Choamsa Temple – 초암사 (Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History
Choamsa Temple is located in the southeastern portion of Sobaeksan National Park in northwestern Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Choamsa Temple, which means “Thatched Hut Temple” in English, is thought to have been founded by the famed monk Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.). There are two legends regarding the founding of the temple by Uisang-daesa.
In the first legend, it states that in 676 A.D., while Uisang-daesa was travelling around the peninsula to select a site to build the future Buseoksa Temple, he stayed and practiced in a temporary thatched hut to the southeast of Mt. Sobaeksan (1,439 m).
In the second legend, Uisang-daesa had already begun the construction of Buseoksa Temple, when the roof beams to the temple mysteriously disappeared. Using his “spiritual insight,” he discovered that the beams had fallen at the future site of Choamsa Temple. Believing this to be the will of the Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul, Uisang-daesa decided to build a small thatched hut (choam) here southeast of Mt. Sobaeksan. He would live and practice at this thatched hut before continuing with the construction of Buseoksa Temple.
After the construction of Choamsa Temple was completed, there are a historical records detailing the history of the temple. They include the Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam from the 16th century, the Yeji Doseo from the 18th century, and the Yeongnam Eupji and the Gyonaemji from the late 19th century. Which is all to say that the temple remained as a functioning temple throughout the mid-to-late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). One source from 1728, the Sunheungji (順興誌) indicates that Choamsa Temple was once quite a large temple.
Eventually, the temple would fall into semi-disrepair, as an elderly layman was living in a thatched hut, farming potatoes, at Choamsa Temple. Around 1935, the monk Sang-ho rebuilt the temple. However, during the Korean War (1950-1953), the temple would be completely destroyed by fire. Kim Sang-ho would move to neighbouring Heukseoksa Temple in Yeongju. The temple would eventually be abandoned until the early 1970s, when the Buddhist nun Bowon settled at Choamsa Temple. In 1982, the Daeung-jeon Hall, the Daejeokgwang-jeon Hall, and the Samseong-gak Hall would be built. Then in 2017, the Jong-gak Pavilion and the Iljumun Gate would be built, as well.
In total, the temple is home to three provincial treasures. They are the “Three-Story Stone Pagoda of Choamsa Temple,” the “East Stupa of Choamsa Temple,” and the “West Stupa of Choamsa Temple.” Rather interestingly, it’s believed that the “Gilt-bronze Pensive Maitreya Bodhisattva,” which is a National Treasure now housed inside the National Museum of Korea, was originally enshrined at Choamsa Temple. Lastly, Choamsa Temple is one of the 982 traditional Buddhist temples in Korea.
Temple Layout
You first make your way up to Choamsa Temple from the Sobaeksan National Park parking lot. This southeastern side of the Sobaeksan National Park is known as the Jukgye Nine Valleys (Jukgye-gugok). The walk up is around 500 metres, or 10 minutes, and it’s quite a beautiful walk with trees surrounding you and a stream nearby.
About halfway up the road, you’ll find the top heavy Iljumun Gate. With slender pillars, it supports a heavy roof. A little further along, and to your left, you’ll find a terraced clearing. In this area, you’ll find the “West Stupa of Choamsa Temple” and the “East Stupa of Choamsa Temple.” The “West Stupa of Choamsa Temple” dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). However, it’s unknown who the stupa belongs to. Stupas are built to house the earthly remains of Buddhist monks and nuns. The stupa consists of three parts. It consists of lower, middle, and upper support stones. Except for the lower portion of the stupa, all other parts are octagonal in shape. The lower support stone is decorated with lotus flower patterns. The middle stone has column-shaped carvings on each of its eight corners, as well as eye-shaped designs known as ansang in Korean. The upper stone is adorned with lotus flower designs that mirror the lower portion of the stupa. The “West Stupa of Choamsa Temple” is a Gyeongsangbuk-do Tangible Cultural Heritage.
And next to this stupa is the “East Stupa of Choamsa Temple.” Again, this stupa is a Gyeongsangbuk-do Tangible Cultural Heritage, and it dates back to the early Goryeo Dynasty. Once more, the earthly remains inside the stupa are unknown. On the four sides of the body stone, you’ll find reliefs of doors with locks on them. And the corners of the roof-stone are engraved with reliefs of lotus flowers. The stupa had formerly collapsed and was later reassembled near the “Three-Story Stone Pagoda of Choamsa Temple.” Eventually, and in 2010, the “East Stupa of Choamsa Temple” was moved to its current location next to the “West Stupa of Choamsa Temple.”
Continuing up the road leading to Choamsa Temple, you’ll eventually cross a bridge and see the lower portion of the temple grounds. The first thing to come into view is the Jong-gak Pavilion. Housed inside this pavilion is a beautiful bronze bell. To the south, you’ll find a collection of off-limit buildings that include the nuns’ dorms and Yeombul-dang Hall. In front of the Yeombul-dang Hall is the “Three-Story Stone Pagoda of Choamsa Temple.” The pagoda is a three-story structure that dates back to Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.). It has a two-story platform (gidan) that supports its three-story body. The pagoda is typical of a pagoda designed during the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.).
To the north of the Jong-gak Pavilion, you’ll find the Daeung-jeon Hall. The exterior walls are adorned in fading Shimu-do (Ox-Herding Murals) that are accented in sky blue tones. Stepping inside the Daeung-jeon Hall, you’ll find a main altar triad centred by an image of Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). This central image is flanked on either side by statues dedicated to Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife) and Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). To the left of the main altar, you’ll find a mural dedicated to Jijang-bosal. While to the right, you’ll find a Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural).
Up a set of stairs to the rear of the Daeung-jeon Hall, you’ll find the temple’s main hall, the Daejeokgwang-jeon Hall. The exterior walls are adorned two separate sets of paintings. The upper set is the Palsang-do (The Eight Scenes from the Buddha’s Life), while the lower set of paintings are the Shimu-do (Ox-Herding Murals). The rest of the exterior is adorned in intricate dancheong colours. Stepping inside the Daejeokgwang-jeon Hall, you’ll find a main altar triad centred by Birojana-bul (The Buddha of Cosmic Energy). This central image is flanked by statues dedicated to Seokgamoni-bul and Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). To the left of the main altar, you’ll find a modern Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural) joined by a mural dedicated to Chilseong (The Seven Stars). And to the right of the main altar, you’ll find a mural dedicated to Amita-bul, as well as a mural dedicated to a rather disheveled-looking image of the Bodhidharma.
To right rear of the Daejeokgwang-jeon Hall, and up a set of stairs, you’ll find the Samseong-gak Hall. The exterior walls are adorned with various paintings that include those of peaches, deer, waterfalls, Shinseon (Taoist Immortals), an orange tiger, as well as picturesque landscape paintings. Rather uniquely, you’ll also find a stone statue of a dog. Supposedly since creating this statue of a guard dog, there have been no thefts at Choamsa Temple. Stepping inside the shaman shrine hall, you’ll find a collection of three paintings dedicated to Chilseong (The Seven Stars), Dokseong (The Lonely Saint), and Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit). Of particular interesting is the golden teapot that the dongja (attendant) is boiling water. It has a large manja symbol on it. Also, the tiger is particularly fierce in the Sanshin painting.
How To Get There
There’s really no easy way to get to Choamsa Temple from the Yeongju Intercity Bus Terminal using public transportation. You’d either need to take three buses or walk 60 minutes. So the easiest way to get to Choamsa Temple from the Yeongju Intercity Bus Terminal is to take a taxi. It’ll take about 30 minutes, or 25 km, and it’ll cost you around 33,000 won (one way). Perhaps in a group this isn’t so bad. Also, if you plan on hiking around the southern part of Sobaeksan National Park, it’ll be worth it.
Overall Rating: 6.5/10
There are a few highlights to Choamsa Temple like the beautiful stream that guides you up towards the temple grounds, as well as the two historic stupas from the Goryeo Dynasty. As for the temple itself, the shaman murals housed inside the Samseong-gak Hall, the main altar statues inside the Daejeokgwang-jeon Hall, as well as the exterior wall paintings that surround the Daeung-jeon Hall of the Shimu-do are charming in their own way. All put together, Choamsa Temple is yet another beautiful temple in Sobaeksan National Park.
