Jogyesa is one of
the most revered Buddhist temples in Korea and could be found in the northern
district of Jongno in Seoul. I found it after wandering about for half an hour
or so trying to find Hyewa-dong, where Filipinos convene every Sunday to go to mass.
The temple, with its location along a major road, is not so hard to locate. If
taking the metro you just have to stop at Jonggak station and then head north
away from the Bosingak (Belfry) and the Jongno Tower. You don't have to ID the
said tower. You will recognize it right away given its unique architectural
design.
Before the Jogyesa
is a smaller temple, the Korea Postal Memorial housing an exhibit on the history
of the Korean post. Jogyesa has three golden giant Buddhas inside and a narrow
space for worshippers. To its left is an open area where more devotees could
join the chanting. There are Monobloc chairs there that can be used. There is
also a fountain adorned with colorful lanterns that cover the entire area. Next
to the temple is a mini palace and the Tourist Information center where you can
inquire regarding a possible temple experience via Temple Stay.
After taking some
videos and photos I decided to join the people outside. So I got my own
Monobloc chair and just sat there. The monk was chanting something that sounded
like, "Zanjoe's Ham. Zanjoe's Ham." This went on for around 45
minutes before he changed tempo and started chanting fast, as if rapping a la
Eminem. What I found awesome was the stamina of those middle-aged women doing a
routine set of stand up - genuflect - kiss the floor. They did it without
stopping. It's cool in the sense that you get not only inner peace but also
free cardio, both of which are beneficial for the body and the mind.
I stayed there for
an hour just listening to the chanting while watching the worshippers do
cardio. It was really relaxing. I felt so stress free afterwards, which I
really needed because I was headed to Insadong. Isn't it cool to find serenity
in an old Buddhist temple amidst an area dwarfed by sky scrapers and just a few
blocks away from a bustling market road? Seoul is, without a doubt, a city of
contrasts.
JONGNO-GU: 01 - Peace of Mind and Chant-Rap at Jogyesa
2 creature/s gave a damn:
Beautiful structures! I really love seeing temples since most of them have a long history associated with them. Also, their architecture are just awesome, they (usually) reflect the traditional architecture of the country they're in. :)
True. Wait 'til you see the palaces. They just make you stop and stare. I did a walking tour of four of them and I just wanted to enroll in a Korean History and Culture MA class all of a sudden, hahaha. Awestruck.
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