• Chungcheongbuk-do

    Baekunam Hermitage – 백운암 (Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do)

    Hermitage History Baekunam Hermitage, which means “White Cloud Hermitage” in English, is located in northern Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do in the foothills of Mt. Bilmisan (352.2 m). In fact, the location of the hermitage is rather remote, and it’s situated with mountains to the west and agricultural fields to the east. It’s believed that Baekunam Hermitage was first founded in 1886 by a female shaman named Yun, who was also known as Lord of Jillyeong by the government of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). In fact, Yun was known as a royal shaman. There’s a rather interesting hermitage legend connecting shamans and the royal court. In 1882, Queen Min (1851-1895), who was also…

  • Gyeongsangnam-do,  Tongdosa

    Baekunam Hermitage – 백운암 (Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do)

    Hermitage History Baekunam Hermitage is one of the numerous hermitages located on the Tongdosa Temple grounds in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do. Unlike all the other hermitages at Tongdosa Temple, however, Baekunam Hermitage is located halfway up Mt. Yeongchuksan instead of in the foothills of the mountain. Baekunam Hemritage means “White Cloud Hermitage” in English, and it was first established in 892 A.D. in the waning years of Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.) by the monk Jo-Il. There is not much known about the hermitage from the time it was first established until the early part of the 19th century, when Baekunam Hermitage was reconstructed in 1810 by the monk Chimheo. The hermitage has…