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Anilsa Temple – 안일사 (Nam-gu, Daegu)
Temple History Anilsa Temple, which means “Peace and Ease Temple” in English, is located to the north of Mt. Apsan (658.7m) in Nam-gu, Daegu. As for how the temple got its name, it’s believed that King Taejo of Goryeo (r. 918 – 943 A.D.) suffered a crushing defeat against King Gyeon Hwon of Later Baekje (r. 892-935 A.D.) at the Battle of Gongsan. Initially, King Taejo hid at the neighbouring Eunjiksa Temple. Restless, he later travelled to Anilsa Temple, which is surrounded by rock formations that appear like folding screens. This defensive position gave King Taejo peace of mind, so he was finally able to relax. Even today, about 500…
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Ugoksa Temple – 우곡사 (Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Ugoksa Temple is located to the south of the Seocheon-jeosuji Reservoir in northeastern Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do. And to the west, you’ll find Mt. Naejeongbyeongsan (493m). In English, Ugoksa Temple means “Ox Valley Temple.” It’s believed that Ugoksa Temple was first founded in 832 A.D. by Muyeom-guksa (801-888 A.D.). He built the temple as a place to help train future generations of Buddhist monks. After the founding of the temple, very few records about the history of Ugoksa Temple exist. However, Ugoksa Temple does appear in the “Beomugo – 梵宇攷,” which is an historical text that was compiled in 1799. Because Ugoksa Temple is mentioned as being located on Mt.…
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Bomunsa Temple – 보문사 (Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Temple History Bomunsa Temple in Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, which shouldn’t be confused with the dozens of other temples in Korea with the exact same name, is located to the northwest of Mt. Bomunsan (642.5 m). Bomunsa Temple is believed to have first been founded in 676 A.D. by the famed monk Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.). However, there is very little evidence to support this claim. Instead, it’s more likely that one of Uisang-daesa’s disciples actually first founded Bomunsa Temple. Either way, it’s believed that Bomunsa Temple is the oldest temple in the city of Yecheon. During the mid-Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), the famed monk Jinul (1158-1210), who was also known as Bojo-guksa, stayed…
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Seoyugi-do – “Journey to the West” Murals: 서유기도
Introduction In the Yonghwa-jeon Hall at Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, there is a collection of over 30 paintings adorning its interior walls. Of these paintings, it’s the seven larger paintings that adorn the east and west walls that stand out for their originality and age. According to “A Study of the Journey to the West Painting in Yonghwa-jeon Hall at Tongdosa Temple” by Choi Mina, these seven paintings are dedicated to the “Journey to the West” (西遊記圖), which are a collection of stories written in the 16th century and traditionally attributed to Wu Cheng’en (吳承恩, c. 1500–1582). Originally, these tales were passed down as Chinese folk legends before being…
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Anguksa Temple – 안국사 (Hamyang, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Anguksa Temple in Hamyang, Gyeongsangnam-do is one of several temples with this exact same name in Korea. As for this Anguksa Temple, it’s located on the western slopes of Mt. Geumdaesan (851.5m) near Geumdaeam Hermitage. Anguksa Temple was first founded in 1403 by the monk Haenghojo, who built the temple in hopes of stabilizing Joseon (1392-1910), which had just formed a few years prior. On August 29, 1598, and during the Imjin War (1592-98), about 500 Japanese soldiers entered the Mt. Jirisan region and burned the temple down along with Geumdaeam Hermitage. Although it was later rebuilt, the temple would eventually be destroyed by fire in 1947. It…
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Singwangsa Temple – 신광사 (Buk-gu, Gwangju)
Temple History Singwangsa Temple in Buk-gu, Gwangju, which shouldn’t be confused with the dozen or so other temples with the same name in Korea, is located in the eastern part of the city. Singwangsa Temple was first founded in 1933 from the donations of Kim Cheong-jaewol, who was the mother of Choi Dong-yeol. Choi Dong-yeol was a prominent figure in Gwangju around this time. Singwangsa Temple was the first temple in Gwangju to be made for the practice of nuns. In 1944, the first abbess of the temple, Hyeun (慧雲), took over the administration of the temple. She also registered it as a branch temple of Songgwangsa Temple. It was…
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Hakbangsa Temple – 학방사 (Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Hakbangsa Temple, which is also referred to as Hakbangam Hermitage, is located in eastern Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do to the southwest of Mt. Bonghaksan. Hakbangsa Temple means “Fragrant Crane Temple” in English. As for the name of the mountain where Hakbangsa Temple is located, it looks like the shape of a crane lying down. And where the temple is built, it’s placed under what looks like the wings of the crane. Eventually, it’s believed, that the crane will finally spread its wings and soar high up into the sky. According to the temple registration for Gyeongsangnam-do, Hakbangsa Temple was originally founded in the late Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). There is very…
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Yangdeoksa Temple – 양덕사 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan)
Temple History Yangdeoksa Temple is located in Ulju-gun, Ulsan next to the Gyeongbu Highway that connects Busan to Gyeongju. It’s also at the nexus of the Ulsan Expressway that connects eastern Ulsan with the western part of the city. Yangdeoksa Temple is a modern temple that’s just over 20 years old. The temple also belongs to the Cheontae-jong Order of Korean Buddhism. Temple Layout After making your way under a few highway underpasses and next to several rice fields, you’ll finally stumble upon Yangdeoksa Temple next to a portion of the Eonyang River. The first building to welcome you will be the two-story main hall. The first floor of the…
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Seonghyeolsa Temple – 성혈사 (Yeongju, Gyeongasngbuk-do)
Temple History Seonghyeolsa Temple is located in the eastern confines of Sobaeksan National Park in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Seonghyeolsa Temple means “Sacred Cave Temple” in English. The temple is said to have first been founded by the monk Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.) during the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.). According to a temple legend, after Uisang-daesa founded the nearby Buseoksa Temple, he established Choamsa Temple on the site of the thatched hut (choam, 草庵) he built when he first visited Mt. Sobaeksan (1,439 m). However, the rafters to the roof of the thatched roof at Choamsa Temple kept disappearing, so Uisang-daesa went out to find them. He would eventually discover…
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Chilseongsa Temple – 칠성사 (Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Chilseongsa Temple is located to the west of Chilseong-bong Peak (905.8 m) in northern Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do. Originally, the temple was known as Geumbongam Hermitage, or “Golden Phoenix Hermitage” in English, when it was rebuilt in 2004. The name of the hermitage then changed to Geumbongsa Temple in 2009 with the increase in prominence of the temple. Finally, the temple was renamed as Chilseongsa Temple, or “Seven Stars Temple” in English, on October 8th, 2014. Chilseongsa Temple is a temple that was restored and rebuilt in 2004 by the monk Danje. Danje was a disciple of Hyobong, who was a monk that served as the Supreme Patriarch of the…