Holiday Journal

• Start
•  
• Sunrise Park
•  
• Apricot Flower Festival
•  
• Hadong Hwagae Jangteo
•  
• House of Choe Champan
•  
• Guest house
•  
• Unjoru
•  
• Ssanggyesa Temple
•  
• Hwaeom Temple
•  
• Finish

Ssanggyesa Temple You Have to Visit together with Hadong HwagaeJangteo(Market)

Starting from Choe Champandaek in Hadong through HwagaeJangteo and Ssanggyesa Temple to Gurye, it's a 5km long cherry blossom street. Every spring, Hwagae Cherry Blossoms Festival is held here and this year it's available only three days from April 3 to 5. The cherry blossom trees are densely planted on the road for about 5km and there's a place you should visit here in the middle. It's Ssanggyesa(雙溪寺) Temple which co-exists with peaceful spirit of Seomjin River and grandeur of Jiri Mountain.

Canon EOS 550D | f/6.3 | iso 250 | 2015:03:18 10:04:28 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

We parked the car in the parking lot and noticed there's something special about the road. Moss had formed on the big rocks and the atmosphere made me imagine that an ascetic with grey hair would show up out of blue.

Canon EOS 550D | f/6.3 | iso 320 | 2015:03:18 10:05:43 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

Under the bridge in front of the ticket office, two streams of water flowing from left and right valleys meet together and I guess that's how the temple 'Ssanggye(雙溪; two valleys)' was named.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.6 | iso 100 | 2015:03:18 10:07:14 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

We walked along a quiet forest for about five minutes and saw the entrance to the temple. The path is paved so it's not difficult.

Canon EOS 550D | f/4.5 | iso 320 | 2015:03:18 10:11:04 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

On the rocks around the valley, our ancestors' names were engraved. You could easily see names on the big rocks anywhere in Korea and I guess it's almost a human's instinct to leave their names.

Canon EOS 550D | f/4.5 | iso 200 | 2015:03:18 10:11:50 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 31mm

Right past the glamorous One Pillar Gate with stone lanterns on the left and right, you will get into the world of Buddhism. But a framed picture said Samsinsan Ssanggyesa(三神山雙磎寺).

Samsinsan refers to Halla Mountain, Geumgang Mountain and Jiri Mountain, and probably it's here because the temple is on the foot of Jiri Mountain.

After we passed Iljumun(One Pillar Gate), Geumgangmun and Cheonwangmun, we met Paryeongru (八詠樓) and we had to pass by Paryeongru to finally see Daeungjeon. These gates stood almost in line and when we passed each one, we felt like we're getting into another world.

Canon EOS 550D | f/4.0 | iso 100 | 2015:03:18 10:16:05 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

At Paryeongru after Cheongwangmun, there was Ssanggyesa 9-storied stone pagoda. This was built in 1990 in which relics of Buddha from Sri Lanka are placed, and it looks very similar with the nine-storied octagonal stone pagoda (National Treasure No.48) at Woljeongsa.

Canon EOS 550D | f/4.0 | iso 100 | 2015:03:18 10:17:03 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

Paryeongru(八詠樓) on the right was built in the year of 840 of United Silla era which is the cradle of Buddhist music. Jingamseonsa(Zen master Jingam) Hyeso(眞鑑國師 慧昭, 774~850) was known to make a lot of Beompae(梵唄; praising Buddha and the sound of chanting a sutra) here and produced many men of distinguished talent after his study on Buddhist music in China.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 200 | 2015:03:18 10:18:17 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

In the yard of the temple under spring rain, colorful camellia tree was standing looking so old. Under the tree, the mineral water was flowing where we could relieve our thirst. It was raining from he sky yet we were thirsty. ^^*

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 200 | 2015:03:18 10:21:43 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

Ssanggyesa was divided into two areas, Daeungjeon area where Daeungjeon is and Geumgdang area with Geumdang. Between two areas, there's a bamboo forest. The spring rain and the sound of crunchy sound of bamboo trees made me feel like I'm out of the world.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 100 | 2015:03:18 10:23:50 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

Around Paryeongfu and pass by Haetalmun(Nirvana Gate), Daeungjeong stood there(Treasure No.500). Under the stone stairs, there was a tower of Jingamseonsa(Zen master Jingam)(National Treasure No.47) and it was unique that it was standing aside, not directly facing the front or east.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 320 | 2015:03:18 10:25:11 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

The reason why this tombstone was designated as a national treasure was because Choe Chi-won was writing in the 1^st year of Silla Queen Jinseong era. The excellent composition or handwriting proved that it's written by Choe Chi-won, actually the only handwriting of his that's left today, and he was a tragic genius who was the smartest in Silla era but couldn't apply his ideas to politics because of strict caste system. The stone was worn out which makes the letters unrecognisable but thankfully the content was copied on woodblock in the King Yeongjo era.

Canon EOS 550D | f/4.0 | iso 160 | 2015:03:18 10:25:47 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

I'll go up to the stairs to get to Daeungjeon.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 320 | 2015:03:18 10:26:51 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 19mm

The sound of moktak(wooden percussion instrument used for chanting) and Buddhist chant was spreading outside Daeungjeon. Some were sincerely praying and some were getting excited to see the Daeungjeon building.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 500 | 2015:03:18 10:31:29 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

The time I visited Ssanggyesa was morning and it must've been a praying time. Inside the building, Seated Wooden Sakyamuni Buddha is 1378^th Treasure and behind it, Samsebulsanghwa(statue of the Buddhas of Three Ages) is designated as Treasure No. 1364.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 800 | 2015:03:18 10:30:09 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

Colorful dancheong(traditional multicolored paintwork on wooden buildings) looked more beautiful in the rain.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 500 | 2015:03:18 10:29:18 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 21mm

A rock cliff Buddha was on the right of Daeungjeon. One side of rock is deeply dug to protect it from rain, it's assumed that this was built during Koryo Dynasty, and you'll see Buddha's smile when the sun shines from the west in the late afternoon.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 500 | 2015:03:18 10:33:12 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

There are statues of the Buddha made of big rocks behind Daeungjeon as well which is full of delicate and warm atmosphere.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 250 | 2015:03:18 10:34:33 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

You can also feel warmth by looking at architecture and walls because the walls have patterns made of soil and roof tiles, so beautiful.

Canon EOS 550D | f/4.0 | iso 320 | 2015:03:18 10:35:48 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 22mm

Those patterns look like you can see on ancient mural paintings, consistent yet different.

Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 1600 | 2015:03:18 10:40:15 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 22mm

Again we went back to Paryeongru and looked to the right and I saw high stone stairs. If you go up there you'll be out of Daeungjeon and get to Geumdang area, which is assumed to be the original site of Ssanggyesa Temple when it was first built.

Canon EOS 550D | f/4.5 | iso 500 | 2015:03:18 10:41:19 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

Daeungjeon area and Geumdang area was clearly divided with a small stream and bamboos.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.6 | iso 640 | 2015:03:18 10:43:05 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

Follow along the long stone stairs, you'll see Cheonghakru(靑鶴樓). This building built in the late Koryeo Dynasty is a two-storied tower that has three blocks in the front and two blocks on the side, which used to be a place for ascetic practice for new monks symbolizing a gateway to ideal world.

Canon EOS 550D | f/5.6 | iso 320 | 2015:03:18 10:44:03 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm

There's Palsangjeon behind Cheonghakru. This has Palsangdo, 8 paintings summarizing the life of Sakyamuni, which was designated as Treasure No. 1365.

Ssanggyesa Temple is a temple like a jewel that has one National Treasure and 10 Treasures. If you're planning to go Hwagae Cherry Blossoms Festival to walk along Simni Cherry Blossoms Road in spring, I strongly suggest you drop by here to see the temple as well. The good spirit from old temple will give your family peace.

+ Address : 208, Unsu-ri, Hwagae-myeon, Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do

+ Telephone : 055-883-1901~2

+ Fees : 2,500 won (Adult), 1,000 won (Adolescent), 5,00 won (Child) (No holidays)