• Seoul

    Yaksusa Temple – 약수사 (Gwanak-gu, Seoul)

    Temple History Yaksusa Temple is located in Gwanak-gu, Seoul to the northwest of Mt. Gwanaksan (632.2 m). Yaksusa Temple, which is also sometimes referred to as Yaksuam Hermitage, is a temple for nuns. While some records suggest that Yaksusa Temple was first founded in 1421, the “Bong-eun Bonmal Saji – 奉恩本末寺誌” claims that the temple’s origins go all the way back to a hermit named Kim. Kim, purportedly, built a small thatched hut for spiritual practice during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). In the late 18th century, and according to the “Beomugo,” which was a document commissioned by King Jeongjo of Joseon (r. 1776-1800) to survey temples nationwide, temples around Mt.…