User:Waygugin/Hermitages of Hwaeomsa

Since the establishment of Hwaeomsa numerous hermitages have been built in the mountains surrounding the temple, though most have long since disappeared and records are scant.

Non-existant hermitages

The earliest reference to any hermitage is found in the Record of Boseong, according to which King Gyeongdeok ordered 81 hermitages built at Hwaeomsa during the 8th century.

A hermitage named Wonsoam (圓炤庵) was established during the reign of the Goryeo King Chungnyeol (r. 1274–1308). Some sources credit it to National Preceptor Doseon (d.898) and it was said to have a beautiful lotus pond and scenery. The later Hwaeomsa Chronicle quotes a poem by National Preceptor Wongam (1226–92) who wrote that Wonsoam was built by a man surnamed Bak.

頭流西畔放光南, 두류산 서쪽 기슭 서광이 남으로 뺃치니,

卜吉祥墟刱一庵, 길하고 상서로운 자리에 한 암자 짓고,

榛莽化爲鍾鼓地, 잡초 우거진 자리 범음 울리는 소리로 바뀌었네,

大哉功德豈客談, 크도다! 공덕이여 어찌 소흘히 말할 것인가,

想有龍天感至誠, 생각해 보니 용이 지성을 하늘을 감동 시켜,

當見得霑斯善者, 이리 좋은 자리를 얻게 해주셨으니,

與公遊戲聖伽藍. 공과 더불어 성스러운 가람 걸어 볼까나,

— Wongam

The Chroncle also describes a hermitage named Jeokgiam, which dates to the reign of King Gongmin (r. 1351–74). Rendering into English as Crimson Flag Hermitage (赤旗庵), its name originates from the 1380 victory of General Yi Seonggye at Hwangsan over Akibatsu, the Japanese general who lead an incursion of Japanese pirates into Goryeo. The fame Yi garnered with the people from his victory was one factor behind his ascension to the throne in 1392. The hermitage was built at the spot where the vanguard of Yi's force had erected a reg flag. The site was abandoned sometime between the late 17th and early 18th century.

Another hermitage called Chyeongnyeonamm was also established during Goryeo by the monk Chyeongnyeon at the foot of Nogodan peak. During the early Joseon Dynasty the monk Sungin, who was teacher to Seosan, and other elders such as Seokhui, Yukgong and Sinmyeong held a 선회 at Cheongnyeonam in 1560.

During the Joseon Dynasty the monk Geumbong U-ik built Naewonam (內院庵) in 1836. Munsuam (文殊庵, Manjusri Hermitage) was built at the foot of Banyabong, one of Jirisan's highest peaks, by the monk Choun Seomnyul. The hermitage is no longer extant but according to the Chronicle construction took place from 1860 to 1867.

Currently there are eight active hermitages, Gucheungam and Yeongiam among the largest.

Gucheungam

The entrance to the Hall of the Thousand Buddhas at Nine Story Hermitage

The oldest and best preserved hermitage of Hwaeomsa is Gucheungam. Records of this hermitage are scant. The name Gucheungam itself means Nine Story Hermitage (九層庵), a reference to a pagoda of nine stories, which according to the Hwaeomsa Chronicle, was built by the eminent Silla monk Jajang (590–658), although traces of it have yet to be found. In 1771 the eminent monk Bongam held a 경찬법회 at the hermitage. In 1901 about 60 monks and lay persons gathered at Gucheungam to hold a 백련사, an assembly similar in character to a 만일염불회 which drew zen masters such as Namho Gakseon, Powol Yeongsin and Houn Heunju.

The hermitage's main hall is Cheonbulbojeon Hall (千佛寶殿, Hall of the Thousand Buddhas). It is a three by three bay structure with a hipped and gabled roof supported by elaborate multi-clustered brackets. A statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni is enshrined on a staircase-like altar that wraps around the hall's interior, on which are placed a thousand miniature statues of the Buddha. Deities from the native Korean folk religion are venerated inside Susaejeon Hall (壽世殿), including the mountain spirit and the spirits of the Big Dipper. A further two buildings serve as living quarters for monks, the most remarkable of which uses two unfinished wooden posts which look like trees growing out of the ground.

The features of the stone artifacts at Gucheungam indicate they were sculpted in the late Unified Silla or early Goryeo Dynasty–probably in the 10th century. The stone lantern in front of Cheonbulbojeon Hall is almost perfectly preserved in its original condition. It comprises of a base, a shaft (which had to be replaced in 1961), a four sided light box, a roof stone whose eight corners curl up nimbly at the eaves, and a sacred pearl as the finial. It is 2.4m in height, and like other examples from this period is octagonal in shape and decorated with lotus motifs. The hermitage's stone pagoda, which is Local (Jeollanam-do) Tangible Heritage 132, is heavily damaged and laid collapsed on the ground until it was reassembled in 1961. Made of high quality stone, it has a two-tired base with a three story body, but as the third body stone is missing, the third roof stone sits directly on the second, while the finial is only partially intact. A seated Buddha figure is carved in relief on the first body stone.

Other hermitages

One of the largest hermitages is Yeongiam (緣起庵, Yeongi Hermitage), which was named after the monk Yeongi who founded Hwaeomsa, and has seven buildings. The main hall is Daeungsangjeokgwangjeon Hall, a three by two bay structure with a hipped an gabled roof. The hall contains a shrine to the Trikaya, encompassing statues of the Buddha Vairocana, attended by Amitabha and Sakyamuni, and an altar painting. Within the hall there is also a painting of the 104위 신중탱 and a bronze bell cast in 1991. Munsujeon Hall (文殊殿, Hall of Manjusri) has statues of the bodhisattvas Manjusri, Avalokiteśvara, and Ksitigarbha as well as paintings of The Vulture Peak Assembly, Ksitigarbha, and 제석천룡도. The hermitage's other buildings include Gwaneumjeon Hall, Ilmaekdang Hall, Wonyongdang Hall, Jeongmyeoldang Hall and Jiseokdang Hall.

In 1562 the monk Seoreung established Geumjeongam (金井庵, Golden Well Hermitage), though all but three structures were lost to a fire in 1990. A temple bell cast in 1667 and a painting of the 신장탱화 from the reign of King Cheoljong (r. 1850–1863) are kept in Chilseongjeon Hall (七星殿, Hall of the Seven Stars). The painting of the Seven Stars (Big Dipper), was executed in 1872. The Tejaprabha Buddha is seated on a lotus throne at the center of the canvas, attended by the Bodhisattvas Suryaprabha on the left and Candraprabha on the right. The Buddhas of the Seven Stars are arranged two groups of four on the right and three on the left of Tejaprabha. On the right are 운의통증, 금색성취, 광달지변, 약사유리; while to the left are 광음자재, 최승길상, and 법해유희. The figures below the Tejaprabha represent the Chinese constellation (삼태성, 三台星), while the figures surrounding them from below and to the sides represent the 28 constellations. To the right of Candraprabha are the Seven Guardians of the Big Dipper (칠원성군, 七元星君). A group of ten deva guardians (천동) are behind Suryaprabha and a further three behind Candraprabha on the right, for a total of thirteen. Unusually, the representives of the 삼태성 are painted with halos while the 칠원성군 are not.

Among the smaller hermitages are Jijangam (地藏庵, Ksitigarbha Hermitage), which is made up of Bogwangjeon Hall (普光殿, Hall of Boundless Light) and three dormitories. The hermitage of Cheonggyeam (聽溪庵) is just a single residence for monks but a statue of the Buddha Amitabha made in 1992 is enshrined inside. Bongcheonam (鳳泉庵) was built in 1846 by the monk Hwanbong to honor the final wishes of his master Geumbong Uik. It is located behind Gucheungam and is is made up of Sanwanggak Hall (山王閣, Mountain King Hall), built in 1846, and a dormitory.

Bojeokam (寶積庵) was established in 1630 by the monk Iro. According to sources, this hermitage was one of the most picturesque sites in the kingdom and drew hundreds of meditative practitioners. It was restored in 1784 by the monk Hakchan and in 1785 the monk Yeongsong Chungnyeon gave lectures on Zen meditation. In 1848 the monk Gyeongbong, one of Hwaeomsa's most eminent priests of the late Joseon period and a master of the Flower Garland Sutra, gave a series of very memorable lectures at Bojeokam. Although little has come down about him, a description of his talks were inscribed on the stupa erected by his disciples following his death. In 1901 the monk Hwanwol organized a 선불장 at the hermitage, where worshipers could gather to partake in the study and practice of Zen meditation. Speakers such as the monks Bak Hanyeong (1870–1948), better known as Jeongho, and Jin Jineung, who was abbot of Hwaeomsa for about 20 years and whose memorial stele is still extant there, were said to have drawn large crowds.