. The tetrapod torso — including that of a huma ...
. The hands of Tongil Daebul are positioned in the mudra symbolizing the "enlightened one."
Contained within the hollow statue are three pieces of the Buddha's sari
A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include:
* as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO
* bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO
* gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std ...
, remains collected after his cremation
Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre is ...
, donated by the Myanmar government, and the Tripitaka, the original Buddhist scriptures.
The project to construct this statue of the Buddha cost 3.8 billion won ($4.1 million), raised through the contributions for over a decade from over 300,000 small donations from anonymous donors visiting the temple.
This statue represents the crucial wish of the Korean people for the reunification
A political union is a type of political entity which is composed of, or created from, smaller polities, or the process which achieves this. These smaller polities are usually called federated states and federal territories in a federal governm ...
of the divided country.
Gallery
See also
*Korean Buddhist temples
Buddhist temples are an important part of the Korean landscape. This article gives a brief overview of Korean Buddhism, then describes some of the more important temples in Korea. Most Korean temples have names ending in ''-sa'' (사, 寺), which ...
* Korean Buddhism
* Religion in South Korea
References
External links
Official site, in Korean
Religious organizations established in the 7th century Buddhist temples in South Korea Buildings and structures in Gangwon Province, South Korea Buddhist temples of the Jogye Order Sokcho Tourist attractions in Gangwon Province, South Korea