Comments on: Trip to Ganghwa Island

By: Hanok Anglican Churches of Ganghwa Island (and Jeondeungsa, too!) | The Marmot's Hole

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:06:32 +0000

[...] the Jeondeungsa, one of Korea’s most beautiful Buddhist temples. You’ve probably seen earlier photos of Jeondeungsa, but here are some more [...]

By: sewing

sewing — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 07:28:21 +0000

Thanks for more pix of that church, Marmot…it’s really one of a kind!

By: JiMong

JiMong — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 05:15:53 +0000

Many thanks, Robert!

By: Grumpy

Grumpy — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:37:04 +0000

If they had a few more “monkey women” barmaids these days soldiers might stay out of trouble.

By: Robert Koehler

Robert Koehler — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:09:26 +0000

All in the effort to provide you, the reader, with more edifying content.

By: robert neff

robert neff — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:53:58 +0000

Once again Marmot…fantastic. I always enjoy the little tidbits that you dig up that add to the value of the great pictures.

P.S….I also thought they were monkeys

By: SomeguyinKorea

SomeguyinKorea — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:23:34 +0000

Sorry about the very obvious typo.

By: SomeguyinKorea

SomeguyinKorea — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:21:18 +0000

“Legend has it the carpenter who built the structure did this to enact revenge on a local barmaid with whom he’d fallen in love. The carpenter made the mistake of giving the woman all his money, and the woman repaid his affection by taking his money and running off with another man. Now she gets to hold up the temple roof for all eternity.”

I wonder if this is the story is true or if paternalistic Confuciunists could have altered the orginal symbolism of the statues.

By: sanshinseon

sanshinseon — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:59:44 +0000

Beautiful and inspiring pix again, thanks.

That “naked barmaid” sure does look like a monkey!!

By: Antti

Antti — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:48:44 +0000

Robert: They say it’s done in Western basilica-style, but to me, it feels more like a big hanok. It’s probably the roof.

There’s the nave in the middle and the aisles on the sides, and windows in the - let’s see what Wiki says - clerestory, that is, in the walls above the aisles, so a basilica it is.