After hiking up the steep trail to the Korean Bell of Friendship in Angels Gate Park (San Pedro, CA), I discovered that there is a road up the back side of the hill. So much for reading the tourist literature after you arrive at the site!
The
Korean Bell of Friendship is a massive 8 inch thick bell that is 7.5 feet in
diameter and 12 feet in height, weighing over 17 tons. The bell is made from an
alloy of copper and tin, with gold, nickel, lead, and phosphorus added to give
the bell a rich tone quality.
The
bell is modeled after the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok the Great of Silla (aka
Emille Bell) that was cast in 771 AD for the Bongdeok Temple. The Emille Bell
is the largest bell ever cast in Korean history and is now located in the National
Museum of Gyeongju. The Korean Bell of Friendship is only slightly smaller than
the Emille Bell and both bells are some of the largest bells in the world.
The
Korean Bell of Friendship was presented to the American People in 1976 by the
Republic of Korea to celebrate the United States bicentennial and to symbolize
the friendship between the two nations.
The
intricately-decorated bell includes four pairs of figures and each pair includes
a “Goddess of Liberty” (Statue of Liberty) and a "Seonnyeo" (Korean Spirit Figure
holding a rose branch of Sharon, a branch of laurel, and a dove). In Korean
tradition, the bell does not have a clapper, but is sounded by striking the
bell with a large wooden log. Ceremony ringing of the bell occurs five times
each year – January (Korean-American Day), July 4th (US Independence
Day), August 15th (Korean Independence Day), September (Constitution
Week), and December (New Year’s Eve). Call for exact times.
The
bell is housed in a pagoda-like pavilion known as the Belfry of Friendship,
which was constructed on-site by 30 craftsmen that were flown in from Korea.
The pavilion is a traditional design that is axially symmetric with a pyramidal
roof supported by twelve columns. Each column is guarded by a carved animal
representing the Korean Zodiac signs. The pavilion painting design and colors
are known as “dancheong” in Korea. Climbing the steep trail was worth it!
(Picture by Kolohe)
(Picture by Kolohe)
(Picture by Kolohe)
(Picture by Kolohe)
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