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- Land of the Morning Calm
-
- Palgongsan Provincial Park
-
featuring
- Tonghwasa Temple -
To my opinion, Palgongsan Provincial
Park is not one of the most stunning nature scenarios you can find in Korea.
Furthermore its scenery somewhat
"spoiled" by a cable car with its support masts and even worse, - a big
area is pockmarked by a golf course, that does not fit in at all.
However, - this should of course
not scare people from coming here.
I have been exploring this
park two times, - first time in 1999 and then again in 2002 -, and it is
truly wonderful
and highly enjoyable to hike
around the mountain and to climb some of the peaks, - and in the late afternoon,
the light is stunning - - -
But like other Korean parks,
- where Mother Nature has not really been in the most creative mood -,
it scores quite high when it comes to Buddhist temple sites.
Here the old Tongwhasa temple
stands out between many other temple complexes and hermitages scattered
over the mountain.
But for now,- please enjoy my
impressions from Palgongsan - - -
Palgongsan
- view from the valley to the
Kwan-bong ridge -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- a frozen lake, - and view
to Tong-bong, - the highest peak -, some 1155 meters high -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- like giant ocean waves, -
climbing Tong-bong, - the East Peak -,in morning light -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- strange rocks, - halfway
up Tong-bong -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen.)
Palgongsan
View from Tong-bong to the
valley below -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- view from Tong-bong -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- another view from Tong-bong
-
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
From the top of Tong-bong,
- the East Peak -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- view along the Kwan-bong
ridge near Katbawi on a cold December day -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- exploring the Kwan-bong ridge
-
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- detail from the Kwan-bong
ridge -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- hikers enjoying Kwan-bong
-
(Photography by Karsten petersen)
Palgongsan
- view to the valley below
the Kwan-bong ridge -
(Photography by karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- from the Kwan-bong ridge
-
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- late evening light on the
slopes of Tong-bong -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- sunset seen from the slopes
of Tong-bong -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Tonghwasa
- the entrance hall of the
Tonghwasa Temple, - and mountain Tong-bong in the background -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
The big Tonghwasa Temple has
a history of more that 1000 years, but nearby a huge new temple complex
with a giant stone Buddha now draws a lot of attention, since the big Buddha
for Unification Desire is supposed to be the biggest Buddha statue in Korea.
Palgongsan
- the Great Stone Buddha for
Unification Desire , - and the Palgongsan ridge behind -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Palgongsan
- through the pines, - the
new Great Hall at the big Buddha statue -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Tonghwasa Temple
The interior of new great hall
at the Buddha for Unification Desire -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Tonghwasa
- view over the old Tonghwasa
temple roofs with the Kwan-bong ridge behind -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Tonghwasa
- one of the four guardians
at the entrance of the Tonghwasa temple -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Tonghwasa
- the main hall of the Tonghwasa
temple -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Tonghwasa
- a look inside to the great
Buddha -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Tonghwasa
- a building of great beauty
and perfect harmony -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Yangjin-am
- on the Palgongsan hill sides
there are several hermitages, - here the Yangjin-am -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
I will end this page about the Palgongsan
Provinsial Park with a picture if the Katbawi stone Buddha - -
Katbawi
On the ridge of Kwan-bong, - about
850 meters above sea level -, you can find this masterpiece of a more than
1000 years old Buddha statue, showing the Medicine Buddha. It is
well worth it to take a hike up and have a look.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
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Updated: June 21st. 2003
July 22. 2006
March 14.2008