Gyeongju-Busan-Seoul Day 3 (Part 2) – visit to Seokguram Grotto with the Gyeongju City Tour

5 May 2012

The Seokguram Grotto is located on a hill above the Bulguksa Temple and this place is not too well served by public bus. The bus #12 departs every hour from Bulguksa Temple. Long wait if you missed a bus. Our City Tour Bus brought us up to the top. However, to get to the Seokguram Grotto, we need to walk quite a distance from the entrance and vehicle park. It was almost level walk. This place was crowded with many tour groups, confirming that this is a major attraction in Gyeongju. The guide gave some instructions on when to regroup and we were then on our own. We followed the mass of people on a shaded footpath, carved on the side of the hill towards the main temple site.  Little squirrels are out and about and they created some excitement for some people.

An explosion of colour greeted us when we arrived. Lord Buddha’s Birthday is on 28 May and the devotees are getting ready for a big celebration at all Buddhist temples in South Korea. The temple is decorated with colourful lanterns put up by the devotees.

Seokguram Grotto site dressed in colour. The building at the top is the entrance to the grotto, where visitors can view the majestic figure of Buddha carved in granite.

It is a photographer’s dream to see such colours amid the greenery of the mountain.

Explosion of colours! Lanterns to celebrate Budhha’s birthday on May 28.

Shadows of the lanterns made interesting patterns on the ground.

Kid putting up a lantern on a ladder, under supervision by his dad.

After a level walk to get here, we need to go up a steep flight of steps to get to the entrance of the grotto. From here, the views of the countryside was magnificent.

Breath-taking views of Gyeongju countryside from the entrance of the grotto.

Entrance to the grotto to view the Buddha. There are various figures surrounding the main granite statue of Buddha.

Picture of the granite Buddha inside (taken from brochure).

Seokguram is regarded as the best Asian Buddhist works. A large granite Buddha sits in the center of a round hall. Behind and on the sides of the hall, surrounding the Buddha, are other sculptures of figures.

According to the brochure given, there are 2 Devas, 2 Bodhisattvas, 10 standing Arhants, an eleven-headed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, 8 Guardian Gods, 4 Heavenly Guardians. A clear glass separated the visitors from the Buddha and the inside is narrow and crowded with visitors. So it was not possible to linger and appreciate the carvings in the grotto for too long. We went in twice, so as to get a second look. We actually spent more time admiring the scenery and taking pictures of the colourful lanterns outside.

Typical details on a lantern.

More colourful lanterns on the outside of the building where visitors can the inside of the grotto. No photos are allowed.

Before long, we realised that the allocated time was almost up and we needed to get back to the bus. So, it was a hurried walk-a-jog back to the entrance. There was a big bell in a pavilion near the vehicle park where visitors could ring the bell for a small fee and get some blessing of good fortune in return. We did not have time to do that. So it was up the tour bus, dressed in perspiration and right on time!

As the only foreigners in the group, we had to leave a good impression and not be late.