Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, they developed a new holistic approach to Buddhism that became a distinct form, an approach characteristic of virtually all major Korean thinkers. The resulting variation is called Tongbulgyo, a form that sought to harmonize previously arising disputes among scholars.
Gyeonggi Province is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, Gyeonggi, means "京 and 畿 ". Thus, Gyeonggi-do can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946. Incheon, the nation's third-largest city, is on the coast of the province and has been similarly administered as a provincial-level metropolitan city since 1981. The three jurisdictions are collectively referred to as Sudogwon and cover 11,730 km2 (4,530 sq mi), with a combined population of over 26 million - amounting to over half (50.25%) of the entire population of South Korea at the 2020 Census.
The traditional culture of Korea is the shared cultural and historical heritage of Korea before the division of Korea in 1945.
Buddhist temples are an important part of the Korean landscape. Most Korean temples have names ending in -sa, which means "temple" in Sino-Korean. Many temples offer visitors a Temple Stay program.
Yeongcheon is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.
Cheongju is the capital and largest city of North Chungcheong Province in South Korea.
Suncheon (Suncheon-si) is the largest city in Jeollanam-do, South Korea, with a population of 280,719 as of 2022. It is located in the southeast of the province and is a scenic agricultural and industrial city, known for tourist attractions, such as Suncheon Bay. The port city of Yeosu is around forty minutes south of Suncheon and Gwangyang twenty minutes to the east of the city.
Namhansanseong is a historical mountain fortress city 25 km southeast of Seoul, South Korea. It sits approximately 480 m above sea level and is aligned with the ridges of the mountain for maximum defensibility. The fortress, stretching 12 km in length, protects a vast area used as an emergency capital city during the Joseon Dynasty of Korea (1392–1910). The design is based on fortress architecture of East Asia, embodying aspects of four historical cultural styles: the Joseon of Korea, the Azuchi-Momoyama Period of Japan, and Ming and Qing China. It was extensively developed during the 16th to 18th centuries, a period of continuous warfare. The technical development of weaponry and armaments during this period, which saw the use of gunpowder imported from Europe, also greatly influenced the architecture and layout of the fortress. Namhansanseong portrays how the various theories of defense mechanisms in Korea were put to form by combining the everyday living environment with defense objectives. The fortress indicates how Buddhism played an influential role in protecting the state, and it became a symbol of sovereignty in Korea. It stands on the Namhansan, containing fortifications that date back to the 17th century and a number of temples. It can be accessed from Seoul through Namhansanseong station of Seoul Subway Line 8.
Gyeonghui Palace is a palace located in Seoul, South Korea. It was one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the Joseon Dynasty.
Nonsan is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at 36°12′N127°5′E. The origin of Nonsan's geographical names is said to have come from the small garden " Nolmoe, " which rises in the middle of farming fields, where rice paddies and mountain are said to reflect geographical features. The city belongs to the Daejeon Metropolitan Area.
Seosan is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea, with a population of roughly 175,000 according to the 2017 census. Located at the northwestern end of South Chungcheong Province, it is bounded by Dangjin City, Naepo New Town, Yesan-gun and Hongseong-gun on the east and by Taean-gun and the Yellow Sea on the west, and is 125 km (78 mi) south of Seoul, 159 km (99 mi) northwest of Daejeon and 34 km (21 mi) northwest of Naepo New Town. Seosan is the hub of transportation of the west coast where the Seohaean Expressway, Daejeon-Dangjin Expressway, National Highways No. 29, 32, 38 and 45 intersect. This city has great traffic conditions towards the metropolitan area and major cities.
Gimcheon is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is situated on the major land transportation routes between Seoul and Busan, namely the Gyeongbu Expressway and Gyeongbu Line railway.
A National Treasure (Korean: 국보) is a tangible treasure, artifact, site, or building which is recognized by the South Korean government as having exceptional artistic, cultural and historical value to the country. The title is one of the eight State-designated heritage classifications assigned by the administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Protection Act after deliberation by the Cultural Heritage Committee.
Korean gardens are a type of garden described as being natural, informal, simple and unforced, seeking to merge with the natural world. They have a history that goes back more than two thousand years, but are little known in the west. The oldest records date to the Three Kingdoms period when architecture and palace gardens showed a development noted in the Korean History of the Three Kingdoms.
Korean architecture refers to an architectural style that developed over centuries in Korea. Throughout the history of Korea, various kingdoms and royal dynasties have developed a unique style of architecture with influences from Buddhism and Korean Confucianism.
Bukhansan, or Bukhan Mountain, is a mountain on the northern periphery of Seoul, South Korea. There are three major peaks, Baegundae 836.5 meters (2,744 ft), Insubong 810.5 meters (2,659 ft), Mangyeongdae 787.0 meters (2,582.0 ft). Because of its height and the fact that it borders a considerable portion of the city, Bukhansan is a major landmark visible from most city districts. The name "Bukhansan" means "mountain north of Han River", referring to the fact that it is the northern border of the city. During the Joseon era, the peaks marked the extreme northern boundary of Seoul.
Jogyesa is the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The building dates back to the late 14th century and became the order's chief temple in 1936. It thus plays a leading role in the current state of Seon Buddhism in South Korea. The temple was first established in 1395, at the dawn of the Joseon Dynasty; the modern temple was founded in 1910 and initially called "Gakhwangsa". The name was changed to "Taegosa" during the period of Japanese rule, and then to the present name in 1954.
Dobong Station is a metro station on Seoul Subway Line 1. It is in the extreme north of Seoul and offers services connecting the city to the cities to the north in Gyeonggi-do.
The Buramsan Tunnel (불암산터널) is a road tunnel started at Byeollae-dong, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea and ended at Sanggye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul. The tunnel constitutes the Seoul Ring Expressway.
