Pagyesa is a subsidiary temple of Donghwasa, the main temple of the 9th parish of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is located near Palgongsan in Jungdae-dong, Dong-gu, Daegu, in the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do.
A popular time to visit the temple is during October and November when the leaves are changing colors.
[edit] History
Pagyesa was first built by the priest Shimji in 804 A.D. (the 5th year of the reign of King Aejang of the Shilla Dynasty), and was reconstructed in 1605 during the Joseon Dynasty by priest Gyegwan. In 1695, priest Hyeoneung rebuilt the temple for the third time in the 21st year of King Sukjong’s reign. Hyeoneung is also known for having built the Giyeong-guk Pavilion at the temple in 1696, which has been designated as Daegu Cultural Property Material No.11. It is said that King Sukjong (r. 1674-1720) asked Hyeoneung to pray for the birth of a Crown Prince to succeed him, and Yeongjo’s birth was the result. Meaning "pavilion dedicated to praying for (King) Yeongjo" (r. 1724-1778, Giyeong-gak enshrines not only King Yeongjo, but also King Seongjo (r. 1567-1608), Sukjong and Deokjung.
There is a stone tablet near the pavilion that was erected in 1696, with an inscription that reads in hanja, “Everyone, both high and low in rank, must dismount their horse.” There is another tablet hanging at the nearby Seongjeon-am Hermitage, with the inscription, “Hyeoneung-jeon” (meaning “Pavilion of Priest Hyeoneung”), which they say King Yeongjo wrote at the age of 11.
Daebi-am Hermitage, further up from Pagyesa.
Pagyesa is also noted for the relics discovered within the torso of a seated wooden image of Avalokiteshvara, or the Bodhisattva of Mercy, in 1979, when the statue was being mended. Designated as Treasure No. 992, the relics (a prayer script and a royal garment) are dated from the reign of King Yeongjo and the garment is believed to have been worn by the King himself. Pagyesa currently has 17 temple buildings, including Wontong-jeon (Daegu Tangible Cultural Property No. 7), Jindong-nu (Daegu Cultural Property Material No.10), and other buildings. In addition, there is a two-meter tall octagonal statue in front of the Buddha Hall, royal gifts of two glass beads and two folding screens granted by King Sukjong and the stone stupas of three monks including that of Hyeoneung, which were dedicated in 1701 in the 27th year of King Sukjong’s reign. Pagyesa has several small affiliated hermitages, including Hyeonni-am, Geumdang-am, Seongjeon-am, Daebi-am and Chilseong-am.
[edit] Buildings
[edit] Jindong-nu
Since its construction in 1715, the Jindong-nu Pavilion has been used to hold grand Buddhist services. Located in front of the Main Hall, the pavilion also functions as the gateway to the central court of the temple. It has a width of 5 kan and is 3 kan deep. Colorfully designed wing-shaped brackets support the eaves from the top of the massive pillars. There are two kinds of these decorative pieces, single and double, and their style can tell us when the building was constructed. Using double wooden brackets attached to the pillars, Jingdong-nu Pavilion is a most representative example of the traditional architecture of the late Joseon Dynasty. This two-story pavilion has a central passage and stairway leading to the upper terrace and two storerooms behind the left and right bay on the ground floor. The upper story of the pavilion is composed of a spacious wooden floor, where Buddhist ceremonies are held.
[edit] Wontong-jeon
Wontong-jeon has been renovated twice. It was newly rebuilt in 1605 after it had been burnt down in the Japanese invasion of 1592, and it was remodeled in its present form in 1695. Built on a high platform, Wontong-jeon is the central building of Pagyesa. The Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is enshrined atop a delicately designed pedestal. The pedestal itself is artistically significant in sculpture along with the Sumi-dan pedestal at Eunhaesa Temple in Yeongcheon, which was designated by the government as a National Treasure.
The hall is a 3 kan structure with a gabled roof and round pillars supported on undressed natural stones. The eaves are bracketed in a multi-cluster style, which is a typical architectural design feature used during the Joseon Dynasty.
[edit] Jeongmuk-dang
Meaning “Hall of Calm Silence”, the Jeongmuk-dang is located to the east of Wontong-jeon, facing Seolseon-dang across the central court at Pagyesa. Although the original hall is said to have been established in 804 and repaired in 1620, the present structure dates from renovation work in 1920 after its reconstruction in 1695. The Jeongmuk-dong is an L-shaped building with a hip-and-gable roof and a width of 6 kan along the front. The other leg of the building is also 6 kan in length. Less elaborate than the Seolsan-dang, it provides a good example of the simple elegance of the architecture of the Joseon Period.
[edit] Hiking Route
The gate leading to Pagyesa is more for vehicular traffic, however, one can walk the 1 km trek to Pagyesa with not too much difficulty. If you follow the road that veers to the left of the parking lot at Pagyesa, you will see a sign pointing towards a path leading under a bridge. This path leads to a 1.1 km climb to Pagye Ridge (파계재), which connects with the peaks of Palgongsan. An alternate route that Koreans prefer is, instead of taking that first path, keep following the road the veers northwest of the temple. This road will eventually take you past Daebi-am Hermitage (대비암). Following the lower road past the hermitage will take you around and up another incline that leads to a parking lot. From here, you can make the trek to Pagye Ridge, where you'll pass Seongjeon-am Hermitage (성전암) along the way. From the ridge, you can continue on to Dongbong Peak of Palgongsan, where you can climb down to reach Donghwasa Temple.
[edit] Directions
From Dongdaegu Station, you can take bus #401, which will end up in bus parking area, south of the gate leading to Pagyesa. From the bus parking lot, you must walk for about 20 minutes to reach the temple area. In addition to #401, buses #101 and 101-1 also go here.
[edit] External Links
