July 6, 2012

We started the morning by visiting Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan. Because of Hyundai, Ulsan is one of the most heavily industrialized regions of South Korea. Per capita GNP is twice the national average. The total area is 2,200 acres and it houses the largest Hyundai Plant in the world. Fifty five percent of the cars produced here are exported. Hyundai acquired Kia in 1999, and together they control nearly 80% of the domestic market. We begin with a tour of the museum covering the life and works of the Hyundai founder Chung Ju -Yung and the history of HHI. This shipyard was initiated in 1972, five years after the founding of Hyundai motors. Before Hyundai came here, Ulsan was a fishing village, but the town exploded in growth thanks to Hyundai. The company has built hospitals, schools, hotels, colleges, malls, apartment complexes, and just about anything else you can name. The first ship launched from here in 1974; the 1000th ship launched in 2000. HHI has eleven dry docks, the largest of which can hold a one million ton ship. It is currently the number one ship builder in the world. They have constructed off shore drilling structures for Exxon. HHI now imports construction vehicles to over 120 countries nationwide. Later we took a forty minute winding trip on the bus to Seokguram Grotto. Seokguram Grotto was the last stop on the continental silk road. You cannot enter the grotto itself, but you can walk up to the glass wall and look into it. ( I say "walk" but first you have to hike to the top of the mountain. ) No pictures are allowed inside, unfortunately. It was a grand sight. The Buddha sits surrounded by twelve disciples. It is carved of a solid piece of granite and the grotto was built around it. At a lower temple sits a Sansin or mountain god, the quintessential symbol of Shamanism, symbolizing the connection between Buddhism and Shamanism. Before leaving the complex I had a chance to ring the Buddhist temple bell. Four kilometres down the mountain is the Bulguksa temple. Bulguska has two pagodas.

Most Buddhist temples only had one. Forty steps lead to the temple, symbolizing the forty spiritual steps Buddhists must take in order to reach Nirvana. This golden Buddha sits in between two golden Bodhisattvas. We visited all of the temples on site, and had the opportunity to go inside Supreme Bliss Hall and kneel at the foot of the Buddha. You must take off your shoes and wear socks in the shrine. On the way out of the temple complex we passed through the gate with the four temple guardians- one for each of the four directions.