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In Japanese religion,Yahata formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman is the syncretic divinity of archery and war,incorporating elements from both Shinto and Buddhism.
Dangun or Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder and god-king of Gojoseon,the first Korean kingdom,around present-day Liaoning province in Northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. He is said to be the "grandson of heaven" and "son of a bear",and to have founded the kingdom in 2333 BC. The earliest recorded version of the Dangun legend appears in the 13th-century Samguk Yusa,which cites China's Book of Wei and Korea's lost historical record Gogi. However,it has been confirmed that there is no relevant record in the China's Book of Wei. There are around seventeen religious groups that focus on the worship of Dangun.
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,which means "temple" in Sino-Korean.
A shrine is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity,ancestor,hero,martyr,saint,daemon,or similar figure of respect,wherein they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols,relics,or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated. A shrine at which votive offerings are made is called an altar.
The Mausoleum of Tangun is an ancient burial site in Kangdong near Pyongyang,North Korea. It is claimed by North Korea to be the tomb of Tangun,legendary founder of Gojoseon,the first Korean kingdom.
Hongan-ji,also archaically romanized as Hongwanji, is the collective name of the largest school of Jōdo ShinshūBuddhism. 'Hongan-ji' may also refer to any one of several actual temple buildings associated with the sect. Nishi Honganji (西本願寺) and Higashi Honganji (東本願寺) are two major temples in Kyoto.
Beopjusa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is situated on the slopes of Songnisan,within Songnisan National Park,in Naesongni-myeon,Boeun County,in the province of Chungcheongbuk-do,South Korea.
Munmyo is Korea's primary temple of Confucius. It is located in central Seoul,South Korea,on the campus of Sungkyunkwan University.
Arunachalesvara Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva,located at the base of Arunachala hill in the town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu,India. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Shaivism as one of the temples associated with the five elements,the Pancha Bhoota Stalas,and specifically the element of fire,or Agni.
Sŏngbul-sa is a Korean Buddhist temple in Sariwŏn,North Hwanghae Province,North Korea. It is located within the castle on Mt. Jŏngbang and was founded in 898 AD. The temple consists of six buildings,some of which are among the oldest wooden buildings in North Korea.
Ryeongtongsa is a Korean Buddhist temple located on Ogwansan in Kaesong,North Korea.
The Tomb of King Dongmyeong,also known as the Tomb of King Tongmyŏng,is a mausoleum located in near Ryongsan Village,Ryokpo-guyok,Pyongyang,North Korea. One of the tombs is the royal tomb of Dongmyeong,the founder of the ancient Goguryeo Kingdom,northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. In total,there are 63 individual tombs of the period. The area around Dongmyeong contains at least fifteen known tombs believed to belong to various vassal lords. The tomb has achieved World Heritage status as part of the Complex of Goguryeo Tombs inscribed by UNESCO in 2004 under Criteria (i),(ii),(iii) and (iv) covering an area of 233 hectares with a buffer zone of 1,701 hectares. A unique feature of it and the other extant tombs in the area are the wall paintings depicting blossoming lotuses,indicative of Buddhism practiced and perhaps prevalent in Korea around 277 BC to 668 AD.
Anguk-sa is a Korean Buddhist temple situated in Pyongsong,South Pyongan Province,North Korea. Built on the slopes of Mt. Pongrin,the temple dates to the Koryo dynasty,though all of the buildings date to later Joseon dynasty renovations. The building is registered as National Treasure #34.
Ch'ilsŏng Gate is the northern gate of the inner castle of the walled city of Pyongyang. Located in the scenic Moranbong Park,the gate was originally built in the sixth century as an official Koguryo construction,although present construction dates from 1712. The gate takes its name from the seven brightest stars in the Great Bear constellation. This constellation was revered in traditional Korean religion - for example,many Buddhist temples in Korea contain a "Chilsong shrine" or other similar structure.
Sinnonhyeon Station is a railway station on Line 9 and the Shinbundang Line of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway,located by the Kyobo Tower sageori in Nonhyeon-dong,Gangnam-gu,Seoul. It was the southern terminus of Line 9 from 2009 to March 2015,when the line was extended to Sports Complex station. Gangnam Station and Nonhyeon Station are near here. It became a transfer station to the Shinbundang Line on May 28,2022.
Yŏngmyŏng Temple was a Korean Buddhist temple located at the foot of Moranbong hill in Pyongyang,North Korea. Prior to its destruction in the Korean War,it was the largest and most important center of Buddhist worship in that city. Though it is unknown when the temple was founded,popular tales date it to the end of the Goguryeo kingdom. The temple was completely rebuilt under the Joseon dynasty. Under the Japanese occupation of Korea,the temple became a major tourist site in Pyongyang and was renowned for its beautiful riverside location and many cherry trees. In the 1920s it again underwent an extensive restoration funded by the Japanese government,who also officially changed its name to its Japanese pronunciation,"Eimei-ji". During that time,the temple was also confiscated from by the government,and given for use as a headquarters for the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism. The Rinzai monks were tasked with converting the citizens away from traditional Korean Buddhism as part of a government program to replace the old Korean culture with that of modern Japan.
Japanese Buddhist architecture is the architecture of Buddhist temples in Japan,consisting of locally developed variants of architectural styles born in China. After Buddhism arrived from the continent via the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the 6th century,an effort was initially made to reproduce the original buildings as faithfully as possible,but gradually local versions of continental styles were developed both to meet Japanese tastes and to solve problems posed by local weather,which is more rainy and humid than in China. The first Buddhist sects were Nara's six Nanto Rokushū,followed during the Heian period by Kyoto's Shingon and Tendai. Later,during the Kamakura period,in Kamakura were born the Jōdo and the native Japanese sect Nichiren-shū. At roughly the same time,Zen Buddhism arrived from China,strongly influencing all other sects in many ways,including in architecture. The social composition of Buddhism's followers also changed radically with time. Beginning as an elite religion,it slowly spread from the nobility to warriors and merchants,and finally to the population at large. On the technical side,new woodworking tools like the framed pit saw and the plane allowed new architectural solutions.
Sungin Hall built in 1325 is one of the earliest shrines located at Chongno-dong,Chung-guyok,Pyongyang,North Korea. It has been registered as No.4 National Treasure of North Korea. The hall faces Sungnyong Hall of Pyongyang students' palace.
The Kwangbop Temple is an historic structure located in Mt. Taesong,Pyongyang,North Korea. Built during the early period of Koguryo during the reign of King Kwanggaetho,it is listed as item 164 on the list of National Treasures of North Korea.
References
- Naenara Archived 2010-07-03 at the Wayback Machine
- Korean Central News Agency