Former Dongbonwonsa Temple – 구 동본원사 (Mokpo, Jeollanam-do)

Temple History

The Former Dongbonwonsa Temple is located in downtown Mokpo, Jeollanam-do near the Mokpo Port to the south and Mt. Yudalsan (229.5 m) to the west. Known officially as the Jinjong Daegokha Dongbonwonsa Temple, it was the first Japanese Buddhist temple established in Mokpo. Following the division of Japan’s Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land School) during the Edo Period (1603–1868) into East and West branches, Dongbonwon (Higashi Hongan-ji) became affiliated with the Otani sect in 1873, while Nishi Hongan-ji was known as the Honpa (Jodo Shinshu). The Daegokha Otani sect espoused the belief that even those who had committed serious crimes could attain salvation. The Mokpo branch of Dongbonwonsa Temple was first founded in April, 1898, which was a year after Mokpo Port opened to international trade.

Dongbonwonsa Temple would also receive official permission to establish the Shimsang Elementary School, becoming the first Japanese elementary school officially operating in Mokpo. As the number of Japanese residents in Mokpo grew so too did the number of students (67) attending this elementary school. So on January 1st, 1902, the management of the school transferred to the Japanese Resident’s Association. And in 1904, the temple acquired the land for the current site of the former temple. This was then followed in November, 1905 with the completion of a wooden two-story Buddhist shrine hall. According to the “Mokpo City History” records, the original temple site for Dongbonwonsa Temple included a wooden main hall, residential quarters for the monks, a bell pavilion, and a storage building. In total, the original main hall was 70 pyeong (231 m2) in size.

By the early 1930s, the wooden main hall was replaced by a granite hall. After Korea’s liberation, the former Japanese Buddhist temple was converted into Mokpo Jungang Church in 1957. As for the history of the Mokpo Jungang Church, it first started worship services on April 10th, 1923 with Wednesday prayer meetings at the Huiseong Kindergarten in Mokpo. In the same year, the church was formally established under the name of the Jungang Church with 43 initial congregants. On October 6th, 1934, land was purchased in Juk-dong, Mokpo, and services were held at the Old Juk-dong Church in 1935. The first pastor of the church was Baek Yong-hee, who was nominated on July 1st, 1935. On May 3rd, 1957, the Mokpo Jungang Church purchased the land where the former Dongbonwonsa Temple stood. And on July 1st, 1957, the church had their first service inside the former Dongbonwonsa Temple building. From this point forward, the former Buddhist temple was now being used as a Christian church.

During the Gwangju Uprising (May 18th, 1980 – May 27th, 1980), the building served as a centre for Mokpo’s democratization efforts. The church would provide a safe haven for activists. In fact, monuments commemorating these efforts stand on the former temple site. In 2010, the city initially planned on demolishing the former Japanese Buddhist temple and convert it into a parking lot. However, civic groups protested and halted these municipal efforts. Eventually, the city of Mokpo purchased the former Japanese Buddhist temple; and on July 30th, 2009, it was designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage #340. On January 19th, 2010, and after the interior of the building had been renovated and a parking lot added, the former Japanese Buddhist temple was re-opened as Ogori Cultural Centre, serving as a venue for cultural events and exhibitions.

Temple Layout

You first approach the Former Dongbonwonsa Temple along a side street in downtown Mokpo, Jeollanam-do. Up a set of well-hidden stone stairs, you’ll come to an open area that houses the former Japanese Buddhist temple. Unlike almost all other Buddhist temples in Korea, the Former Dongbonwonsa Temple’s exterior is made of granite. The walls of the structure are made using stacked stones. The stones are of various sizes. It’s presumed that the area between the entrance and the main hall is made of concrete. Along the left exterior wall, you’ll find two doors. The front door, which is elevated, appears to be sealed and no longer in use. To the rear of this doors, and up a set of stairs, you’ll find a back door to the building. Just below this is another diminutive door to the basement of the building.

The roof of the Former Dongbonwonsa Temple is made using a truss system. Its eaves are characteristic of Japanese architecture, which gives the building a distinct appearance. The truss consists of a paired truss design with a width of 16.8 metres and a height of 6.9 metres. The main beams of the structure are 168 metres in length, and they are connected to joints using wooden reinforcements. On top of the diagonal braces, horizontal supports are laid to create the overall structure design.

As for the eaves of the structure, they are supported by square rafters known as “jiduri” in Japanese. To accomplish this, the eaves are designed with curved lines, and the height of the supporting columns are raised. To give additional support, “omoyageta” in Japanese are provided. Additionally, and more recently, the end of the right eaves have been damaged.

The building is rectangular in shape with a protruding entranceway at the front. In Japanese, this is known as “karahafu,” which is a type of Japanese gable roof characterized by a central arched section and elongated, upward-curved ends. Additionally, although the “kuruma mata,” or “traditional wooden architectural features” are missing from this area, the entrance has intricately carved designs on the beams. The entrance has a pair of large, wooden doors. This style of entranceway is unlike traditional Korean Buddhist temples. There isn’t a space dividing the exterior from the interior inside Korean Buddhist temples.

Typically, the space inside the main hall would have followed the traditional arrangement inside Japanese Buddhist temples, where a statue of a Buddha would have been placed on the main altar. And the remaining space inside the main hall would have been used for worship. However, when the building became a church used by the Mokpo Jungang Church, the central portion of the interior was occupied by pulpits for worshippers. In addition to the front spaced used by the pastor during a religious service, a choir area and piano were placed to the front right. Now, however, the space is completely open for the use of cultural events and/or an art gallery for pictures or paintings.

How To Get There

From the Mokpo Intercity Bus Terminal, you can catch a few city buses to get to the Former Dongbonwonsa Temple. One of these buses is Bus #300A. Take Bus #300A for twelve stops and get off at the “Mokpo-yeok – 목포역 하차” bus stop. From where the bus drops you off, you’ll need to head south and then turn west at the “Nojeokbong-gil – 노적봉길” road. After walking down this road for about 70 metres, head south, once more. The Former Dongbonwonsa Temple will be to the west and up a set of hidden stairs. In total, the entire walk from the bus stop to the former temple is about 400 metres, or 5 minutes.

Overall Rating: 6/10

The Former Dongbonwonsa Temple is definitely a novelty with it being only one of four Japanese Colonial era Buddhist temples still in existence with the others being the Former Seogyeongsa Temple in Gyeongju, Gwaneumsa Temple in Jung-gu, Daegu, and Dongguksa Temple in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do. What’s distinct about this former Japanese Buddhist temple is that its exterior is made of granite. It has a beautiful broad entryway with a large, sloping roof. If you’re lucky, it’ll be open to the public when you visit, but this isn’t a guarantee. The Former Dongbonwonsa Temple is an emotional reminder of Korea’s tumultuous past.