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Hyuhyuam Hermitage – 휴휴암 (Yangyang, Gangwon-do)
Hermitage History Hyuhyuam Hermitage, which is located in Yangyang, Gangwon-do, means “Rest and Rest Again Hermitage,” in English. The name of the hermitage is in reference to resting the mind from distracting thoughts and feelings like hate, jealousy, and conflict. Initially, the hermitage was nothing more than a single shrine hall; but in 1999, the popularity of the hermitage started to grow with the discovery of a rock that looked like a reclining Buddha. There are other seaside rocks at Hyuhyuam Hermitage that have significance, as well. There’s the Haesu Gwaneum rock that looks like a statue of Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). This rock looks like it’s holding a…
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Jeongamsa Temple – 정암사 (Gohan, Gangwon-do)
Temple History Jeongamsa Temple is one of the temples that’s considered a Jeokmyeol-bogung, which is a temple established by Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.) to house the sari (crystallized remains) of the Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). Jeokmyeol-bogung means “Silent Nirvana Treasure Palace,” in English. In total, there are four other temples that still exist to this day that are also considered Jeokmyeol-bogung. They are Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do; Beopheungsa Temple in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do; Sajaam Hermitage in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do; and Bongjeongam Hermitage in Inje, Gangwon-do. There is an additional Jeokmyeol-bogung that once existed at Hwangnyongsa-ji Temple in Gyeongju, but it was destroyed during the Mongol invasion of 1238. Of the six Jeokmyeol-bogung,…
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Guryongsa Temple – 구룡사 (Wonju, Gangwon-do)
Temple History Guryongsa Temple is located in Chiaksan National Park in Wonju, Gangwon-do. Guryongsa Temple is specifically located to the north of the highest peak in the park, Biro-bong (1288m), in a long valley. Guryongsa Temple was first founded by the famed monk, and temple builder, Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.) in 668 A.D. The name of the temple, Guryongsa Temple, originally meant “Nine Dragons Temple,” in English. And this name comes from the creation myth that surrounds the temple. Uisang-daesa, after walking several kilometres, found a location for a new temple in the folds of Mt. Chiaksan. However, this location was already occupied by a pond, which potentially prevented Uisang-daesa from…
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Beopheungsa Temple – 법흥사 (Yeongwol, Gangwon-do)
Temple History Beopheungsa Temple, which means “Dharma Promotion Temple,” in English, is located in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do. Specifically, Beopheungsa Temple is situated on the southern slopes of Mt. Sajasan (1,180.4 m), or “Lion Mountain,” in English, just east of Chiaksan National Park. Beopheungsa Temple was first established under the name Heungnyeongsa Temple, which means “Prosperous Peaceful Temple,” in English, by the famed monk Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.) in 643 A.D. The temple was first established by Jajang-yulsa to house the sari (crystallized remains) of Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). Alongside six other historic sites in Korea, five of which are still in existence, they are known as Jeokmyeol-bogung, or “Silent Nirvana Treasure Palace,”…
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Naksansa Temple – 낙산사 (Yangyang, Gangwon-do)
Temple History Naksansa Temple is located in Yangyang, Gangwon-do. The name of the temple, Naksansa Temple, is an abbreviation of “Botarakgasan.” The name “Naksan,” is in reference to Mt. Potalaka, which is a mythical mountain located in the seas south of India. It’s also believed to be where Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion in English, or Avalokiteśvara in Sanskrit) lives. Mt. Potalaka means “Brilliance,” in English. Gwanseeum-bosal is said to live on an island surrounded by the sea alongside guardian dragons under Mt. Potalaka. The temple was first founded in 671 A.D. by Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.) upon his return from Tang China. Uisang-daesa was an ambassador to Tang China for…
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Woljeongsa Temple – 월정사 (Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do)
Temple History Woljeongsa Temple, which is located in Odaesan National Park in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, means “Moon Vitality Temple,” in English. The temple was first founded by the famed monk Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.) in 643 A.D. Mt. Odaesan (1563 m) is a transliteration of the Chinese characters for Mt. Wutai-shan, which is where Jajang-yulsa met the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Munsu-bosal. But before getting too far ahead of ourselves, and like so many other temples in Korea, Woljeongsa Temple has quite the creation myth surrounding it. In 636 A.D., and according to the Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, circa the 1280s), Jajang-yulsa traveled to Tang China to study Buddhism. Jajang-yulsa…
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Sinheungsa Temple – 신흥사 (Sokcho, Gangwon-do)
Temple History Sinheungsa Temple, which is located in Sokcho, Gangwon-do, is also situated, arguably, in Korea’s most beautiful national park: Seoraksan National Park. Sinheungsa Temple, in English, means “Spirit Arising Temple.” Sinheungsa Temple is believed to have been first built by the famed monk Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.). Originally, the temple was called Hyangseongsa Temple. However, with that being said, there is some dispute as to when it was first built by Jajang-yulsa. It’s been argued that it was first built in 637 A.D. before the famed monk left to study in Tang China. And it’s also been argued that Sinheungsa Temple was built upon Jajang-yulsa’s return to the Korean peninsula…