Geumsansa Temple – 금산사 (Sinan, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History
Geumsansa Temple, which shouldn’t be confused with the more famous temple with the same name in Gimje, Jeollabuk-do, is located on Aphae-do Island in Sinan, Jeollanam-do in the south-western foothills of Mt. Geumsan (101.3 m). In fact, Geumsansa Temple is the only Buddhist temple on the island. According to the “Geumsansa-seo,” or “Introduction to Geumsansa Temple,” the temple was first founded in 1904 by three local residents. In 1981, the temple underwent a restoration. And in 1993, the temple was rebuilt. On July 27th, 1988, Geumsansa Temple was designated as a traditional temple. As a result, Geumsansa Temple is one of the 982 traditional Buddhist temples in Korea.
Temple Layout
From the temple parking lot, you’ll notice that there are two courtyard areas to the temple. There’s the upper courtyard that houses most of the temple shrine halls, and there is a lower courtyard that houses the solitary Gwaneum-jeon Hall. The exterior of the Gwaneum-jeon Hall is adorned in simple dancheong colours, while the dragon heads on either side of the shrine hall’s signboard are rather peculiar. Stepping inside the Gwaneum-jeon Hall, you’ll find a main altar image of Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion) backed by hundreds of smaller sized statues of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as well. And hanging on the far right wall, you’ll find a red-accented Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural).
In the upper courtyard, on the other hand, you’ll find three additional shrine halls including the Daeung-jeon Hall to the far right. The exterior walls to the Daeung-jeon Hall are adorned in simple Shimu-do (Ox-Herding Murals). Also adorning the exterior are murals of the Dragon Ship of Wisdom, Dokseong (The Lonely Saint), and an all-white image of Gwanseeum-bosal. Stepping inside the main hall, you’ll find a main altar triad centred by Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha) and joined on either side by statues of Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife) and Gwanseeum-bosal. The triad is situated underneath a beautiful datjib (canopy). And hanging on the far right wall, you’ll find a modern Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural). Inside this mural is a striking image of Yongwang (The Dragon King).
To the right of the Daeung-jeon Hall, you’ll find the monks dorms. To the left of the Daeung-jeon Hall, on the other hand, you’ll find two additional shaman shrine halls. The first of the two is the Chilseong/Dokseong-gak Hall. Stepping inside this shaman shrine hall, you’ll find two paintings: one dedicated to Chilseong (The Seven Stars) and the other dedicated to Dokseong (The Lonely Saint). If you look closely at the dongja (attendant) to the right of the central image of Dokseong, you’ll find that they are carrying a peach and a watermelon in their basket.
The final shrine hall that visitors can explore at Geumsansa Temple is the Sanshin-gak Hall to the left of the Chilseong/Dokseong-gak Hall. The exterior walls to this shaman shrine hall are adorned in simple dancheong colours. Stepping inside the shrine hall, you’ll find a solitary painting dedicated to Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) on the main altar. The tiger in the painting to the side of Sanshin looks frighteningly pale.
How To Get There
There’s just no simple way to get to the rather remote Geumsansa Temple in Sinan, Jeollanam-do. If you were feeling adventurous, you could take two buses from the Mokpo Bus Terminal and then enjoy a long walk. If that’s you, you can take Bus #2004 from the Mokpo Bus Terminal. You’ll need to take this bus for ten stops, or 43 minutes, and get off at the “Jeungang – 중앙하차” bus stop. From this bus stop, you’ll need to catch the bus with the name “Aphae Bokryong – 압해 복룡 하차.” You’ll need to take this bus for seven minutes, or four stops, and get off at the “Mokgyo – 목교하차” bus stop. From where the bus drops you off, you’ll need to walk north up Road #77 for 30 minutes, or two kilometres.
However, the easiest way to get to Geumsansa Temple is if you have your own mode of transportation.
Overall Rating: 5/10
Geumsansa Temple in Sinan, Jeollanam-do is a modest temple with numerous shrine halls. The highlights to this temple are the interior of the Gwaneum-jeon Hall, the paintings of Dokseong (The Lonely Saint) with the watermelon-carrying dongja (attendant), the Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) painting, as well as the modern Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural) inside the Daeung-jeon Hall. Overall, Geumsansa Temple is a quaint little temple in an isolated part of Korea.
