This is from a series of films by Global Television shot all over world, giving well photographed introductions to various places, of which we will be focusing on the ones of interest to Buddhists.
The films are quite light introductions to their subjects, mainly good photography, well chosen soundtracks, and a reasonable, but sometimes inaccurate, narration giving a cultural and historical introduction to its subject.
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This week’s episode looks at the remote temple of Haeinsa in the mountaineous regions of southern Korea. It was established in the 9th c. during the Silla period, but most of the buildings now are from the 15th c. onward.
Haeinsa is most notable for being the home of the Tripitaka Koreana, a collection of the Mahāyāna Scriptures, carved onto 81,350 wooden printing blocks, which it has housed since 1398, though this film doesn’t dwell much on that.
Instead we see its idyllic setting, the magnificent architecture and see something of the rituals that are carried out at the temple, which is one of the main temples of the Jogye Order.