In Andong we visited: Bongjeongsa Temple, Adong Hahoe Village and slept in the traditional home of a famous scholar named Yi Hwang (who's face is on Korean currency).
The temple is said to have been built in 672 during the reign of King Munmu of the Silla dynasty. The oldest wooden building in Korea stands in this temple.
The Hahoe Village was built in the 16th century during the Joseon Dynasty. It has been a working "one-clan community" since that time. The Yu clan established it all those years ago and continues to dwell there. One old man (who lived in the village) told his story (that was translated by our Korean mom) to us while he was out on his evening walk. He explained that his family line has passed down for generations in the same home. It was a special experience to say the least! This village still practices ancient folk traditions like the Mask Dance Drama, and has preserved many of it's original structures and ancient architecture.
The man with the cane (to the right and in-front of Luke) is the local who was telling his story.
We slept in the home of a man from the 16th century named Yi Hwang (but went by the pen name of Toegye Tul). He was famous for a number of reasons; he started the most famous private Confucian academy in Korea, he was the foremost Korean Confucian who shaped the character of Korean Confucianism, developed a "curriculum" for educating the king, and through out his life he held 29 government positions.
This was a very basic house, with several separate building (of one room each). The buildings were elevated, and heated by a fire built underneath; so that the heat came up through the floors. Women slept in one room and men in the other, both on the floor.
0 comments:
Post a Comment