-
Cheongryeonam Hermitage – 청련암 (Dalseong-gun, Daegu)
Hermitage History Cheongryeonam Hermitage, which means “Blue Lotus Hermitage” in English, is located to the east of the main temple, Namjijangsa Temple, in Dolseong, Daegu. Both the temple and the hermitage are situated to the south of Mt. Choijeongsan (905 m). Like Namjijangsa Temple, Cheongryeonam Hermitage was first constructed in 684 A.D. by the monk Yanggae. Both were built on the behest of King Sinmun of Silla (r. 681-692 A.D.). And like the neighbouring Namjijangsa Temple, Cheongryeonam Hermitage was completely destroyed by the invading Japanese during the Imjin War (1592-1598). In fact, and during the Imjin War, Cheongryeonam Hermitage was used as a training centre for monks that were led…
-
Namjijangsa Temple – 남지장사 (Dalseong-gun, Daegu)
Temple History Namjijangsa Temple is located in the southern part of Daegu in Dalseong-gun. More specifically, the temple is located to the south-east of the towering Mt. Choijeongsan (905 m). As for the name of the temple, Namjijangsa Temple means “South Jijang Temple” in English, which is in reference to the Bodhisattva of the Afterlife: Jijang-bosal. And the temple is a counterpart to Bukjijangsa Temple in neighbouring Dong-gu, Daegu. Namjijangsa Temple was first established in 684 A.D. by the monk Yanggae. Eventually, the temple would grow to include eight shrine halls, a Jong-ru (Bell Pavilion) and Cheonwangmun Gate. Namjijangsa Temple is also believed to have once been the home to…
-
Bukjijangsa Temple – 북지장사 (Dong-gu, Daegu)
Temple History Bukjijangsa Temple is located on the south-eastern part of Mt. Palgongsan (1192.3 m) in northern Daegu. Bukjijangsa Temple was first constructed in 465 A.D. by the monk Geukdal-hwasang. The name of the temple, Bukjijangsa Temple, means “North Jijang Temple” in English. The temple is named after the Bodhisattva of the Afterlife, Jijang-bosal. The temple is a counterpart to Namjijangsa Temple in neighbouring Dalseong-gun, Daegu. Namjijangsa Temple, which means “South Jijang Temple” in English, was first established in 684 A.D. Some foundation stones from the original construction of the temple, which precede the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), still exist on the temple site. The original temple was much larger in…
-
Yugasa Temple – 유가사 (Dalseong-gun, Daegu)
Temple History Yugasa Temple, which is located on the western slopes of Mt. Biseulsan (1083.4 m), can be found in southern Daegu. There are two stories as to when Yugasa Temple was first established. One story describes the temple being founded between 765 to 780 A.D. And the more likely story of the two is that Yugasa Temple was founded in 829 A.D. by the monk Doseong. The location of the temple was selected because the mountains looked like a beautiful bead and/or Buddha. Additionally, Yugasa Temple is the headquarters for the Yuga-jong Buddhist Order. Throughout the years, Yugasa Temple has undergone numerous rebuilds and renovations. The first came in…
-
Buinsa Temple – 부인사 (Dong-gu, Daegu)
Temple History Buinsa Temple, which was first constructed during the 7th century, is located on the southern part of the famous Mt. Palgongsan (1,192.3m) in northern Daegu. The name of the temple is an honourific reference to a woman, which simply means “Ma’am” or “Madam,” in English. So the name of the temple means “Ma’am/Madam Temple,” in English. The reason that it’s called this is it’s in reference to Queen Seondeok (r.632-647 A.D.). In fact, the temple was built to pray for the overall health and welfare of Queen Seondeok. Queen Seondeok was the first reigning queen of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.). She encouraged the arts,…
-
Yongyeonsa Temple – 용연사 (Dalseong-gun, Daegu)
Temple History Yongyeonsa Temple, which is located on the northern part of Mt. Biseulsan (1083 m), is located in southern Daegu. The name of the temple means “Dragon Flying into the Sky Temple,” in English. Yongyeonsa Temple was first established in 912 A.D. by the monk Boyang-guksa. And no history about the temple exists until the end of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). However, with that being said, and according to the temple creation myth, there was a dragon that lived in the Yongyeon-ji Pond (Dragon Flying into the Sky Pond) at the temple. By flying up and into the sky, the dragon became a divine being. And this is where…
-
Gatbawi Shrine – 갓바위 (Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Shrine History Gatbawi Shrine, which is officially known as the “Stone Seated Buddha at Gwanbong Peak in Palgongsan Mountain, Gyeongsan,” according to the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, is located on the famed Mt. Palgongsan (1192.3m) in Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do. In Korean, it’s officially called “Gwanbong Yeorae-jwasang.” Gatbawi is simply a statue on top of Gwanbong Peak (852.9m). Surprisingly, Gatbawi isn’t a National Treasure; instead it’s Korean Treasure #431. Shrine Layout The name of the shrine, Gatbawi, is in reference to the name of the bamboo hat, a “Gat,” which is a traditionally worn by men. So Gatbawi is a compound word. It’s a combination of “Gat” with the Korean word…
-
Donghwasa Temple – 동화사 (Dong-gu, Daegu)
Temple History Donghwasa Temple is located on the southern slopes of Mt. Palgongsan (1193m) in Daegu. The name of the temple means “Paulownia Blossom Temple” in English. Originally, the temple was built in 493 A.D. by the monk Geukdal and was named Yugasa Temple. However, it was later rebuilt in 832 A.D. by the monk Simji in 832 A.D. The name of the temple refers to a legend around the time of this reconstruction. According to this legend, and during the dead of winter, wild paulownia trees were in bloom all around Donghwasa Temple during the temple’s reconstruction. This was thought of as an auspicious sign. According to the Samguk-yusa,…