Bell Tower of Donghaksa Temple and My Young Day's Memory
20170831
close shot of a drum
After looking at the main building of Donghaksa, I looked around the temple once more. It was my 5 or 6th visiting of Donghaksa.
It was my college freshman years when I visited Donghaksa at first. I met some friends in college, we visited one of my friends' home. His home town was DaeJeon. We were welcomed by his parents. Eventhough more than 30 years have passed, I stil vividly remember his mom and dad. Alas, I heard they passed away some years ago.
It was winter vacation when we had visited Daejeon.
At that time we were 18 years old. His daddy recommended to visit the Donghaksa Temple. He was a fervent Buddhist.
I remember it took a long time to get to the Donghaksa Temple from his home due to the inconvenience of traffic, even though Donghaksa Temple was not far from DaeJeon.
Any way we got up early in the morning, we looked around the temple and climbed the Mt. Gyeryong in a day. There was nobody on the road when we returned from summit to the temple . At that time I heard the soft sound of the Bell and the Drum from far away.
The sound came from a Buddhist Bell Tower. At the Bell Tower, 5-6 Buddhist nuns were hitting the Bell and the Drum in the sunset. That sound permeated into my heart. It was one of the most beautiful moment I ever have experienced in my life.
Every thing is changing. The Bell Tower seemed to be changed also. What made me disappointed was the convenient store of the first story of the Bell Tower.
Fortunately, the Bell and the Drum have not been changed so much.
Donghaksa temple bell tower is very special, because this bell tower has more instruments than other temple. Normaly common temple has a bell only. Even Ghilsangsa temple whrere I had posted already has one bell too.
I don't know exactly what these instruments mean. But Donghaksa bell tower is unique in composition of the instruements.
Drawings on the Drum was so impressive.
Wooden Fish was also impressive.
In Buddhist temple, the sound of the bell and drum mean a teaching of Buddha. By hitting the Bell and the Drum, they could spread Buddha's teaching to everything in the world, so every creatures weather plants or animals could get chance to study Buddha's teaching.
May be the wooden fish was made for the fishes to attain 'Dao'
One of characteristics of the bell tower is the carved drangon. It was first time I had seen dragon sculptures in the bell tower. 4 Dragon sculptures were carved under the roof at the top of the main poles. The Dragon means the vehicle animal for Kannon Bodhisattva (Goddess of Mercy) in Buddhism.
Thank you for reading.
@slowwalker
You post such beautiful works of art and history for us on Steemit.
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I would like to be able to do as well as you do.
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I have to be have some success eventually.
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Francis
Thank you for reading.
I wish your success in Steemit
awesome post, very well written, beautiful pictures and interesting story, highly appreciated man. upvoted
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BE STRONG
a lovely post for a today, @slowwalker.
From afar, you heard the distant sound of the bell and drum and it spoke to your heart.
It was a sacred moment, my friend, and it stirred in you the natural religiosity of youth, and the feeling has never left you.
As usual in your art there is the tension of opposites--in this case, your sacred memory of the bell tower and the tawdry convenience store now housed in the lower floor.
Your photos of the Buddhist art and sculpture were beautiful, @slowwalker, and very reverent.
Day after day you post dispassionately about the life you observe around you, but today you were touched with melancholy at recalling a a golden moment of youth, now tarnished by crass commercialism.
But whether or not the bell tower survives, that bell and drum will forever sound inside you, my friend, and no evil fate can ever take that away from you.
A good post, @slowwalker
Thank you for your comment
Your interpretation is much better than my posting.
You comment that I couldn't express
I'm an English writer, @slowwalker -You do very well. I couldn't say much more than thank you in Korean. 고맙습니다 :)
thx for sharing
Certainly an unforgettable experience
i like very much Buddhist temple !!! thanks
Thank you
There is nothing more beautiful in this world than when we are close to God. Nice @slowwalker :)
You are right
I really like the dragon photos you share, so interesting. I also like your principle that is different from others ie make the date of posting at the beginning of your writing.
Good job @slowwalker 😊
Have a nice day.^^
Thank you so much
You are welcome.^^
I hope I can visit there someday!
What a lovely post you did.
It looks like a magical gate or portal to different universe in the middle of the woods. Haha. Yeah, but honestly.
Regards,
Mike
if you have time, check my latest post. thanks! Im new on Steemit. Cheers!
Thank you
It is sad that the first floor of the tower is now a store. I am happy that you have the memories of what it was like before this drastic change. Now that you have shared those memories with all of us and they are on the blockchain, they will never be forgotten.
Looks like we are on the same schedule again. I just posted as well.
I had the same exact thoughts on this as well. Great shots, that artwork is just incredible too.
Thank you
Lol
the timing was same. Let ' do it again