Bulguksa
The following morning, we had breakfast near the top of Daemyung Resort. Breakfast is a vast improvement compared to Best Western- Inchon. We had brown-shelled eggs, enoki mushroom soup (white long strand mushroom), sausage, some rice, and fruits. You can see the panoramic view of Bomun Lake (보문호수) . 
After breakfast, we go ahead to Bulguksa (佛國寺; Fu Guo Si). Reading in Chinese it really simply means Buddhist temple. If you can’t read the Korean and Chinese characters in this blog, I suggest installing the East Asian language pack of Windows. Back to Bulguksa. This is one place you shouldn’t miss if you’re in this city. It ain’t a UNESCO Heritage Site for nothing. The architecture is well thought out. The designs have meaning and purpose. The number of steps in the main entrance, the roof designs, even the symbols. Chinese and Buddhist influence really show and is a main part of Silla character of Korea. It would take very long to give you full details of the place.
Everyone enter’s the gate save for Ryneth’s mom. Unique trees and plants have a smallcard with their name and specie. There is a gate that says 天王門 (Royal heavenly door?). Hanja (韓字) in Bulguksa reads from right to left, compared to Tumuli Park where it’s left to right. Each side of the gate has goulish statues which is for warding evil spirits. Some more walking and we reach the front of the temple. Outside the temple is a storage house where there are tiles. For 500 Won donation, you can write your name and wishes on the tile. The tiles will be used for construction. There’s also a water construct where water is pouring. The water comes from the mountain and is very clean. I made sure to taste it before leaving.
The Korean local government really make sure the site is well preserved. You can’t use the main steps of the entrance. You’ll have to use the backdoor. Inside, there are a number of halls, the two pagodas. One of the pagodas, Seokgotap, and also a stone stupa contains sarira. I remember when Papa was cremated, we had the crematorium people pick little light greenish stones and put in a small bag. That is sarira. Irene is excited and interested by James retelling this story. As I said before, most Koreans prefer burial even though Buddhists practice cremation. Temples have temple stay service if you’re the type to immerse in that much Buddhist culture. There are four objects that signal you to wake up: a gong, drum, big metallic fish and horn. If those don’t wake you up, I don’t know what will.
The halls house several national treasures. There are several interpretations of Buddha statues inside, and very big too. Once again, like yesterday, students arrive as part of their field trip. We kind of hustle to finish. One hall got our attention. It’s Museoljeon (무설전; 無說殿). In Wikipedia, it means Hall of No Words. Irene has a wonderful oxymoronic translation: No Lecture Hall. This hall is where you meditate in silence and part of learning Buddha’s teachings which is not done by imparting teachings or lectures alone. So, it’s a lecture hall with no lecturing.
Soon it’s time to go, and we must go now for it’s going to be about 2hr ride to our next itinerary, Chungju Lake (충주호수). Yes, Bulguksa is one temple you shouldn’t miss visiting.
