Geumdaeam Hermitage – 금대암 (Hamyang, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Hermitage History
Geumdaeam Hermitage, which is also sometimes referred to as Geumdaesa Temple, is a hermitage directly associated with neighbouring Anguksa Temple in the southern slopes of Mt. Geumdaesan (851.5 m) in southern Hamyang, Gyeongsangnam-do. According to local legend, the Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) of Mt. Jirisan is believed to be female. However, at Mt. Geumdaesan, which is part of Mt. Jirisan (1,915 m), it’s believed to be a male Sanshin. So the female energy of the mountain concentrates at Mt. Geumdaesan, making it a place of great spiritual power and harmony.
Geumdaeam Hermitage means “Gold Platform Hermitage” in English. Geumdaeam Hermitage was first founded in 656 A.D. by the monk Haengu. Additionally, Doseon-guksa (827-898 A.D.) is said to have been traveling across Mt. Jirisan, when he came to Mt. Geumdaesan. He was so struck by its beauty that he was unable to speak for three days. Later, he built the Nahan-jeon Hall and reconstructed the temple, making it famous for the worship of Nahan (The Historical Disciples of the Buddha).
During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), Geumdaeam Hermitage became a prominent site for practice. In 1430, during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the hermitage was reconstructed by the monk Haengho. Yu Ho-in (1445-1494), who was a civil official and great writer during the Joseon Dynasty, is said to have visited Geumdaeam Hermitage. During this visit, he wrote a poem with the following lines, “The breeze of the pine trees awakens me from my dreams, and I find myself sleep talking.” This poem suggests that there were once numerous old evergreen trees in the area at this time.
This was followed in 1489, when Kim Ilson (1464-1498) was touring Mt. Jirisan, and he recorded in his “Sokdulyeurok” (續頭流錄) that about 20 monks were chanting scriptures and practicing at Geumdaeam Hermitage. It’s also believed that Seosan (1520-1604) practiced meditation at Geumdaeam Hermitage. During the Imjin War (1592-98), the hermitage was largely damaged.
After being reconstructed, the hermitage was destroyed, once more, this time during the Korean War (1950-53). Geumdaeam Hermitage was later rebuilt in 1960. In 1985, when the new main hall was constructed, the old hall was dismantled and moved to it current location, where it’s now called the Geumdae Seonwon. In 1999, a new Nahan-jeon Hall was built, as well.
Geumdaeam Hermitage is home to four provincial treasures. They are the “Hamyang Geumdaeam Hermitage Bronze Bell,” the “Hamyang Geumdaeam Hermitage Three-Story Stone Pagoda,” the “Hamyang Geumdaeam Hermitage Shinjung-do,” and the “Hamyang Geumdaeam Hermitage Fir Tree.” Also, Geumdaeam Hermitage is one of the 982 traditional temples in Korea.
Hermitage Layout
You first approach Geumdaeam Hermitage up a steep mountain road to the east of neighbouring Anguksa Temple. From the hermitage parking lot, you’ll probably first be greeted by a couple of hermitage dogs. Don’t worry, the mom and pups are pretty friendly and may even follow you around the hermitage grounds like they did with me.
The first building to greet you at the hermitage are the monks dorms. They appear to have been newly constructed, so they are void of any dancheong. Instead, they stand in their natural wood tones. To the right of these monks’ dorms, there’s a platform that looks out towards Mt. Jirisan to the south. It’s also in this area that you’ll find the stunning “Hamyang Geumdaeam Fir Tree.” This needle fir tree has reached a height of 40 metres and a circumference of 2.92 metres. It’s also believed to be the oldest of its kind in Korea. It’s presumed to have been first planted in 1430, when the monk Haengho rebuilt Geumdaeam Hermitage. Originally, there was another needle fir next to this one, but it was struck by lightning in 2000 and died.
Beyond the monk’s dorms, you’ll find the Geukrak-jeon Hall. There are three rooms to this main hall with the left and right being used for meditation. The exterior walls are adorned in a variety of paintings that include the Shimu-do (Ox-Herding Murals), the Palsang-do (The Eight Scenes from the Buddha’s Life Murals), white lotus flowers, and a blue dragon.
Stepping inside the central Geukrak-jeon Hall, and beyond the front wooden walkway, you’ll find a main altar centred by Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). This central image is then joined on either side by Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion) and Daesaeji-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom and Power for Amita-bul). Also housed inside this main hall is the “Hamyang Geumdaeam Hermitage Bronze Bell.” It stand 59 cm in height and a diametre of 43 cm. It was first created in 1734 at Ssanggyesa Temple in Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do. Also housed inside the Geukrak-jeon Hall, and to the left of the main altar, is the “Hamyang Geumdaeam Hermitage Shinjung-do.” The Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural) measures 100 x 105 cm. It was first created in 1785. It has a wonderful central image of Dongjin-bosal (The Bodhisattva that Protects the Buddha’s Teachings). And this central image is joined by various shamanic guardian spirits.
To the north of the Geukrak-jeon Hall, and placed in the upper courtyard, you’ll find the elevated Nahan-jeon Hall. The exterior walls are adorned in simple monochromatic colours. Stepping inside, you’ll find a main altar occupied by statues of the Nahan and backed by a black and gold mural dedicated to the Historical Disciples of the Buddha. And hanging on the far left wall, you’ll find a male Sanshin (Mountain Spirit) painting. It’s also from the heights of this shrine hall that you get even more impressive views of Mt. Jirisan off in the distance to the south.
How To Get There
Sometimes, there’s no real practical way to get to a temple or hermitage because of the city it’s situated in or its mountainous location. For Geumdaeam Hermitage, it’s for both these reasons that there’s no public transportation that goes directly to the hermitage. So instead, and unless you have your own mode of transportation, you’ll need to catch a taxi from the Hamyang Intercity Bus Terminal. The taxi ride will take 35 minutes, or 27 km, and it’ll cost you around 37,000 won (one way).
Overall Rating: 5/10
It’s all about the views at Geumdaeam Hermitage. Mt. Jirisan off in the distance is beautifully fronted by one of, if not the, oldest fir trees in Korea. The tree is about 600 years old. You can also enjoy the nearly 250 year old Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural) inside the Geukrak-jeon Hall, as well as the older painting dedicated to Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) inside the Nahan-jeon Hall. While Geumdaeam Hermitage certainly isn’t the flashiest temple or hermitage in Korea, it definitely has the views and artwork to support it. Also, Anguksa Temple isn’t all that far away, either, so you can pack the two together into one temple adventure.
