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Naejangsa Temple – 내장사 (Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do)
Temple History Naejangsa Temple, which means “Storing Inside Temple,” in English, is located in Naejangsan National Park in Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do. Naejangsa Temple was first built in 636 A.D. by the monk Yeongeun-josa. At this time, it was large in size, with fifty halls and pavilions. Originally, Naejangsa Temple was called Yeongeunsa Temple. In 660 A.D., after being destroyed by fire, Naejangsa Temple was rebuilt by the monk Hwanhae. Naejangsa Temple was an important temple during Later Silla (668-935 A.D.) and through to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). During this time, it was rebuilt and renovated several times. It would become, in time, one of the leading Seon temples. During King Jeongjong…
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Yeongsan-jeon – Vulture Peak Hall: 영산전
Introduction Another one of the more obscure shrine halls that you’ll find at a Korean Buddhist temple is the Yeongsan-jeon Hall. The name Yeongsan-jeon means “Vulture Peak Hall,” in English. The hall is meant to symbolically re-enact the Historical Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul, seated on Vulture Peak. It’s on Vulture Peak that Seokgamoni-bul espoused his central ideas and teachings found in the Lotus Sutra, or the “묘법연화경” (Myobeop Yeonhwa-gyeong; short: Beophwa gyeong), in Korean. Yeongsan-jeon Design In the Lotus Sutra, which is regarded as one of the most important and influential sutras in Mahayana Buddhism, Seokgamoni-bul presents the ultimate truth of life. The central idea found in the Lotus Sutra is that…
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Naesosa Temple – 내소사 (Buan, Jeollabuk-do)
Temple History Naesosa Temple, which means “Come Revive Temple,” in English, is located in Buan, Jeollabuk-do. Naesosa Temple is located just south of Gwaneum-bong (Gwanseeum-bosal Peak) in the southern part of Byeonsan Bando National Park. Naesosa Temple was first established in 633 A.D. by the monk Hyegu-duta in the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.). At that time, two temples were built. They were Daesoraesa Temple and Sosoraesa Temple. Daesoraesa Temple was later destroyed by fire, and all that remained of the two was Sosoraesa Temple. There’s a story that states that So Jeong-bang, a general from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) visited Naesosa Temple and served as a…
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Jong-ru – The Bell Pavilion: 종루
Introduction One of the most universally found structures at a Korean Buddhist temple, outside the main hall, is the bell pavilion. In Korean, the bell pavilion is known as the Jong-ru – 종루. Typically, a Korean temple’s bell pavilion is open in design, and it’s usually found at the entry of a temple. A temple’s bell pavilion can range in size and height. Sometimes, they are simple one story structures; and other times, they are two stories in height. With that being said, a standard Korean Buddhist bell pavilion has four different percussion instruments. Together, these four percussion instruments are known as the Buljeon Samul, in Korean. This literally means,…
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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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Cheonbul-jeon – The One Thousand Buddhas Hall: 천불전
Introduction One of the more obscure shrine halls that you might find at a Korean Buddhist temple is the Cheonbul-jeon, which means “One Thousand Buddhas Hall,” in English. Because of just how well-populated this shrine hall is, it’s one of the easier shrine halls to identify at a Korean Buddhist temple. With that being said, why are there, in fact, one thousand Buddha statues in this type of shrine hall? And why is the the Cheonbul-jeon Hall at a Korean Buddhist temple. Cheonbul-jeon Design The practice of worshiping one thousand incarnations of the Buddha is based upon Mahayana Buddhism, which Korean Buddhism largely ascribes to. The one thousand Buddhas are…
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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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Josa-jeon – The Founder’s Hall: 조사전
Introduction Another shrine hall that you might find at a Korean Buddhist temple, especially a temple that’s larger in size or had a venerated monk, or monks, that once took up residence at the temple, is the Josa-jeon Hall. The word “Josa,” in English, means “patriarch” or “founder.” While the word “jeon” means “hall,” in English. So the Josa-jeon Hall at a Korean Buddhist temple is “The Founder’s/Patriarch’s Hall,” in English. The Josa-jeon Hall can also sometimes be called a Josa-dang Hall, which is just a different honourific term for a shrine hall. Josa-jeon Design So what exactly is this halls purpose and what does a Josa-jeon Hall look like?…
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Sinseonsa Temple – 신선사 (Gyeongju)
Temple History Sinseonsa Temple, which means “Spirit Immortal Temple,” in English, is located on Mt. Danseoksan (827m). Mt. Danseoksan, which means “Cut Rock Mountain,” in English, is the tallest mountain in Gyeongju. Mt. Danseoksan is away from the downtown core in the northwest part of Gyeongju. The name of the mountain was originally Mt. Jungaksan during part of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.). However, the mountain came to be known as Mt. Danseoksan when Kim Yushin (595-673 A.D.), at the age of fifteen in 610 A.D., became a hwarang (an elite group of Silla warrior group). Kim Yushin entered the mountain with the hope of unifying the…