| Halla-san Gwan-eum-sa Jeju's Largest Temple |
| Nobody is sure who first founded Halla-san Gwan-eum-sa, but it existed by about 1700 in the Joseon Dynasty under the name Beob-jeong-am. It fell into disuse and ruins in late Joseon, but was recon-structed by monk An Bongno in 1908, as he revived Buddhism on Jeju Island. It was unfortunately destroyed during the Cheju civil war of 1948-50 (the "4.3 Massacre"; it now contains many memorial sites for the victims outside of its main compound. Today its spacious grounds are arranged like a public park, and it is the most-visited temple on the island. It serves as Headquarters Temple for the Jogye Order's 23rd District (all of Jeju Province). |
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| Myself at the front gate [Ilchu-mun], Guardian statues and the Second Gate behind. The signboard reads right-to-left: Han-ra-san Gwan-eum-sa. This temple is named for the very popular Bodhisattva of Compassion, called Gwanse-eum or just Gwan-eum in Korea. |
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| LEFT: the new Sam-seong-gak [Three Saints Shrine], way back up the slope in the forest, not yet painted. The San-shin altar can be seen through the center doors; center is the highest-status position. BELOW: the San-shin painting (same one as in 1986), gold-on-black in an echo of ancient illustrations of Buddhist sutras. The new granite San-shin statue was Shamanically veiled, still wrapped up in white cloth and paper. Its unveiling ceremony was held in 9/03. |
| The finely-detailed Dok-seong painting is matched with the San-shin. Servants prepare tea for him in the background. But there is no new granite statue for him... |