Temple Stay: Daily Rites -- Yebul (Pre-dawn Ceremony)

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In the pre-dawn darkness, the gentle, rhythmic sound of the Moktak (wooden gong) and the chants of a monk break the silence, awakening everyone within the temple grounds. The melodic chanting is followed by the playing of four larger percussion instruments - the drum, the wooden fish, the cloud gong, and the large bell.

Then, after everyone has filed into the Main Buddha Hall, the pre-dawn homage service begins - chanting to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Predecessors. This ritual has been performed daily in Korean temples for as long as can be remembered. The sound of chanting echoing in the halls of large temples is particularly moving.