Thursday, June 23, 2011

Momente din Seul 21. Altarul Wongudan / Seoul Moments 21. Wongudan Altar




The Wongudan Temple is a jewel unknown for many of the inhabitants of Seoul. It was erected on 1897, in the period when the king Sojong autoproclaimed himself emperor of the Daehan Empire. As this was a title which made him equal with the Chinese emperor, he also needed a temple for the rituals. During Japanese ocupation, a great part of the complex has been dismantled and a hotel was built there. The octogonal, covered, stone altar, a gate and the stone drums remained. They stay all in the middle of a little park, a place full of grace. It is silence here, a great place to take refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city. It's a pity that this historical place is less advertised and the tourists don't know it. May be this is done because of the big hotel nearby. May be they do not want the tourists to disturb their clients. But I am glad I discovered it!

Altarul Wongudan este o mica bijuterie care ramane necunoscuta chiar si multor locuitori ai capitalei, desi el se afla chiar in City Hall Plaza! Nu i se face prea multa reclama acestui obiectiv si turistii nu stiu despre el.

Aflat in apropierea Palatului Deoksugung (pe care l-ati vazut aici: http://travelinghawk.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html), ceea ce a mai ramas, aminteste de perioada in care regele Sojong s-a autoproclamat imparat al Imperiului Daehan, in 1897. In felul acesta el devenea un egal al imparatului chinez, adica un Fiu al Cerului, care avea nevoie si de un Templu al Cerului, unde sa savarseasca ritualurile sacre. Ritualuri pentru recolte bogate au mai fost savarsite in Coreea inca din perioada celor Trei Regate dar, in timpul erei Joseon, ele au fost abandonate. Reluarea lor tocmai in acel moment reprezenta o manifestare a independentei Coreei fata de China.

Constructorul acestor structuri a fost Sim Uiseok, unul dintre cei mai buni arhitecti regali ai timpului. Initial, complexul era alcatuit dintr-un altar de granit, in trei etaje, folosit pentru sacrificarea animalelor, o fantana si un altar octogonal pe trei nivele, numit Hwanggungu sau Altarul Palatului Galben. In timpul ocupatiei japoneze, in 1913, mare parte din complex a fost daramat, construindu-se pe acel loc un hotel.
Astazi se mai poate vedea doar altarul octogonal, construit in 1899. El este asezat pe o terasa de granit, fiind pazit de mai multe haetae din piatra, creaturi fantastice, mancatoare de foc.
haetae
Locul este dificil de gasit. In City Hall Plaza, se poate vedea poarta recent renovata dar si ea poate trece neobservata datorita cladirilor inalte care se afla in vecinatatea sa.
Fara o informatie obtinuta in prealabil, nu ai banui ca, daca urci treptele care se ridica in spatele sau, ajungi intr-un minuscul parc, unde se afla altarul.  Cateva banci simple, de piatra, azalee inflorite si pini pitici formeaza o mica oaza de liniste in agitatia metropolei. Cand intri aici, parca ai patruns in alta lume.
Parcul este legat printr-o poarta mica, din piatra, de Hotelul Westin.
De jur imprejur, siluete inalte de hoteluri sau sedii de firme.
Urc treptele terasei si ma opresc in fata usii principale de intrare la altar. Un lacat mare atarna pe usa veche. Printr-o crapatura, fac o fotografie a interiorului, atat cat se vede. Nu se poate intra.
Inconjor incet constructia, multumindu-ma sa admir frumoasele culori ale traditionalului dancheon si alte detalii arhitectonice.

Apoi decid sa parasesc locul acesta unde m-am simtit minunat, nu inainte insa de a ma opri sa admir tobele de piatra ale complexului. Ele au fost adaugate in 1902, cand s-a sarbatorit a 40-a aniversare a urcarii pe tron a regelui Gojong. Deoarece erau folosite cand se aduceau jertfe Cerului, au sculptate pe ele dragoni in relief, dragonul fiind simbolul regalitatii.

27 comments:

Swit Rocs said...

De prea multe ori lucrurile cu adevarat frumoase in simplitatea lor se afla chiar sub ochii nostri, dar le pierdem fiindca ne mutam privirea aspura altora mai.. evidente, mai accesibile sau mai impunatoare.
(Mi-a placut foarte mult detaliul acela cu dragonul!)

Doug Hickok said...

Really love the old and new comparisons in your images. I particularly like your detail shots of color and line. What a fantastic setting!

Randy said...

Interesting place. I do love that last shot with the flowers.

Traveling Hawk said...

Si mie mi-a placut dragonul, Rocs! Multumesc pentru comentariu.

Traveling Hawk said...

That contrast between old and new is obviously there, in a small space, Doug! I loved it too.

Traveling Hawk said...

Randy, as everywhere in Seoul, the nature mingles naturally in people's life. It is impossible not to observe it!

ruma said...

Hello, Traveling Hawk.

Your heartwarming poetry and works fascinates everyone feeling.

 Thank you for your kindness.
 Have a good weekend.

Greetings.
ruma

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

At this point I'm just wondering how many times you had to re-charge your camera battery during your South Korea visit?!

Duncan In Kuantan

Madalina Dascalu said...

frumoase locuri

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you so much, Ruma!

Traveling Hawk said...

Ha, ha, Duncan, good point! To be sure, I recharged them every night (but I have 3 sets)

Traveling Hawk said...

asa e, smalldot:)

J_on_tour said...

superb photography of the architectural details even down to the lock on the door.

magda said...

Really, this wonderful place, is a surprise, a small paradise well hidden!
Thank you, because with very interesting and beautiful photos, I traveled to amazing Seoul!!!
Many greetings and good summer!

Traveling Hawk said...

This was fun to do, J_on_tour!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Magda, for your kind appreciation. i wish you a good summer too!

escape said...

amazing that they kept their heritage treasures through the structures. beautiful seoul!

LifeRamblings said...

wow, it seems like there are so many wonderful little surprises awaiting you. thanks for sharing the beauty of Seoul. i enjoy the pictures very much.

VP said...

Some more little pearls for us from Seoul, thank you!

Traveling Hawk said...

You are right, dong ho. It is amazing how Koreans treasure their past and preserve every corner of the city reminding their history.

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Life Ramblings, it was a pleasure to discover this place.

Traveling Hawk said...

You are welcome, VP!

Traveling Hawk said...

Multumesc pentru vizita, aprecieri si inteers. Va voi contacta.

Unknown said...

frumos loc pentru minte si suflet.

Traveling Hawk said...

asa e, pharaonx! e atata liniste acolo, nici nu-ti vine sa crezi ca esti chiar in centrul metropolei.

Liliana said...

Ce negru si misterios arata de la distanta si cand te apropii, gasesti atata culoare ...
Mi-a placut f mult!

Traveling Hawk said...

Vad ca ai luat-o de la cel mai recent spre inapoi, vin dupa tine cu raspunsurile:) Cred ca aflandu-se acolo, in curtea hotelului si nestiind multi despre el, n-au "umblat" prea mult la el, l-au lasat mai aproape de starea naturala. Cei de la hostel nu stiau despre el si o tipa abordata la metrou si-a intrebat pana laurma prietenul la telefon unde este hotelul Westin fiindca nu reuseam sa-l gasim pe harta din metrou! De altfel, citisem pe blogul unui expat (de unde am aflat eu despre existenta sa)ca nici localnicii nu prea mai stiu de el! E pur si simplu o comoara: l-am avut doar pentru mine, in niste momente de liniste absoluta, chiar in inima Seulului!