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Templestay – Mihwangsa Temple (Haenam, Jeollanam-do)
Introduction to Temple Mihwangsa Temple, which means “Beautiful Yellow Temple” in English, is located in Haenam, Jeollanam-do. According to a temple myth from the Samguk Yusa, Mihwangsa Temple was first founded in 749 A.D. The temple is located to the west of Mt. Dalmasan (489 m), and it’s the southernmost temple on the Korean Peninsula. As a result, Mihwangsa Temple enjoys beautiful views of the South Sea off in the distance. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), officials and scholars from China’s Song Dynasty (960-1279) visited the temple between 1264 to 1294. Also at this time, there were twelve hermitages that were directly associated with Mihwangsa Temple on Mt. Dalmasan. During…
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Templestay – Baegyangsa Temple (Jangseong, Jeollanam-do)
Introduction to Temple Baegyangsa Temple is located in Naejangsan National Park in Jangseong, Jeollanam-do. It’s located in a picturesque valley between Mt. Daegaksan (529.8 m) to the southeast and Mt. Baegamsan (741.2 m) to the northwest. Baegyangsa Temple was first founded in 632 A.D. during the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.). When the temple was first constructed, it was named Baegamsa Temple. Later, and during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), it was renamed to Jeongtosa Temple in 1034. The temple would change its name, once more, in 1350 to that of Gakjinguksa Temple. Finally in 1574, when the temple was rebuilt, it was also renamed with the current name…
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Templestay – Hwaeomsa Temple (Gurye, Jeollanam-do)
Introduction to Temple Hwaeomsa Temple is located in Gurye, Jeollanam-do on the very south-western edge of Jirisan National Park. Hwaeomsa Temple means “Flower Garland Temple” in English, which is in reference to the Flower Garland Sutra. The temple was first established in 544 A.D. by the monk Yeongi-josa, who might have been from India. The temple was later expanded by Jajang-yulsa (590-648 A.D.) in 643 A.D. And it was further expanded by the monk Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.), during the reign of King Munmu of Silla (r. 661-681 A.D.). Later, and in 875 A.D., Doseon-guksa (827-898 A.D.) expanded the temple, once more. Throughout the years, Hwaeomsa Temple has undergone numerous rebuilds…
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Yeongiam Hermitage – 연기암 (Gurye, Jeollanam-do)
Hermitage History Yeongiam Hermitage is located in the far northern part of the Hwaeomsa Temple grounds in Gurye, Jeollanam-do. Yeongiam Hermitage is one of eight hermitages at Hwaeomsa Temple. Yeongiam Hermitage is named after the Indian monk that first founded Hwaeomsa Temple in 544 A.D., Yeongi-josa. The hermitage is believed to have first been built during the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.). Yeongiam Hermitage was then destroyed during the Imjin War (1592-1598) in 1592. The hermitage was only recently rebuilt in 1989. And it continues to expand to the present day. Hermitage Layout Making your way up to Yeongiam Hermitage and past the hermitage parking lot, you’ll be…
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Geumjeongam Hermitage – 금정암 (Gurye, Jeollanam-do)
Hermitage History Geumjeongam Hermitage, which means “Golden Well Hermitage” in English, is located to the east of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye, Jeollanam-do. Geumjeongam Hermitage is one of eight hermitages located on the Hwaeomsa Temple grounds. Geumjeongam Hermitage was first founded by the monk Seol-eung in 1562. Later, the Chilseong-gak Hall and the Yosachae (monks’ dorms) were built during the reign of King Gojong of Korea (1863-1907). During the Korean War (1950-1953), most of the hermitages that surrounded Hwaeomsa Temple were destroyed. Of the numerous hermitages that once stood, Geumjeongam Hermitage is one of the few that still remains at Hwaeomsa Temple. Then in 1991, a fire broke out at the…
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Gucheungam Hermitage – 구층암 (Gurye, Jeollanam-do)
Hermitage History Gucheungam Hermitage is located in Gurye, Jeollanam-do on the Hwaeomsa Temple grounds to the north of the main temple courtyard. In fact, Gucheungam Hermitage is one of eight hermitages on the Hwaeomsa Temple grounds. Based on artifacts discovered on the hermitage grounds, it’s believed that Gucheungam Hermitage was built at the end of Silla (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.). As for the name of the hermitage, which means “Nine Levels Hermitage” in English, it’s either a reference to a nine-story stone pagoda that once stood on the hermitage grounds or the nine grades associated with Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). However, a detailed history of the…
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Yeongoksa Temple – 연곡사 (Gurye, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History Yeongoksa Temple is located in Gurye, Jeollanam-do, and it was purportedly first constructed in 543 A.D. by the the Indian monk Yeongi-josa, who also founded neighbouring Hwaeomsa Temple in 544 A.D. According to legend, Yeongi-josa discovered a pond while reading about the land. While he was looking out at the middle of the pond, a swallow flew out from a whirlpool of water. After that, the pond dried up and the place where the pond used to inhabit was used for the temple grounds. As a result, Yeongoksa Temple means “Swallow Valley Temple” in English. The temple was later renovated in the 9th century by Doseon-guksa. During the…
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Baegyangsa Temple – 백양사 (Jangseong, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History Baegyangsa Temple is located in Naejangsan National Park in Jangseong, Jeollanam-do in a valley between Mt. Daegaksan (529.8 m) to the southeast and Mt. Baegamsan (741.2 m) to the northwest. Baegyangsa Temple was first founded in 632 A.D. during the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.). Originally, when the temple was first constructed, it was called Baegamsa Temple. Later, and during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), the temple changed its name to Jeongtosa Temple in 1034. The name of the temple at this time was in reference to the Pure Land in Buddhism, or “Jeongto” in Korean. The temple would change its name, once more, this time to…
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Munsusa Temple – 문수사 (Gurye, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History Munsusa Temple, which is named after Munsu-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom), was first constructed in 547 A.D. by the Buddhist monk Yeongi. The temple is located in Gurye, Jeollanam-do in the southwestern portion of the famed Jirisan National Park. Throughout the years, several prominent Korean Buddhist monks such as Wonhyo-daesa (617 – 686 A.D.), Uisang-daesa (625 – 702 A.D.), Seosan-daesa (1520 – 1604), and Samyeong-daesa (1544 – 1610) have all called Munsusa Temple home at one time or another. Much of what you currently see at Munsusa Temple was built in 1984, nearly four hundred years after it was partially destroyed by the Japanese during the destructive Imjin…
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Nammireuksa Temple – 남미륵사 (Gangjin, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History Located in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do, and surrounded by farms, the name Nammireuksa Temple means “South Future Buddha Temple” in English. First founded in 1980 by the monk Seok Heung, the temple doesn’t belong to any of the three prominent Buddhist Orders in Korea; namely, Jogye, Cheontae, or Taego. Instead, it belongs to the Saegye Buddhist Order. This order is so small, in fact, that it isn’t even officially recognized by the Korean government. The sect seems to have been established in the late 20th century as a breakaway from the predominant Jogye-jong Order. Temple Layout The temple grounds are broken up into three main temple courtyards that are, rather…