Yeonmi-sa

Andong, Korea

Yeonmisa is a small temple located next to, and associated with, the Jebiwon Buddha (previous pages). Yeonmi means "swallowtail" in English; the name recalls a legend that when one of the carvers of the Jebiwon statue accidentally fell from the boulder, his spirit was transformed into a swallow that flew off to paradise. The site has a long association with these birds; "Jebiwon" means "Swallow Guesthouse," and we were told that originally there was a guesthouse in the area where officials could change horses and spend an evening on their way to Seoul.

As seen here, the temple is typical of contemporary Buddhist worship in Korea: the altar with its statues and offerings, deity paintings on the wall, votives on the ceiling, microphones, and a digital clock to regulate the temple activities. From left to right, the statues on the altar are Avalokiteshvara, Shakyamuni, and Manjushri.

The lady arranging things on the altar is a temple worker.