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Toksan Provincial Park
featuring
- the Sudok-sa Temple -
The heading for this page should
actually mention the Sudok-sa temple first, - and then as number two the
Toksan Provincial Park -, because I like the temple much more - - -
I simply find the Toksan scenery
far inferior to the other Korean parks I have explored.
This opinion of mine could
have been caused by the fact, that I only spent one day exploring the mountain,
while I usually spent days or weeks exploring the other parks - - -
Therefore I could very well
have missed some scenic highlights, but as it turned out, I did , - unfortunately
enough -, not find anything really interesting here.
The Sudok-sa temple, - however
-, is truly great and well worth visiting.
This temple is old, - founded
way back in year 599 and the main hall was built the year after, but it
is doubtful if the present structure of the main hall is that old, because
there is no historical evidence to prove it.
However, - an inscription on
one of the main beams indicates, that the structure was built in year 1308.
This is the Koryo period, -
but some of the architectural details actually show Paekche influence,
and thereby the old main hall of the Sudok-sa temple is supposed to be
the only still exciting example of Paekche architecture.
Otherwise Sudok-sa is well
known for having had many great Buddhist Masters, and an interesting museum
in connection with the temple shows many Buddhist artifacts from the history
of the temple and its Masters - -
Toksan
- Toksungsan hillside studded
with big boulders, - and temple roofs -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- up the slopes of Toksungsan
mountain -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- big rock on the hill side
-
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- passing a Buddhist site on
the trail, - the Kyonsongam hermitage -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- the Buddha at Kyonsongam
-
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- on the trail towards the
top, - view to Sudok-sa temple -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- one of the characteristic
big boulders on the slopes of Toksungsan -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- finally on the top of Toksungsan,
- a modest 495 m. above sea level -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- a pleasant trail -, and big
boulder -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Toksan
- view from Toksungsan -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Now entering the Sudok-sa temple
- - - -
Sudok-sa
- the gate housing the temple
guardians of Sudok-sa temple -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- a pair of fierce looking
temple guardians -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- and the other pair, - equally
fierce looking -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- the Sudok-sa temple -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- the great entrance hall -
- it houses a very interesting
Buddhist museum, - well worth to visit -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- a closer look at the main
entrance hall -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- against the light, - the
entrance hall -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- the temple grounds -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- the temple grounds with the
old main hall to the right -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- the old main hall of the
Sudok-sa temple -
- a unique building because
it is the only one left with some remaining Paekche architecture -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- architectural details of
the old main hall -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- a new hall, - in perfect
harmony -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- with some great "Dan Chung"
painting -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- the temple bell -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- the temple drums -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- details -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Sudok-sa
- interior -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
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Updated: July 23. 2006
April 4.2008