Geometric Patterns outside of Temple

20170905 slowwalker

I carefully looked around the temple. The name of this temple was Kwanum Am. Kwanum means the goddess of mercy and Am means temple.

But the Am means small size of the Temple. Large size of temple was called as ‘Sa’. Usually Am is attached temple of main temple Sa in many cases. But here the Kwanum Am’s main building looks bigger than Donghak Sa which could be believed main Temple.

I began to look around the temple. At the corner of the temple I found an old traditional rice chest.

It was curious why this rice chest was placed at the corner of temple.

At another corner of the temple I met nun. Nun’s role in Buddhism is quite different from Sisters in Catholic church. Buddhist Nun has a same authority and play same role as a male Buddhist priest. They can preside over the all of ceremonies. There are no differences. Only one difference is the temple where they live. They are strictly seprated.

Here the Kwanum Am is a Nun’s temple. At that time a nun was talking about something with a visiter. I came closer to them.

Nun was explaining the reason of painting this gorgeous colour on the temple. Look the cloth of Nun, that was a kinds of nun’s convenient uniform.

She explained that the origin of this colour was going back to Shilla Dynasty. It might be the first time to mention about Shilla Dynasty. Shilla was the one of the oldest country and the longest kingdom. It had lasted for 992 years (57BC- 935AD). Shilla was the one of the longest kingdom in the world history. I wish to have a chance to post on Shilla Dynasty.

What I heard from Nun was the colour and the patterns were originated from Shilla Dynasty. Nun told that the colour of the Palace and the Temple of Shilla was painted in gold color base. And the patterns were also quite different from common temples. Patterns were very similar to that of Persia.

Nun guided me every corner of the temple to show me the patterns.

under the roof.

pole outside.

side bar of outside

These patterns are geometric style.
How did Shilla think to use these geometric patterns.

Patterns inside the temple were more colourful and beatiful.
I’d like to post next time.