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Jungsaengsa Temple – 중생사 (Gyeongju)
Temple History Jungsaengsa Temple is located on the northwestern part of Mt. Nangsan (99.5 m) in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Jungsaengsa Temple is a branch temple of Bulguksa Temple. Jungsaengsa Temple was first founded in 679 A.D. Also, and alongside Baengnyulsa Temple and Minjangsa Temple, Jungsaengsa Temple was central to the worship of Gwanseeum-bosal during Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.). After this point in history, however, very little is known about Jungsaengsa Temple and when it eventually fell into disrepair. Jungsaengsa Temple would eventually be reconstructed in the 1940’s on the old temple site. And today, there are a handful of temple structures at Jungsaengsa Temple. Jungsaengsa Temple is home to the Rock-Carved…
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Wonwonsa Temple – 원원사 (Gyeongju)
Temple History Wonwonsa Temple is located in the southeastern part of Gyeongju and east of Mt. Bongseosan (360.8 m). Wonwonsa Temple was first built during Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.). The temple is believed to have first been built by the monks Anhye and Nangyung, who were esoteric Buddhist monks, as well as Kim Yu-sin (595-673 A.D.), Kim Ui-won and Kim Sul-jong. In fact, and alongside Sacheonwangsa Temple and Geumgwangsa Temple, Wonwonsa Temple was a leading esoteric Buddhist temple during Unified Silla and the early part of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). And much like other temples built at this time during the early part of Unified Silla like Gameunsa Temple and…
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Jusaam Hermitage – 주사암 (Gyeongju)
Hermitage History The little known Jusaam Hermitage is located on Mt. Obongsan (632.8 m) in western Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Jusaam Hermitage is a branch temple of the famed Bulguksa Temple, and it was purportedly founded by Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.) during the reign of King Munmu of Silla (r. 661-681 A.D.). As for how the hermitage got its name, it’s related to a myth that’s told in the “Shinjeungdonggukyeoji Seungram.” There’s another myth concerning Jusaam Hermitage and why it’s located where it is. While constructing the Busanseong Fortress in 663 A.D., which is Korean Historic Site #25, Uisang-daesa predicted that if the hermitage was placed inside the fortress, the Silla Dynasty would…
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Sambulsa Temple – 삼불사 (Gyeongju)
Temple History Sambulsa Temple, which means “Three Buddhas Temple” in English, is located on the northwest side of Mt. Namsan (494 m) in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It’s believed that the stone triad dates back to the early 7th century. They are believed to be the oldest full-sized stone Buddhist statues in Gyeongju. In fact, they are believed to be some of the earliest examples of Buddhist art in all of Korea. Sambulsa Temple was constructed in 1923 to house the Stone Standing Buddha Triad in Bae-dong. The historic triad is Korean Treasure #63. Originally, the Stone Standing Buddha Triad in Bae-dong was located further up the mountain at the Seonbangsa-ji Temple…
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Mangdeoksa-ji Temple Site – 망덕사지 (Gyeongju)
Temple Site History Mangdeoksa-ji Temple Site is located in and among the rice fields of Gyeongju just south of Mt. Nangsan (99.5 m) and Sacheonwangsa-ji Temple Site. Mangdeoksa Temple means “Aspiring Virtue Temple” in English. There is some debate as to when the temple was completed, but the Flagpole Supports at Mangdeoksa-ji Temple Site were erected in 685 A.D. And even if this date isn’t believed, it’s assumed by most historians that the temple was built either during the reign of King Sinmun of Silla (r. 681-692 A.D.) or King Munmu of Silla (r. 661-681 A.D.). The Mangdeoksa-ji Temple Site has an interesting connection to the neighbouring the Sacheonwangsa-ji Temple…
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Jingwangsa Temple – 진광사 (Gyeongju)
Temple History Jingwangsa Temple is located in eastern Gyeongju near the East Sea and the famous the Gameunsa-ji Temple Site. Unlike the majority of Korean Buddhist temples that fall under one of three main Buddhist orders – the Jogye-jong Order, the Taego-jong Order, and the Cheontae-jong Order – Jingwangsa Temple belongs to the Jodong-jong Order. The Jodong-jong Order is a transliteration of the Caodong school. It is one of the 27 Korean Buddhist sects and orders, and it was first founded in May, 1989. The Jodong-jong Order is headquartered out of Cheongryongsa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul. In this form of Buddhism, Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha) is the central Buddha of…
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Mujangsa-ji Temple Site – 무장사지 (Gyeongju)
Temple Site History Mujangsa-ji Temple Site is located in a long valley in Amgok-dong, Gyeongju. According to the Samguk Yusa, Mujangsa Temple was built by Kim Hyo-yang, who was the father of King Wonseong (r. 785-798 A.D.), in memory of his uncle. As for the name of the temple, Mujangsa Temple, it comes from a story related to King Muyeol of Silla (r. 654-661 A.D.). King Muyeol of Silla is credited with first attempting to unify the entire Korean peninsula by first defeating the Baekje Kingdom in 660 A.D. But before he could completely unify the Korean peninsula, King Muyeol died in 661 A.D. Instead, the defeat of the Goguryeo…
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Yongjangsa-ji Temple Site – 용장사지 (Gyeongju)
Temple Site History Yongjangsa-ji Temple Site is located up the Yongjanggol Valley in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The valley, which is named after the former temple, is the longest and deepest of the valleys on Mt. Namsan. The exact date of the temple is unknown. However, and because of archaeological evidence, we know that Yongjangsa Temple must have existed during the early Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.). We also know that it existed until at least the 15th century because it was where the scholar and poet Kim Si-seup (1435-1493) lived and wrote the Geumo Sinhwa, or “The New Stories of the Golden Turtle” in English. As for Kim Si-seup, he was one…
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Janghang-ri Temple Site – 장항리사지 (Gyeongju)
Temple Site History The Janghang-ri Temple Site is located in eastern Gyeongju at the base of Mt. Tohamsan (745.7 m) to the south. And it gets its name from the local village where it’s located in Janghang-ri. The temple site is also located to the southeast of the famed Seokguram Hermitage, which is situated near the top of the mountain. Of all the National Treasures in Gyeongju, the Janghang-ri Temple Site, alongside Jeonghyesa-ji Temple Site, is probably the least well known of the twenty-six. The temple at the Janghang-ri Temple Site was first founded during the Unified Silla Kingdom (668-935 A.D.). Unfortunately, the exact date of when it was first…
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Daeheungsa Temple – 대흥사 (Gyeongju)
Temple History Daeheungsa Temple is located in northern Gyeongju, and it’s situated at the start of a long valley to the south-east of Mt. Jioksan (569 m). Daeheungsa Temple is a modern temple that belongs to the Yeombul-jong Order, which is one of the twenty-seven Buddhist orders recognized by the Korean government. They give primacy to chanting, and they focus on Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise) as their primary Buddha that they worship. Yeombul-jong Buddhism was first founded in 1991 by the monk Kim Yunbo, and its headquarters is located in the city of Daejeon at Wongwangsa Temple. As for Daeheungsa Temple, it’s built on the rather large…