Thursday, April 14, 2005


Here is a giant golden pagoda in Cheongju. This is the center of a unique religion in Korea. I can't remember the name of the religion right now, and I can't find it on the internet, so for now, it will remain unnamed. The basic practices (from what I'm told) focus on communicating and appealing to one's dead ancestors. Also, central to the religion, is the idea that a messiah will come to save the faithful and ressurrect their ancestors. The followers give up their personal belongings and live near this temple. They believe the messiah's return is near, so they pray in a nearby temple both night and day.This 5-storied pagoda is painted entirely in real gold - both outside and inside. The premises are guarded with many dogs (I guess to discourage theives). We were given a tour of the inside of this temple and another by a lady at the front gate. I was told it was ok to take pictures, so I did! Seeing everything painted in gold was really amazing. This temple sure stands out from far away. Posted by Hello

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