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Sujeongam Hermitage – 수정암 (Boeun-Gun, Chungcheongbuk-do)
Hermitage History Just south-west of the famous Beopjusa Temple in Boeun-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do is Sujeongam Hermitage. And like Beopjusa Temple, it’s beautifully situated in Songnisan National Park. Sujeongam Hermitage is one of twelve hermitages that’s located on the Beopjusa Temple grounds. Sujeongam Hermitage is believed to have been built around the same time as Beopjusa Temple in 553 A.D. by the same monk, Uisin. Unfortunately, very few records remain to tell about the hermitage’s history. However, records do exist stating that the hermitage had shaman shrine halls like the Sanshin-gak (Mountain Spirit Hall), Chilseong-gak (Seven Stars Hall), and Dokseong-gak (Lonely Saint Hall), as well as a Daeseon-bang (Great Meditation Hall) in…
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Guinsa Temple – 구인사 (Danyang, Chungcheongbuk-do)
Temple History Guinsa Temple, which means “Salvation of Humanity Temple,” in English is located in the Danyang, Chungcheongbuk-do. Guinsa Temple is situated up a long valley north of the towering Mt. Sobaeksan (1439.6m). The temple was first completed in 1945, when the contemporary founder of the Cheontae-jong Order, Sangwol-wongak, built a small hut from arrowroot vines. During his time here, he received a revelation about the truth of the universe, which is an interpretation of the Lotus Sutra. During the Korean War (1950-53), the temple was destroyed in the fighting. In 1966, Guinsa Temple was renovated and expanded. And in 1967, the Cheontae-jong Order was registered with the Korean government,…
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Yeonjuam Hermitage/Yeonjudae – 연주암/연주대 (Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do)
Hello Again Everyone!! This is Giuseppe with my second contribution to the site. Hope you enjoy! Throughout my years of living and traveling in Korea, I’ve always had a small collection of “comfort” places that I tried to get back to now and again, depending on where I lived. I appreciate the sense of intimacy that develops from this relationship with a place; getting to know some of the locals, enjoying a specific restaurant, finding hidden trails, knowing a place through the four seasons. Since moving to suburban Seoul, Yeonjuam Hermitage, and its spectacular Yeonjudae, perched on the edge of a sharp cliff, has been one of those places. The…
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Gakwonsa Temple – 각원사 (Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do)
Temple History Gakwonsa Temple is located in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do on the northern side of Mt. Taejosan (420m). If the name of the mountain sounds familiar, it should. It’s named after the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, King Taejo of Goryeo (r.918-943). The name of the mountain is named after King Taejo because according to legend he built up his military forces in this area. Gakwonsa Temple is apart of the Jogye-jong Order, which is the largest Buddhist order in South Korea. Temple Layout Throughout the years, and especially more recently, Gakwonsa Temple has undergone numerous reconstructions and renovations. It almost seems like a brand new temple. Upon first arriving at…
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Sudeoksa Temple – 수덕사 (Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do)
Temple History Sudeoksa Temple is located on Mt. Deoksungsan (495.2 m) in Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do. The name of the temple means “Practicing Virtue Temple” in English. There is some ambiguity as to when Sudeoksa Temple was exactly built. There are two differing accounts as to when it was first built. The first states that the temple was established by the Buddhist monk Sungje during the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.). during the reign of King Wideok of Baekje (r.554-598). And according to a different account, the temple was founded in 599 A.D. by the monk Jimyeong. There is recorded proof that the monk Hyehyeon (570-627 A.D.) taught at Sudeoksa…
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Magoksa Temple – 마곡사 (Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do)
Temple History Magoksa Temple, which means “Hemp Valley Temple” in English, is located outside the beautiful city of Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do. There are two competing stories as to when the temple was actually first built. One states that the temple was first built by the famed monk Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.) in 640 A.D. Jajang-yulsa is also the very same monk to have built Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do. Another states that the temple was founded by the monk Muyeom (800-888 A.D.) upon his return to the Korean peninsula in 845 A.D. after studying in Tang China. Like so many temples in Korea, Magoksa Temple has quite the creation story surrounding its…
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Jikjisa Temple – 직지사 (Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History Jikjisa Temple, which means “Finger Pointing Temple,” in English, sits at the base of Mt. Hwangaksan (1111.3m) in Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The temple is scenically located with quiet forests, towering mountain peaks, and rolling streams. According to temple legend, Jikjisa Temple was built in 418 A.D. by the monk Ado-hwasang. There are three theories as to how the temple got its name. The first states that after first seeing the location, Ado-hwasang pointed to a spot on the mountain and said that a large temple should be built at its base. The second story states that in 936 A.D., Master Neungyeo, while reconstructing the temple, instead of using a…
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Buseoksa Temple – 부석사 (Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History Buseoksa Temple, which means “Floating Rock Temple” in English, is located in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It’s also one of Korea’s most famous temples. Buseoksa Temple is home to five National Treasures and five additional Korean Treasures. As for the temple itself, Buseoksa Temple was first established by the famed monk, Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.), under the royal decree of King Munmu of Silla (r. 661-681 A.D.), in 676 A.D. There were a few reasons for the Silla Kingdom’s royal support in establishing Buseoksa Temple. The first is that it would help promote the ideas behind Hwaeom (Huayan) Buddhism throughout the Korean peninsula, and Buseoksa Temple would also act as the…
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Video: Yongwang: The Dragon King – 용왕
Hello Again Everyone!! Of the four major shaman deities that you can find at a Korean Buddhist temple, which includes Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit), Chilseong (The Seven Stars), and Dokseong (The Lonely Saint), it’s probably Yongwang, the Dragon King, that’s least understood. Perhaps because he’s not as well represented as the other three, but Yongwang still has incredible significance both in Korean Buddhism and Korean shamanism. So enjoy the video and learn about the shaman deity that lives under the sea and provides security to the Korean peninsula. Enjoy!
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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…