• Gyeonggi-do

    Dongdosa Temple – 동도사 (Yongin, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple History Dongdosa Temple is located in the southern part of Yongin, Gyeonggi-do in the northern foothills of Mt. Geomeunsan. The north side of the temple faces directly out onto the Idong Reservoir. Dongdosa Temple is a modern temple with a long history. That might sound a bit paradoxical; but in a bit, hopefully, it’ll make a bit more sense. When the neighbouring Eubirisa Temple was submerged in water after the construction of the Idong Reservoir in 1963, the temple was moved to the Dongdosa Temple location. With this move, a few of Eubirisa Temple’s artifacts moved to their new location. These artifacts included items like the “Three-Story Stone Pagoda…

  • Gyeonggi-do

    Godalsa-ji Temple Site – 고달사지 (Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple Site History The Godalsa-ji Temple Site is located in the northern part of Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do in the southern foothills of Mt. Udusan (484.4 m). Godalsa Temple was first founded in 764 A.D. during Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.). As for the name of the temple, and according to a founding legend, there was a stonemason named Godal who completed the construction of the temple. Not only that, but according to this very same legend, Godal crafted several of the most prominent pieces of stonework that are now protected Korean cultural heritage properties. Godal was so focused on his work that he forgot about his family who were starving to death.…

  • Gyeonggi-do

    Seoknamsa Temple – 석남사 (Anseong, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple History Seoknamsa Temple in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, not to be confused with the one in Ulsan with the same name, is located to the north of Mt. Seounsan (547.6 m). The temple was first founded in 680 A.D. by the monk Goseung Seokseon. It was later rebuilt by the monk Hyegeo in the early part of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). During the Goryeo Dynasty, hundreds of monks called Seoknamsa Temple home. During the early part of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Seoknamsa Temple remained intact despite the Confucian-oriented government policies of the Joseon court. While many other temples either fell into disrepair or were completely destroyed by this policy, Seoknamsa Temple…

  • Gyeonggi-do

    Cheongnyongsa Temple – 청룡사 (Anseong, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple History Cheongnyongsa Temple is located in the southern part of Anseong, Gyeonggi-do in the southwestern foothills of Mt. Seounsan (547.6 m). The temple is presumed to have first been built in 1265 by the monk Zhongfeng Mingben (1263-1323), who was a monk from Yuan China (1271–1368). Originally, the temple was known as Daejangam Hermitage. In 1364, the famed monk Naong (1320-1376) expanded the temple and changed its name to Cheongnyongsa Temple, which means “Blue Dragon Temple” in English. He named the temple as such because he saw a blue dragon descending from the sky from auspicious clouds. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the temple was completely destroyed by fire…

  • Gyeonggi-do

    Yongdeoksa Temple – 용덕사 (Yongin, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple History Yongdeoksa Temple is located to the west of Mt. Gulamsan (345.8 m) and to the south of Yongin, Gyeonggi-do. Yongdeoksa Temple was first founded 1,300 years ago. It was first built by Yeomgeo-seonsa (?-844 A.D.) during the reign of King Munseong of Silla (r. 839-857 A.D.). It was later rebuilt by Doseon-guksa (826-898 A.D.). According to a temple myth, there were three iron figures that were used to help suppress the strong spirit of the mountain. According to “The Record of Repairing Yongdeoksa Temple,” from “The Record of Contribution of Buddha Food Paddy Field,” which was written in 1914, Yongdeoksa Temple was reconstructed by the monk Seokdam-seonsa in…

  • Gyeonggi-do

    Beopryunsa Temple – 법륜사 (Yongin, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple History Beopryunsa Temple is located to the east of Mt. Munsusan (403.2 m) in the southeastern part of Yongin, Gyeonggi-do. Beopryunsa Temple, which is also sometimes spelled in English as Beomryunsa Temple, was first conceived of in 1996 when Sangryun dreamed of Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). Ten years later, and in 2005, Beopryunsa Temple was first opened. In 2008, Beopryunsa Temple started to conduct the Temple Stay program at its temple. Some 11 years later, this program was selected as the best Temple Stay program in Korea in 2019. Because the temple is so new, it only consists of one protected property. This is the “Three-Story Stone Pagoda…

  • Gyeonggi-do

    Chiljangsa Temple – 칠장사 (Anseong, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple History Chiljangsa Temple is located in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do in a valley between Mt. Chiljangsan (492.1 m) and Mt. Jebiwolsan (294.4 m). “Chil” in the name of the temple means “seven” in English, which is an auspicious number in traditional Korean culture and Buddhism. As for “jang,” it’s a Chinese character that means “army general” in English. “Jang” also has the meaning of a spiritual guardian that protects people from bad fortune, as well. So the name of the temple, in English, means “Seven Army Generals Temple.” All of this, of course, relates to a temple legend at Chiljangsa Temple (more on that soon). Chiljangsa Temple is said to have…

  • Gyeonggi-do,  Templestay

    Templestay – Lotus Lantern International Meditation Center (Incheon)

    Introduction to Temple The Lotus Lantern International Meditation Center, much like Jeondeungsa Temple, is located on Ganghwa-do in Incheon. It’s located near the foothills of a low lying mountain and near rice fields. The center was first founded in 1997 by the monk Wonmyeong (1950-2003). Wonmyeong was a monk that spent many years abroad teaching Buddhism. So it was from this that Wonmyeong first founded the Lotus Lantern International Meditation Center. The Lotus Lantern International Meditation Center Templestay program is entitled A Lotus Flower-Lantern in your Heart!, and it focuses on meditation and chanting services. Directions From the Gimpo Goldline, which includes the Gimpo International Airport station (G109), you’ll need…

  • Gyeonggi-do,  Templestay

    Templestay – Jeondeungsa Temple (Incheon)

    Introduction to Temple Jeondeungsa Temple is situated on Ganghwa-do Island. Jeondeungsa Temple was first established in the 4th century by the monk Ado, and it was formally called Jinjongsa Temple. It received its current name in 1282. It’s believed by some that Jeondeungsa Temple is the oldest temple on the Korean peninsula. The temple helped defend against the invading Mongols during the 13th century. In fact, the Goryeo royal family temporarily took up residence at the temple after the capital of Gaeseong had been overrun. From 1719 until 1910, Jeondeungsa Temple was in charge of protecting the ancestral records of the Joseon Dynasty royal family. As a result, senior monks…

  • Giuseppe Bengivenni,  Gyeonggi-do

    Sammaksa Temple/Sangbulam Hermitage – 삼막사/상불암 (Anyang, Gyeonggi-do)

    Temple History Hello, everyone! Giuseppe back with my third temple and yet another mountaintop temple. This time, Sammaksa Temple, “Three Curtain Temple,” near the peak of Mt. Samseongsan, “Three Saint Mountain” in Anyang, Gyeonggi-do. Sammaksa Temple was first established in 677 A.D. during the Silla Dynasty as a small hermitage by the great monk Wonhyo-daesa. If this sounds familiar, it’s the same year that Uisang-daesa established what is now Yeonjuam Hermitage, just across the narrow valley, on Mt. Gwanaksan. The mountain is actually named after Wonhyo, Uisang, and Yeonpil, “three saints” who spent time here. It’s a well-known fact that Wonhyo-daesa and Uisang-daesa were close friends and travel companions, but I was…