by Toni Dabbs

Pulguksa Temple and Sokkuram Grotto form a religious architectural complex of exceptional significance. Perhaps the most important Buddhist site in South Korea and the greatest achievement of the Silla Dynasty, it is the destination of an almost constant stream of pilgrims.

The Silla Dynasty ruled the southeastern corner of the Korean peninsula from 35 BCE to 935 CE, beginning around the time of Julius Caesar and lasting until after the death of Charlemagne. This long period of stability was greatly influenced by Buddhism, which was used to maintain a rigid social structure wherein a citizen’s stature was determined from birth.

Through taxes, commoners financed extravagant and scholarly lifestyles for members of the upper classes. By the seventh and eighth centuries, the educated elite had made great strides in art, architecture, science and technology. They erected magnificent temples in and around Kyongju, the Silla capital, where people prayed to Buddha for protection against war and other disasters.

But the peasants finally rebelled during the ninth century, splitting the Silla kingdom into two rival states. As disgruntled farmers abandoned their fields, tax revenues declined. In 935, the last of the Silla rulers, bankrupt and powerless, surrendered the throne.

By the time the Republic of Korea was established in 1948, the splendor of Silla’s golden age was all but forgotten. However, a number of gently sloping mounds in Kyongju marked the tombs of Silla rulers and nobility. Recent archaeological digs at these mounds have uncovered thousands of artifacts from the period.

Like the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, Silla rulers were buried with various items they thought might be needed in the afterlife. Many such artifacts are displayed at the Kyongju National Museum. In addition, Ch’onmach’ong, the Heavenly Horse Tomb, excavated in 1973, is open to visitors to show how the burial mounds were constructed.

Other Silla structures in the city include the Chomsongdae Observatory, a mathematically precise stone tower built in the seventh century as a platform for monitoring movements of the stars.

Scattered around the outskirts of Kyongju are other Silla sites, including Pulguksa Temple and Sokkuram Grotto.

About 16 kilometers southeast of Kyongju is Pulguksa Temple, a compound of gardens, pagodas and pavilions arranged over a gently sloping hillside. The temple was first built in 535 during the reign of King Pophung (414 - 540), but it was expanded in 751 during the reign of King Kyongdok (742 - 765). It houses one of the oldest surviving monasteries in Korea and exemplifies the great architectural achievements of the Silla Dynasty.

The name Pulguksa means land of Buddha, and the compound was designed to represent the blissful home of Buddha on earth. It is well known for its graceful stone staircases, which are referred to as bridges because they connect the secular world to the land of Buddha. They are the oldest stone bridges in Korea.

Located on the main courtyard is a worship hall enshrining a gilt-bronze Buddha triad. In front of the hall is a famous pair of pagodas, the simplicity of one emphasizing the complexity of the other. The Sokka-t’ap Pagoda has three stories of simple yet graceful proportions. The Tapot’ap Pagoda demonstrates the skill of Silla masons, its shrine supported by a roof-like square slab resting on four pillars and massive brackets, which in turn stand on an elevated platform approached by four staircases.

In 1593, Japanese invaders set fire to Pulguksa when they discovered weapons hidden in one of its shrines. The fire destroyed all wooden structures in the compound. Reconstruction began in 1604 and continued over 150 years, but the temple never regained its former splendor.

Most of the current wooden buildings and cloisters are 1970s reproductions of original eighth century architecture, but reconstruction was accomplished using authentic methods and materials. Locations and outlines of these structures are based on foundations discovered during excavations in 1969.

From Pulguksa, a winding road leads up the forested flank of Mount T’oham to the Sokkuram Grotto, which shelters a finely sculpted stone Buddha. The Buddha’s back is against the mountain, his right hand touches the earth in a gesture signifying firm resolve in the face of adversity, and his eyes gaze toward the East Sea.

The grotto is not a natural cave. Large white granite blocks were partially embedded in the mountainside and placed next to each other to form an elongated antechamber and the inner rotunda where the Buddha is enshrined. The elegant three-meter-high statue is seated on a lotus shaped pedestal, surrounded by relief carvings of 10 disciples and two Bodhisattvas (men or women who postpone their own enlightenment in order to help others attain enlightenment). The antechamber features relief carvings of guardian deities and space for religious ceremonies and meditation.

Built in 751, Sokkuram originally included a natural ventilation system that protected the Buddha statue from moisture damage. However, between 1913 an 1915, Japanese invaders began disassembling the grotto and then hastily sealed it closed with cement, eliminating ventilation and causing irreparable damage to the statue.

During the 1960s, the South Korean government restored the grotto, adding a front facade that includes drainage, ventilation and dehumidification systems to prevent further damage to the shrine. But unfortunately, visitors must now view the Buddha through glass.

Nonetheless, the beauty and power of the Buddha is evident. His warm smile and compassionate expression help make the statue one of the finest examples of Korean sculpture. And the unique construction of the grotto fits harmoniously into the natural surroundings.

Because of their importance to Buddhism and Buddhism’s importance to the political, cultural and scientific achievements of the Silla Dynasty, Pulguksa Temple and the Sokkuram Grotto were given the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1995.