Korea
Toksan Provincial Park
- featuring -
- the Sudok-sa Temple -
2021-11-19: Page initiated -
2021-11-020: Page updated and finished -
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 - -
2000-32-001 - Toksan - Toksungsan hillside studded with big boulders, - and temple roofs - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-0+51 - Toksan - up the slopes of Toksungsan mountain - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-082
Toksan - big rock on the hill side -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-057 - Toksan - passing a Buddhist site on the trail, - the Kyonsongam hermitage - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-055 - Toksan - the Buddha at Kyonsongam - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-074 - Toksan - on the trail towards the top, - view to Sudok-sa temple - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-078 - Toksan - one of the characteristic big boulders on the slopes of Toksungsan - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-059 - Toksan - finally on the top of Toksungsan, - a modest 495 m. above sea level - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-059 - Toksan - a pleasant trail -, and big boulder - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-060 - Toksan - view from Toksungsan - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-30-098 - Sudok-sa - the gate housing the temple guardians of Sudok-sa temple - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-30-099 - Sudok-sa - a pair of fierce looking temple guardians - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-30-100 - Sudok-sa - and the other pair, - equally fierce looking - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-002 - Sudok-sa - the Sudok-sa temple - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-003 - Sudok-sa - the great entrance hall - - it houses a very interesting Buddhist museum, - well worth to visit - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-005 - Sudok-sa - a closer look at the main entrance hall - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-013 -Sudok-sa - against the light, - the entrance hall - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-016 - Sudok-sa - the temple grounds - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-019 - udok-sa - the temple grounds with the old main hall to the right - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-038 - 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)
2000-31-044 - Sudok-sa - architectural details of the old main hall - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-029 - Sudok-sa - a new hall, - in perfect harmony - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-031 - Sudok-sa - with some great "Dan Chung" painting - It does not come better than that! - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-025 - Sudok-sa - the temple bell - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-022 - Sudok-sa - the temple drums - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-046
Sudok-sa - details -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
2000-31-045 - Sudok-sa - interior - (Photography by Karsten Petersen)