Tong Myeong Bul-weon
Korean Buddhist Temple
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Every
Korean temple compound has a series of gates through which a visitor must pass. Tong
Myeong Bul- weon has two such gates -- the Il Ch'u Mun and the Sa
Ch'oen-hwang Mun. |
The
archway which spans the road you came up from the rotary is actually a functioning
part of the symbolic religious architecture of Tong Myeong Bul-weon. It's
the traditional First Gate found at most Korean Buddhist temples and is called
the Il Ch'u Mun or "One Beam Gate." |
The handsome "main gate" to Tong Myeong Bul-weon is pictured at the very beginning of this guide. Painted
on the outside of the Sa Ch'oen-wang Mun or "Four Guardians Gate"
-- are fierce paintings of the two On the other side of the entryway are Ch'i-guk Ch'eon-wang, Guardian of the East and Ch'eon-jang Ch'eon-wang, Guardian of the South, readily identifiable by his threatening sword. These Four Heavenly Kings are said to have helped the Buddha throughout his life. They play a significant role in the representational art of Korean Buddhism and appear in many of the murals in and about Tong Myeong Bul-weon. |
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It‘s
a traditional courtesy to depart the Temple in the same manner, paying respects
to the main building first, then the four guardians.
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The Bell Tower - Ch'eon Go-ru To the left (west) as you face the Four Guardian Gate from the outside is the Ch'eon Go-ru -- the bell tower which houses the massive six-ton bell that hearkens all sentient beings to the services at 4:00 A.M. and then again at 6:30 P.M.. The bell is, in fact the largest bellof its kind in Korea, its closest rival being the 24-ton Emi-li bell at the National Museum in Kyeong-ju. Admission to Tong Myeong Bul-weon's bell tower is usually restricted, but if you happen to be there when the monk is about to go up to sound the bell, he or she might invite you to come up if you gesture that you would so desire. This affords a particularly good vantage point for a photograph of the Tong Myeong Bul-weon Temple compound. |
The "Parking Lot" You
may notice a blue bus in the end opposite the Main Hall. Among other functions,
this bus travels around Nam Gu before services to pick up members of the congregation. Before we proceed to the Main Hall, it might be well to note the important, though nondescript little two-storey square building located just to the right of the Main Hall. Through the door on the right front of this building are the Hwa-jang Shil or public restrooms! |
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gate
guards, 
Once
inside the Temple compound, you will notice that the main quadrangle is covered
in gravel. Due to Tong Myeong Bul-weon's tight location, this is the only
available parking for business and for services, thus making the gravel a
practical consideration. If you happen to arrive on the monthly Wednesday
evening service dedicated to taxi drivers, you'll certainly be amazed at the number
of taxis which can be accommodated in this small courtyard!