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Yongcheonsa Temple |
2008-09-16 |
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Red carpet in nature, splendid red flower bed of Cluster Amaryllis
Can colorful autumn leaves be as splendid as red cluster amaryllis flowers? Six red petals rolled up like a red umbrella dance to the cool breeze on a slender flower stalk. These flowers do not bloom one by one but they bloom in groups with tens of thousands in number, as if a big red carpet were spread in a wide garden in nature. These red flower beds are so attractive as to make observers almost faint.
Cluster amaryllis--the name of this flower reflects the fact that it blooms in clusters. Cluster amaryllis belongs to Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis, which lives many years and is also called Seoksanhwa (石蒜花: Lycoris radiata) flower. This flower blooms in the shape of an umbrella on top of a flower stalk that is about 30 to 50 centimeters high. Cluster amaryllis flowers are very attractive, but they have poisonous ingredients, similar to how beautiful roses have thorns on their stalks. The poisonous ingredients of this flower are so strong that they can make your eyes swell red with blood. So this flower earned the nickname ‘Nunepiggot (blood in the eye flower),’ and in some local villages, people call this flower ‘Sangyeoggot (death carriage flower)’ to warn children not to touch it.
Many people confuse the names of Ggotmureut (cluster amaryllis) and Sangsahwa (相思花: mutual thinking flower) flower. However, these two flowers are quite different. As these two flowers bloom on top of a long flower stalk, people think these flowers miss their leaves far below on their stalks, saying in Chinese the phrase '花葉不相見 (flowers cannot see their leaves).' The stalk of the cluster amaryllis is longer and its blooming period is different. Sangsahwa blooms around Chilseok (August) and cluster amaryllis blooms around Chuseok (Full Moon's Day in September). Though it differs slightly every year, cluster amaryllis begins to bloom in early September and its flower reaches its peak around mid- to late-September.
Yongcheonsa Temple where more than three thousand monks used to stay
Cluster amaryllis blooms most attractively around Yongcheonsa Temple in Korea. In front of Yongcheonsa Temple is a wide bed of amaryllis flowers and if you climb about 300 meters along the mountain trail on your left, you will be amazed at an extensive cluster amaryllis field that is more than 300,000 pyeong (one pyeong is 3.3 square meters) in area. What's more interesting, near the mountain trail is a wild flower garden that is more than 1,000 pyeong decorated with more than 20 kinds of wild flowers including yellow day lily, Aquilegia japonica and iris. There you will see a 200 meter-long flower tunnel covered with bottle gourd stem, pumpkin stem, and sponge cucumber clusters and more than 1,500 stone towers. If you visit this location around mid-September during the Cluster Amaryllis Festival, you can participate in the various cultural events.
Yongcheonsa Temple belongs to the religious jurisdiction of Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong and is said to have been built by Haengeun (幸恩: lucky benevolence) in the 1st year of the reign of King Mu (AD600) during the Baekje Kingdom and was renovated by the great monk Gakjin (覺眞: understanding truth) in the 5th year of the reign of King Euija (AD645) of the Baekje Kingdom. Some people say the temple was founded in the 11th year of the reign of King Seongdeok (AD712) during the Silla Kingdom. Thereafter the state monk Gakjeok (覺積) renovated the temple in the first year of the reign of King Chungryeol of the Goryeo Kingdom (AD1275) and was renovated again during the reigning period of King Sejo and King Myeongjong during the Yi Dynasty. According to the Yongcheonsa-daeungjeon-hyeonpan-dancheonggi (painting records of the main hall sign board of Yongcheonsa Temple), more than 3,000 monks stayed at this temple when it was at its largest size.
However, this temple was burned down in the 30th year of the reign of King Seonjo (AD1597) of the Yi Dynasty during the Jeongyujaeran (Japanese invasion) and was rebuilt in the 33rd year of the reign of King Seonjo (AD1600) and was renovated several times thereafter. In 1950, this temple was destroyed in a fire during the Korean Civil War. In 1964 Daeungjeon Hall was reconstructed at the site where Bogwangjeon Hall (普光殿: broad light hall) used to stand and a residence house was built. This main hall was renovated in 1996.
Cultural properties of stone candle light holder and stone solar clock
If you walk down from Nammun Gate (south gate) along the trail in the valley for about 15 minutes, you will see the guidepost of the old site where Boguksa Temple used to stand as well as a traditional clay-walled Korean house, which has a wooden signboard reading "Hyudangsanbang" (休堂山房: resting house with rooms on mountain). I knocked on the door but nobody responded. On the wall of this little house I found someone had written a poem in tiny letters entitled "Where is Geumseongsan Mountain?" Wildflowers surrounded the humble house and a honey-gathering box and stone tower were built near the house, decorating the otherwise forlorn home.
If you walk down along the bushy trail about 15 minutes again, you will reach Seomun Gate (west gate). This gate was built on a steep cliff facing Damyang Lake, making the fortress a tough formidable stronghold. From this west gate, if you climb along the slope of Geumseongsan Mountain about 30 minutes, you will reach Nojeokbong Peak via Cheolmabong Peak. There, you can enjoy a vast wide open vista while cooling off in the breeze after your toilsome hike along the slope. And if you walk along the castle on the ridge for 30 minutes, you will return to Nammun Gate again.
At Damyang you cannot miss the scenic bamboo forest. Most bamboo forests are so dense that people cannot enter, but the Bamboo Valley Theme Park at Binaedong village features a convenient walking path. It's very refreshing to walk along this path in the bamboo forest, and you can drink natural water from a spring. At this bamboo forest several movies and dramas, such as "Cheongpungmyeongwol (clear air and bright moon)," "Heuksuseon (black daffodils)," and "Damo," were filmed.
The bamboo forest is evergreen all year round but if you come to this theme park in winter, you will also be impressed at the wonderful winter scenery. It's because the green bamboo trees look very impressive standing in the sparking white snow. Metasequire Boulevard from Damyang to Sunchang is another well-known sightseeing spot in that area. |
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