Eunjeoksa Temple – 은적사 (Nam-gu, Daegu)
Temple History
Eunjeoksa Temple is located in Nam-gu, Daegu to the northeast of Mt. Apsan (658.7 m). Eunjeoksa Temple means “Hidden Traces Temple” in English, and it’s related to the founding of the temple.
At the end of Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.), and during the Later Three Kingdoms (890s-936 A.D.), King Gyeon Hwon of Later Baekje (r. 892-935 A.D.) decided to invade Silla. In response, King Gyeongae of Silla (r. 924-927 A.D.) requested the military aid of Wang Geon, who would eventually go on to become King Taejo of Goryeo (918-943 A.D.). Wang Geon would lead his troops to Daegu. However, while advancing towards Donghwasa Temple on Mt. Palgongsan, Wang Geon was surrounded by King Gyeon Hwon’s forces at the foot of the mountain.
At that critical moment, Wang Geon was able to escape thanks to the strategic advice given to him by his general, Gen. Shin Sung-gyeom (882-927 A.D.). Wang Geon would hide in a natural cave located in a bamboo grove to the right of the now standing Daeung-jeon Hall at Eunjeoksa Temple. Wang Geon hid in this cave for three days, then he moved on to rest at neighbouring Anilsa Temple. Eventually, he would retreat to Cheorwon, Gangwon-do through Mt. Hwangaksan in Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Out of appreciation, and after ascending the throne and founding Goryeo (918-1392), King Taejo of Goryeo ordered the eminent monk Yeongjo-daesa to build a temple at the site where he had hid for three days. He named this temple Eunjeoksa Temple, which means “Hidden Traces Temple” in English, to commemorate his escape from danger.
Later, and in 1644, Eunjeoksa Temple was rebuilt by the monk Chwigam-daesa after being destroyed during the Imjin War (1592-1598). It continued to operate during Japanese Colonial Rule (1910-1945). And in 1947, it was reconstructed. This was subsequently followed by the rebuilding of the Daeung-jeon Hall in 1978 and the Samseong-gak Hall in 1986. The monks dorms’ were completed in 1992. Abbot Heoju continued to improve the temple grounds from 2006 to 2014. Lastly, the Dharma Hall (Seolbeop-jeon Hall) was built in 2020.
The temple’s layout originally followed a “ㄷ”-shaped configuration, but with the construction of the Seolbeop-jeon Hall, it has since evolved into a “ㅁ”-shaped traditional mountain temple layout.
Eunjeoksa Temple is home to the “Wooden Seated Śākyamuni Buddha of Eunjeoksa in Daegu,” which is a Daegu Metropolitan City Tangible Cultural Heritage. Also, Eunjeoksa Temple is one of the 982 traditional Buddhist temples in Korea.
Temple Layout
You first make your way up a winding road, until you come to the temple parking lot. Before making your way up to the main temple courtyard, you’ll notice that there are two metal statues dedicated to Geumgang-yeoksa (Vajra Warriors). However, these two statues don’t look like any Geumgang-yeoksa that I’ve seen. Don’t get me wrong, they’re stunning; however, they’re stylistically different.
To the right of the temple parking lot, and approaching from the south, the first thing you’ll notice is the newly constructed Seolbeop-jeon Hall. The exterior walls are left unadorned, and there’s a glass window that looks out towards the Daeung-jeon Hall and the main temple courtyard.
Having already approach the Seolbeop-jeon Hall, you’ll have passed by the administrative office along the way. The exterior of this building is adorned with some beautiful paintings including those from the Palsang-do (The Eight Scenes from the Buddha’s Life Murals), the Shimu-do (The Ox-Herding Murals), and Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife).
Across from the administrative office, and to the north, you’ll find the monks’ dorms. While understated, the exterior is filled with a variety of paintings including those dedicated to Wonhyo-daesa (617-686 A.D.) and Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.), and the Bodhidharma.
Between the monks’ dorms and the administrative office, you’ll find the elevated Daeung-jeon Hall. The exterior walls are adorned with the Palsang-do. Stepping inside the main hall, you’ll find the “Wooden Seated Śākyamuni Buddha of Eunjeoksa in Daegu,” which dates back to the early 18th century. The statue of Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha) is making the bhūmisparśa mudrā (earth-touching gesture), and it’s believed to have first been created by the monk-sculptor Hacheon. Large in size and beautiful in composition, it commands the interior of the main hall.
To the right rear of the Daeung-jeon Hall, you’ll find the Samseong-gak Hall. The stairs leading up to the shaman shrine hall are lined with statues of the Sibiji-shin (The Twelve Spirit Generals), which are more commonly known as the zodiac. The exterior walls to the Samseong-gak Hall are adorned with various murals that include Bicheon (Flying Heavenly Deities), King Sejo of Joseon’s encounter with the childlike form of Munsu-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom), a large tiger, and the legend behind the moktak. Stepping inside the Samseong-gak Hall, you’ll find a triad of images on the main altar. The central image is a golden relief dedicated to Chilseong (The Seven Stars). To the right and left of this central image are two additional reliefs: one dedicated to Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit), while the other is dedicated to Dokseong (The Lonely Saint). Unlike the central image dedicated to Chilseong, these two reliefs have colour.
How To Get There
From the Daegu Intercity Bus Terminal, you’d need to take two buses and hike a fair bit. So for convenience sake, especially if you’re in a group, you should simply take a taxi. From the bus terminal, the taxi ride should take around 15-20 minutes depending on traffic. In total, the ride should be about 8.5 km, and it’ll cost you around 10,000 won (one way).
Overall Rating: 6/10
Eunjeoksa Temple is filled with important history surrounding King Taejo of Goryeo. In addition to this rich history, you can also enjoy the image of the “Wooden Seated Śākyamuni Buddha of Eunjeoksa in Daegu” that’s housed inside the Daeung-jeon Hall. You can also enjoy the artwork both inside and outside the Samseong-gak Hall, as well as the uniquely designed statues dedicated to the Geumgang-yeoksa (Vajra Warriors) at the entry of the temple grounds. It also doesn’t hurt that Eunjeoksa Temple is surrounded by a beautiful mountain filled with hiking trails, as well.
