The most important and beautiful cultural assets in Bulguksa temple look like the pagodas in front of main praying building, Dae Woong Jeon(大雄殿).
Two pagodas are Dabotap(多寶塔) and Seokgatap(釋迦塔)
The meaning of Dabo is ‘many jewelries’. Seokga is the name of Buddha, the pronunciation of which was changed while being translated in Chinese language.
Tap is a tower.
Chinese pronunciation is different from Korea. Naturally Indian pronunciation was changed twice ,in China and in Korea
Finally Shakyamuni became ‘Seokgamoni’ in Korean.
There was some figurative speaking when it comes to these 2 pagodas for long time ago.
Two pagodas were usually compared with man and woman.
Dabotap was likened to a woman, and Seokgatap was likened to a man.
As seeing the photos ,you may understand the reason why.
Dabotap looks very splendid and delicate.
In other hands, Seokgatap looks so simple and in temperance.
At first, let’s look at Dabotap in detail
As you see, this pagoda is well balanced as a whole.
Next one is Seokgatap.
Many specialist evaluated the Seokgatap showed better than Dabotap in showing Korean beauty.
To explain this point of view, I need to show you more photos on Seokgatap
But regretfully I didn’t take the photos in detail on Seokgatap.
I could not understand myself why I didn’t.
More over, the color of photos seemed not so natural
I think I have to visit Bulguksa once more to take photos more in detail.
Here, I’d like to introduce the myth when is comes to Seokgatap.
As I told, Seokgatap was made by the ston mason who lived in Baek Jae Area.
His name was ‘Asadal'. He had a loving beautiful wife ‘Asanyeo’.
Asadal was the most skillful mason, so he was sent to Gyeongju leaving Asanyeo at home.
It had took for long time to making a tower.
Asanyeo truly wanted to see her husband, so she went to Gyeongju from Baek Jae Area on foot.
Finally she arrived at and asked to meet her husband.
But her request was rejected.
At that time, women never enter into the Holy place.
She was told to wait for the job ending.
“When the work is over, the shadow of tower will be reflected on the surface of the pond.”
She had waited for a long time.
But she could not see the shadow at the pond.
She was frustrated and jumped into the pond.
Soon after her death, Asadal finished his work and ran to the lake.
There he just found her body, he gave way to despair.
Finally he jumped into the lake like his wife.
Later people named Seokgatap ‘Muyoungtap(無影塔)’ meaning of ‘No Shadow pagoda’
There is a sad myth behind this tower.
When you visit Bulguksa, please pray for Asadal and Asanyeo.
A pond could be the pond near the front gate.
I referred this pond in previous positing.
Thank you for reading.