• Gyeongsangnam-do

    Daewonsa Temple – 대원사 (Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do)

    Temple History Daewonsa Temple in Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do, which shouldn’t be confused with the numerous other temples in Korea with the same name, is located in the northeastern part of Jirisan National Park. Daewonsa Temple was first founded in 548 A.D. by Yeongi-josa, who also founded Hwaeomsa Temple in 544 A.D. and Yeongoksa Temple in 543 A.D. It’s believed that Yeongi-josa was from India. Originally, the temple was called Pyeongwonsa Temple. Then during the mid-600s, Jajang-yulsa (590-685 A.D.) purportedly built the Multi-Story Stone Pagoda of Daewonsa Temple. For the next 1,000 years, the temple ceased to exist. Eventually, the temple was rebuilt only to be destroyed in 1592 by the invading…

  • Jeollanam-do

    Daewonsa Temple – 대원사 (Boseong, Jeollanam-do)

    Temple History Daewonsa Temple is located in Boseong, Jeollanam-do to the north of Mt. Cheonbongsan (611.7 m), which means “Phoenix Mountain” in English. Purportedly, the temple was built by the monk Ado in 503 A.D. in the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.). During Later Silla (668-935 A.D.), Daewonsa Temple was one of eight major temples in the Nirvana Order. Also, it makes the claim that it was one of the Five Gyo (doctrinal) and Nine Seon (meditative) temples. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), Jajin Wono-guksa, who helped finish the Koreana Tripitaka engravings at Seonwonsa Temple on Ganghwa-do Island, then traveled down to Daewonsa Tepmle to help re-build shrine…

  • Gyeongsangbuk-do

    Daewonsa Temple – 대원사 (Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do)

    Temple History Daewonsa Temple is located in northern Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do. More specifically, it’s located southeast of the diminutive Mt. Obongsan (177.7 m) near Chilpo Beach. Before the modern Daewonsa Temple was built, the site was occupied by a much older temple, which according to local legend, was dismantled during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in 1510. The former temple was dismantled at this point because the land was needed to house the Japanese military. As for the present temple, Daewonsa Temple, it was first constructed in 1945 just after Japanese colonization (1910-1945) of the peninsula came to an end. Temple Layout As you first approach the temple grounds over the Gohyeon-cheon…